Sportsnaut
New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen spent this offseason bolstering the roster via free agency and through the NFL Draft.
The biggest splashes he made were signing 10-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson and drafting Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart in the first round. On paper, the Giants roster is vastly better than it was a season ago.
However, even with an improved roster, there are still concerns about areas that could have a major impact on the season.
Here are the top three areas of concern with the Giants roster.
As a rookie, Malik Nabers lived up to expectations as the sixth overall pick in the 2024 draft. He set a franchise record for receptions in a season with 109, had 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns, and was voted to the Pro Bowl. With Wilson now throwing him the ball, Nabers could reach All-Pro status.
However, if something were to happen to the second-year receiver, there isn’t another receiver on the roster that strikes fear in opposing defenses or someone that could be considered a number one option if Nabers were to get injured.
The team didn’t draft a receiver but did re-sign Darius Slayton to a three-year, $36 million deal in March. Slayton has been solid throughout his career, but he’s never had more than 770 receiving yards or 50 receptions in a season.
Wan’Dale Robinson is the team’s slot receiver and is shifty, but at 5-foot-8, he’s undersized and is averaging 8.2 yards per reception for his career. Third-year wideout Jalin Hyatt has been a non-factor in his first two seasons in New York, catching just 31 passes. The hope is that the upgraded quarterback room can bring out his untapped potential, but that’s a question mark.
Nabers hasn’t participated this week in OTAs due to a minor toe issue, but if he were to miss time during the season, it would be troublesome for the Giants offense.
One of the team’s best free agency signings was cornerback Paulson Adebo to a three-year, $54 million contract. Adebo is a physical corner who will be the team’s number one corner after Deonte Banks struggled in his second season.
However, Adebo is coming off a broken femur that he suffered in October, and although signs indicate that he’s recovering well, time will tell if he’ll return to the player he was prior to the injury, when he had 28 pass defenses and seven interceptions over his last 22 games.
The team is hoping that Banks will have a bounce-back season in his third year under defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and resemble the player he was during his rookie season. With every NFC East team having two dynamic pass catchers at the receiver position, the Giants will need Adebo and Banks to play at a high level to avoid finishing last in the division again.
As the team goes...
