Big Blue Huddle

Duggan on which players are trending up and which are trending down.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5677515/2024/08/04/new-york-giants-training-camp-evan-neal-darius-slayton/


Giants stock report: Why Evan Neal's absence has his future in doubt

The New York Giants have completed eight training camp practices. They return to practice on Sunday after a day off. Then, the intensity ramps up with joint practices against the Lions on Monday and Tuesday and the preseason opener against Detroit on Thursday.

This is a good time to assess whose stock is rising and whose stock is falling before the stakes increase this week:

Stock up

S Dane Belton

It's easy to put Belton in this category after defensive coordinator Shane Bowen declared the starting safety job his to lose. Belton took a big leap in the battle for the starting spot next to Jason Pinnock, thanks to rookie Tyler Nubin's calf injury, which sidelined him for five practices.

Belton has shown a nose for the ball in limited opportunities in his first two seasons, which has continued in camp, highlighted by an impressive leaping interception of a Daniel Jones pass at the goal line. Nubin returned to practice on Thursday. General manager Joe Schoen viewed the second-round pick as an immediate starter on draft day, but he has ground to make up on Belton.
CB Isaiah Simmons

Every coach gets excited about Simmons' rare combination of size and athleticism. But finding an impactful role for the 2020 No. 8 overall pick has been challenging. Bowen seems determined to unlock Simmons' physical gifts, as the 6-foot-4, 238-pounder has gotten extensive work with the first-team defense as a slot corner and a linebacker in the dime package. Simmons' main competition for playing time is Nick McCloud, who could get bumped into a starting role at outside corner.

DL Ryder Anderson

The starting spot on the defensive line next to veterans Dexter Lawrence and Rakeem Nunez-Roches was wide open this offseason. Anderson appears to have seized that role, getting reps with the first-team defense in every practice.

Anderson, 6-6 and 280, also has the inside track as the interior rusher next to Lawrence on passing downs. Signed as a rookie minicamp tryout in 2022, Anderson was stuck on the practice squad last season. He's in line for a significant jump to a starting job in his third season.

LB Dyontae Johnson

It's hard to gauge the reps at the inside linebacker spot next to Bobby Okereke because Micah McFadden has been on a pitch count as he ramps up from a hamstring injury he suffered in the spring. But it's impossible to ignore that Johnson has gotten extensive work with the starting defense. It's even harder to ignore that Johnson has made the most of those opportunities, including an interception of Jones from an Okereke tip in Thursday's practice.

Unless Johnson shows so much on defense that he unseats McFadden as the starter, his path to a roster spot will come via special teams. Veterans Carter Coughlin and Matthew Adams are locked into roles on special teams, while Darius Muasau has the advantage of being a draft pick this year. To secure a spot, Johnson likely needs to outperform someone from that trio on special teams in preseason games. He could not do so last year and landed on the practice squad.

RB Dante Miller

The running back competition is wide open behind Devin Singletary. Miller has gotten some first-team reps recently and has shown the burst that earned him the "Turbo" nickname. The challenge for the undrafted rookie will be establishing consistency beyond a few splash plays. Miller should get plenty of opportunities in preseason games when running backs can fully demonstrate their skills.


Stock down

OL Evan Neal

It may be unfair to put an injured player on this list, but Neal's stock has undoubtedly tumbled during his absence from the start of training camp due to a lingering ankle injury. First, the Giants moved Jermaine Eluemunor, who had worked exclusively at left guard during the spring, into the starting right tackle spot. Then, the Giants signed veteran guard Greg Van Roten to solidify the Eluemunor position shift as permanent.

So where does that leave Neal? There's no way he'll simply reclaim the starting right tackle job once he gets healthy. When that will be remains a mystery because he doesn't appear particularly close to returning while working on the side with trainers. Neal seems destined for a swing tackle role this season. His future beyond that is murky, with Eluemunor and left tackle Andrew Thomas signed through next season, which is the final year of Neal's rookie deal.

WR Darius Slayton

Slayton gets counted out every year and then invariably winds up as the team's leading receiver. Still, the deck seems more stacked against him this year with the team's youth movement at wide receiver. Rookie Malik Nabers clearly will be the No. 1 receiver, while third-year slot receiver Wan'Dale Robinson promises to be fed targets. Jalin Hyatt, a third-round pick last year, has been getting more reps with the starters than Slayton in camp.

It wouldn't be surprising if Slayton's consistency eventually pushes him above Hyatt. But it looks like the team will give their recent draft pick every opportunity to seize the No. 3 receiver role, which is bad news for Slayton in a contract year.
The New York Giants are younger at wide receiver this season, but Darius Slayton could still have a significant role on the roster. (Rich Schultz / Getty Images)

WR Isaiah Hodgins

A midseason revelation in 2022, Hodgins never gets first-team reps anymore. It's not hard to do the math and see how he could be in trouble for a roster spot. Nabers, Robinson, Hyatt and Slayton are the top four receivers. The Giants figure to carry Gunner Olszewski or Isaiah McKenzie as a return specialist, while other depth receivers like Miles Boykin and Bryce Ford-Wheaton offer more on special teams.

The Giants know what they have in Hodgins as a receiver and his role in the offense shrunk last season. With more mouths to feed at receiver, Hodgins must prove he can contribute in the kicking game to secure a roster spot.

OL Marcus McKethan

It's clear that McKethan's opportunity has passed. The 2022 fifth-round pick went from starting five games last season to being stuck as the third-team left guard every practice despite all of the shuffling among the linemen. Being behind undrafted rookie Jake Kubas and Jalen Mayfield, who spent last season on the practice squad, doesn't bode well for McKethan's odds of making the roster in his third season.
go-deeper

GO DEEPER

Malik Nabers practice diary: The Giants' plan for him, his 'long-lost brother' and cutting knee pads
OL Austin Schlottmann

Unlike other backup offensive linemen signed in free agency who got one-year minimum contracts with little guaranteed money, the Giants gave Schlottmann a two-year, $2.8 million contract with $500,000 guaranteed. It's not a major commitment, but enough of an investment to assume the sixth-year veteran would be the No. 2 center.

But even with starting center John Michael Schmitz missing the past five practices with a shoulder injury, Schlottmann hasn't been the unquestioned next man up. He already had been splitting reps with Jimmy Morrissey, who signed a minimum contract with no guaranteed money in January, before Van Roten and Jon Runyan started taking reps at center. It seems like the Giants are prepping to have a guard move to center if Schmitz misses time during the season, which wouldn't be necessary if they were fully confident in Schlottmann.

I can't disagree with Duggan's assessments.   I also get the sense that the Giants are not thrilled with their backup centers and seem to want to find their backups among the guards.

Quote from: MightyGiants on August 04, 2024, 08:09:39 AMI can't disagree with Duggan's assessments.   I also get the sense that the Giants are not thrilled with their backup centers and seem to want to find their backups among the guards.

Rich,

I recall reading somewhere that Runyan can play center in a pinch. Is that your understanding as well?

I appreciate it would not be ideal having to remove him from his guard spot, but in the event JMS can't play and no backup is suitable, are you aware that this is considered a possible option?

Now that we at least have a bit more depth at the guard position maybe this wouldn't be the end of the world for a couple games if we had no better option.

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on August 04, 2024, 08:18:00 AMRich,

I recall reading somewhere that Runyan can play center in a pinch. Is that your understanding as well?

I appreciate it would not be ideal having to remove him from his guard spot, but in the event JMS can't play and no backup is suitable, are you aware that this is considered a possible option?

Now that we at least have a bit more depth at the guard position maybe this wouldn't be the end of the world for a couple games if we had no better option.

I am pretty sure I have seen Runyan take a few snaps there.  I also heard he his prior game snaps as center are very limited (he has taken more in PS games)

Quote from: MightyGiants on August 04, 2024, 08:09:39 AMI can't disagree with Duggan's assessments.   I also get the sense that the Giants are not thrilled with their backup centers and seem to want to find their backups among the guards.

I would add Schmitz to the stock down list if for no other reason than a second year high draft choice coming off a very disappointing rookie season is unable to have the necessary improvement if he can't get on the field.  The problem isn't the back-up center it is the putative starting center.