When the New York Giants open up training camp next month, these three guys will have a chance to turn some heads.
We’re just about six weeks away from the start of NFL training camps which will be the first time teams will be together since the outbreak of COVID-19. New York Giants head coach Joe Judge has a daunting task lined up ahead of him in his first year as coach.
He’s looking to turn around a franchise that has gone 9-23 in the last two seasons, without rookie camp, OTAs, and minicamp.
The good news, however, is that the Giants have a talented and young roster. Several of those players should take the next step and make a huge contribution to the team in 2020.
Here are three guys who are poised to break out during training camp.
Oshane Ximines
The Giants took Oshane Ximines in the third round of last year’s draft (95th overall). He was the last component of the Odell Beckham Jr. trade. In limited action as a rookie, Ximines tallied 25 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
Players typically see a big jump from year one to year two as they grow accustomed to the speed of the NFL. The Giants are expecting Ximines to have a breakout season which is probably one of the reasons they didn’t go after big-name free agent edge rushers such as Jadeveon Clowney.
Ximines will be part of a very intriguing position battle on who will be the two outside linebackers along with Markus Golden, Lorenzo Carter, and Kyler Fackrell. But it’s without question that Ximines will have a more prominent role on the defense than he did as a rookie.
Kaden Smith
Smith became a reliable receiving option once Evan Engram was lost for the season with a foot injury. He caught 31 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns in the nine games he appeared last season.
Engram will be fully recovered by the time training camp opens and will resume his role as No. 1 on the depth chart. However with Jason Garrett now the offensive coordinator, Smith will see plenty of playing time even if Engram is able to stay healthy.
During his time as offensive coordinator and later as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Garrett liked having two tight ends on the field. You can expect the Giants to run several formations in camp with Smith and Engram on the field together.
With Smith establishing a rapport with quarterback Daniel Jones last season, expect the tight end to have a productive season.
Corey Coleman
Corey Coleman’s 2019 season came to an end after just one practice when he went down with a torn ACL. Coleman was a 2016 first-round draft pick (15th overall) with the Cleveland Browns, and the Giants were hoping he would finally reach his potential last season after catching just 61 passes in his first three seasons.
Some question if the Giants have enough game-breakers at the wide receiver position. But if he’s able to stay healthy and live up to his first-round status, then defenses will have a tough time stopping him.
Coleman could also serve as a kick returner for the Giants, which has been another area of concern. Coleman will get plenty of opportunities to shine during training camp, and prove that he can play at a high level, and make an impact in 2020.
