Giants news, 7/7: Breakout candidates, Saquon Barkley, more headlines

New York Giants news for Wednesday

Good morning, New York Giants fans!

Who are the best breakout candidates for all 32 NFL teams? – The Athletic

New York Giants

The Giants are relying on a bunch of veterans after their free-agent spending sprees in the past two offseasons. But they need some of their young draft picks to make a jump. Left tackle Andrew Thomas, the No. 4 pick in the 2020 draft, struggled in the first half of his rookie season before settling down. He’ll need to be consistently better this season. Safety Xavier McKinney, a second-rounder in 2020, missed the first 10 games with a broken foot but showed enough flashes after his return to fuel optimism. McKinney could be poised for a breakout sophomore season. — Dan Duggan

The Giants’ first two 2020 picks, Thomas and McKinney breaking out would be major steps forward towards a much improved 2021 season.

Every NFL Team’s Biggest Mistake of the Past 5 Years – Bleacher Report

New York Giants: Drafting Saquon Barkley

Yes, more running back talk.

The New York Giants used the second overall pick on the position in 2018 with Penn State’s Saquon Barkley. He’s started as advertised, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors with 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns on 5.0 yards per carry. He also caught 91 passes for 721 yards and scored four times.

The Giants won five games that year.

Barkley regressed a bit in 2019 while missing three games, going for 1,003 yards and six scores on a 4.6 average, plus 52 catches. The Giants went 4-12. They then went 6-10 while Barkley missed the majority of 2020 with a knee injury.

Point being, Barkley is fun to watch and great at what he does; it just doesn’t move the needle all that much and the great injury risk to the position became a factor quickly. The team needed a different sort of impact for the rebuild with such a prized asset, whether it was a different prospect or trading it for multiple picks.

Now, instead of contending, the Giants will stare a costly long-term extension for Barkley right in the face soon.

NFL All Under 25 Offensive Team: Titans have most First Teamers behind A.J. Brown, QB nod to Lamar Jackson – CBS Sports

RB Saquon Barkley (Giants)

NYG • RB • 26

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Barkley unfortunately tore his ACL in the second game of the season last year, but we have reason to expect he’ll be able to bounce back. When the Giants drafted him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, he quickly proved that he was indeed the dynamic dual-threat weapon we all loved to watch on Saturdays at Penn State. He recorded 2,028 yards from scrimmage, 15 touchdowns and won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. An ankle injury forced him to miss three games in 2019, so questions about his health are fair. But at the same time, “Saquads” is a physical specimen and is one of the best running backs in the league when healthy.

The debate about taking a Running Back at 2nd overall aside, Barkley has been a talented player when healthy. This upcoming season will play a huge factor in the debate as the Giants look to be the best they have been in years.

Two wildly different takes on the Giants’ star RB going into 2021.

NFL players on the roster bubble entering 2021 training camps: 32 cut candidates, from veterans to former first-rounders – ESPN

New York Giants

Veteran in danger: Nate Solder, OT

Why he could get cut: Solder opted out last year and didn’t play particularly well the two years prior. And now it has been 18 months since the veteran offensive tackle has been in a full-contact practice or game. Who is to say his body can hold up at 33 years old after more than a year off? Or that he’s willing to go through the full grind to potentially be a backup for the first time since he was a freshman at Colorado? Only time will tell. Solder is competing this summer not only for the starting right tackle job with Matt Peart, but also a roster spot. — Jordan Raanan

Ranking Giants’ 25 most important players: OLB Lorenzo Carter – nj.com

Carter comes in at 16.

How does Kadarius Toney fit into NY Giants wide receiver depth chart? – Fansided

With so much depth, how does Toney fit in?

In case you missed it

• Giants’ Leonard Williams seventh-ranked interior defensive lineman, per ESPN
• Giants 2021 roster profile: FB Elijhaa Penny faces challenge for his job
• Giants 2021 roster profile: OT Matt Peart ready for full-time duty
• NFC East Dream Team: Division’s best defensive players

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