The New York Giants endured their fifth straight losing season in 2021, resulting in the firing of head coach Joe Judge- general manager Dave Gettleman resigned. New York brought in Joe Schoen, who was an executive in the Buffalo Bills front office, to be their new general manager, with Brian Daboll, also arriving from Buffalo, to be their new head coach.

The Giants won't be winners in the 2022 NFL season. Schoen and Daboll know that. However, if the team can show some positive signs for the future, the fans and the organization will see it as a step forward. For that to happen, the Giants will need certain players, especially quarterback Daniel Jones, to step up. The Giants declined Jones' fifth-year option, meaning this is essentially his last chance to prove that he can be a franchise guy.

If Jones is to have a stellar season, he will need all the help he can get from the Giants' pass-catchers, both the youngsters, established veterans and everyone in between. But who will be the Giants' X-factor in 2022?

Who will surprise people en route to a strong season? Could it be rookie Wan'Dale Robinson, who many thought the Giants reached for in this year's draft? What about Richie James, who has flashed his potential at times for the San Francisco 49ers?

Each of those players would definitely surprise people if they put together a strong campaign for New York. But they're not the team's X-factor heading into next season.

This X-Factor is a veteran player who has bounced around in his NFL career. However, he could finally put it all together for the Giants in 2022. That said, here is the Giants' X-Factor for the 2022 NFL season.

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Giants X-Factor To Emerge In 2022 NFL Season

The Giants' X-Factor who will emerge in 2022 is tight end Ricky Seals-Jones. Seals-Jones has played for four teams in five seasons and has yet to exceed the 500-yard mark in a single season. So, what's there to like?

For one thing, Seals-Jones has been remarkably effective when given the chance. Last season saw the 27-year-old make a career-high six starts for the Washington Commanders. Having twice averaged over 16 yards per reception in a season, it's clear that Seals-Jones is best served as a big-play type.

In New York, he'll get the chance to do that. Seals-Jones signed a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the team this offseason. With Evan Engram and Kyle Rudolph gone, the veteran Seals-Jones will be competing on the depth chart with the likes of fellow veteran Jordan Akins and rookie Daniel Bellinger.

It's a competition that Seals-Jones is likely to win for one very important reason. The 6-5 tight end is a capable blocker who earned the fourth-highest blocking grade from Pro Football Focus among tight ends this past season. Such a skill earned Seals-Jones the right to play 98.3 percent of his team's snaps when thrust into a starting role for the Commanders in 2021.

Clearly, Washington felt comfortable with the veteran tight end in a starting role. Why couldn't the Giants? Plus, New York- and Daniel Jones in particular- has had a habit of looking the tight end's way in the passing game in recent years.

Over the last three seasons, the Giants' leading receiver has been Evan Engram. As such, Seals-Jones figures to be on the field often for Jones, a quarterback with a history of throwing to the tight ends frequently.

Not only that, but Seals-Jones has a familiarity with the coaching staff. A member of the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2020 season, the Giants tight end had the chance to work with new offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, who was the Chiefs' quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator.

If you don't think such a connection could help Seals-Jones, just listen to the man himself talk about what Kafka could do for him after signing with New York back in March, via Giants.com.

“Speed and creativity. You just have to pick his brain,” said the tight end. “He's gifted in what he does. I'm excited to be a part of that and see the creativity that he comes up with.”

Seals-Jones seems to be hinting at a potentially creative role for himself in the Giants' offense in 2022. Of course, he'll have to prove that he's worthy of such a role this summer, during minicamp and training camp.

Seals-Jones isn't the first Giants player that people think of when they imagine a surprise breakout. However, with a strong camp and preseason, he could emerge as a surprise X-Factor for New York in 2022.