For the Giants, they are coming off a rough year. Sure they came on strong at the end of the season, but by then it was too little too late. Big Blue is now looking to try and get back to the playoffs for the first time since their Super Bowl win in 2011. Steve Spagnuolo has been brought on board to try and right the defensive ship, but there's more to it that that if the G-Men are going to get back into playoff contention this season. So here's some storylines to watch out for in Giants Camp this summer
1. Jason Pierre-Paul's Status
After hurting his hand in a firework accident, there's no guarantees as to whether or no JPP will even play for the Giants this season. Because of the injury, he is going to miss time at the start of the year, probably missing the first three or four games of the year due to his hand. As it sits right now, Pierre-Paul hasn't signed his tender, which means he may not even play for the Giants this season. So with JPP slated to miss playing time this year, who's the guy who is going to take his starting spot on the Giants defensive line? You have Robert Ayers, Kerry Wynn and Jordan Stanton behind him on the Giant's depth chart, but which one of them can fill the void JPP's injury is leaving. You could also throw two other names out there as to who can help pick up the slack: Damontre Moore and Owa Odighizuwa. Moore has 5.5 sacks as a reserve last year and Odighizuwa is a rookie who can possible make an impact.
2. Return To Form For Victor Cruz
A season ago, Cruz went down with a torn patellar tendon, a major blow to the Giants offense. It left the window open for Odell Beckham Jr to come through and take over the top wide receiver spot on the team. Now with Cruz on the comeback trail, it could leave the Giants with two spectacular weapons for Eli Manning to throw to. During his career, Cruz has been a very productive receiver in the NFL. He won't put up the flashy numbers like other wide receivers in the game, but is still worth every penny the Giants are currently paying him, when he's healthy. The big question going into camp is how healthy, and how back to form, is Victor Cruz? If he is back to his old self, or something close to it, then with him, Odell Beckham and Ruben Randell, the Giants will have a great receiving core. But lets say Cruz can't produce like he once had. Is there a backup plan in place?
3. Can Steve Spagnuolo Deliver The Goods?
Things haven't exactly looked good for the Giants defense over the last couple of years. Big Blue have surrendered over 6,000 total yards three of the last four seasons (2011-2012, 2014), which is a bit of a surprising number considering how good the D-Line has been known to be for the Giants in the past. Steve Spagnuolo has a tall task ahead of him to try and rebuild a defense that had once been known so much for its feared pass rush. The question is can the players buy into his new system and right the ship? Jon Beason is going to be critical for the Giants defense, if they are hoping to get back to the top.
4. How Good Is The Offensive Line?
This seems to be a recurring theme the past few seasons going into Giants camp. Ereck Flowers, Justin Pugh, Weston Richburg, Geoff Schwartz, and Marshall Newhouse are all going to have to step up. Will Beatty is missing time after recovering from surgery during the offseason to repair a torn pectoral, which is why Ereck Flowers is going to have a lot of pressure on him in camp. Richburg and Pugh are playing new positions this year. Richburg will be making a return to center, which is his natural position. Pugh is now being asked to line up at left guard, which is going to be a changeup for him. With the new players being moved around to new spots, they need to get adjusted and comfortable with their new spots if the Giants are going to have success this season.
5. Find A Way To Stay Healthy
This has been one of the biggest killers of the Giants over the last couple of seasons has been their health. We already talked about Beaty and JPP getting hurt. Beckham missed minicamp with a hamstring injury, and starting tight end Larry Donnell missed it with an Achilles injury. The Giants' roster isn't deep enough to weather injuries, and no roster is deep enough to weather a rash of injuries to starters. The Giants need to hope that their bad injury news for the offseason has all already happened, and that they get through August without another injury gut punch.
As rough a year as it was last season for Big Blue, it was much worse for Gang Green. The New York Jets finished the year 4-12, the first time the Jets have had that bad a season since 2007 (another year in which they went 4-12).Rex Ryan is no longer coach (he's now with the Buffalo Bills), as well as John Idzik, who was let go as General manager (he's now the Jacksonville Jaguars Salary Cap Consultant). So now it's up to new GM Mike Maccagnan and new Head Coach Todd Bowles to get the team back on track and do something that hasn't been done since 2010, that being get the Jets into the playoffs. In order for that to happen, everything has to fall right for the Jets in an improved AFC East. Here's a few things to look at for Gang Green in training camp.
1. The New Coaching Staff
There are quite a few new faces to the Jets coaching staff heading into this season. Todd Bowles now takes over as the new head man, with Chan Gailey (the ex Bills head coach) running the offense and Kacy Rodgers (the old Dolphins defensive liens coach) running the defense. Training camp will give everybody a chance to get to know how things are going to be run around the organization under the new management. Todd Bowles will have to try and regin in a team that enjoyed Ryan's loose, free-wheeling style. This new offense that Gailey will implement will try and turn a question a quarterback into a decent one. Plus with Rodgers now taking over a totally revamped defense, it will be interesting to see if he can pull them together and make them a winner.
2. The Quarterback Situation
Speaking of the Quarterbacks, this is still a big issue for the Jets. If the Jets, or any team in the National Football League for that matter, are going to be a success in this league, they need to have stability at the Quarterback position. I have not felt the Jets have had a solid, proven NFL ready QB since Chad Pennington (but that's just my take). Going into camp Geno Smith is once again fighting it out for the starting job, this time its with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick hasn't been the main guy in any organization he has played in, so he may have to step his game up if he wan'ts to beat out Geno for the starting job. Geno really has to prove something in camp, the biggest thing being hang onto the football. He has had 41 turnovers in his 30 career starts in the NFL. This is Geno's real test to try and nail this job down.
3. How Good Is The Offensive Line
Much like the Giants, the offensive line for the Jets is going to be something to look at during camp. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, James Carpenter, Nick Mangold, Willie Colon, Breno Giacomini Oday Aboushi and Brian Winters are going to be counted on to return to form. Back in 2009 and 2010, the Jets were considered to have one of the top offensive lines in the NFL. Well that hasn't exactly been the case over the last couple of seasons. They have had struggles keeping the opposing defense out of the backfield. Outside of Ferguson and Mangold, nobody else on the line has really proven to be worth their wait. This Jets line doesn't scare you nor does it really provide much protection for their QB's. The offensive line needs to step up and shape up if the Jets new offense is going to be a success.
4. Return Of The Defense
Last year, one of the biggest problems the Jets had was the secondary. They had one of the WORST secondary's in the entire league. They didn't have Revis, nor did they have Cromartie. Well guess what? Both guys are back in the fold for this season. The secondary already looks like its going to be a strength of this Jets team again this season, something that hasn't been said in quite some time. Lets also give credit where its do, to a new look defensive line. Selecting Leonard Williams generated a decent amount of attention and praise for the new regime. One of the big question for the Jets will be how much he will be able to contribute as a rookie. Sheldon Richardson's suspension adds a big of urgency to Williams' development. He is now looking at filling a big role early in the season. How ready will Williams look? You also have to take into account the need to get Muhammad Wilkerson a new deal. He has already said that he will be in camp, so he avoids a holdout. But how effective is he going to be.
5. New Weapons To Work With
You have to wonder just how well these new weapons will mesh into this organization. Chris Ivory is still the guy in the running game for the Jets. He doesn't have Chris Johnson to contend with, but instead has to compete for carries with newcomers Zac Stacy and Stevan Ridley. Both guys have to worry about their health, as Ridley has dealt with a bit of an injury bug the last few seasons. The depth is decent, but where's the breakaway threat? Same question can be made for the receiving game. Sure Eric Decker had a decent year last year, but I made this argument a season ago he isn't really a number one wide out. Now it looks like the Jets have one with the addition of Brandon Marshall from the Bears. Marshall has a chance to prove himself again, as he's coming off an injury-plagued season with the Bears last year. Factor in that with his age, as he is 31 years old, it makes you wonder a little. He still has plenty of talent, there's no denying that. Marshall gives the Jets a chance to have something they haven't had since Jerricho Cotchery in 2007. That being a 1,000-yard receiver. On paper, the Jets have the weapons to work with. Now its just waiting to see how well it translates to the field.
These are just some of the storylines to watch during training camp this summer!
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