The New York Giants had another tough year by concluding a rebuilding campaign with a 6-10 record in 2020. Despite the result, the team still has high hopes for 2021 with Saquon Barkley set to return from a torn ACL.
Aside from him, quarterback Daniel Jones will also aim to improve his playmaking in the pocket as he heads to his third campaign in the league. Additionally, the Giants brought in a handful of new faces as well in order to bolster their roster. With the team's new dynamics, their veteran holdovers will definitely face a tough challenge in retaining their starting jobs and aiming to play a sizable role for the team moving forward.
Here are two starters from 2020 who are in danger of being relegated to a bench role on the depth chart in 2021.
Devante Downs
Since 2018, Giants inside linebacker Devante Downs has spent the majority of his career playing special teams. However, he had to step up for Big Blue last season when regular start Tae Crowder was sidelined due to a hamstring injury.
The former Georgia product was definitely a steal in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft and was playing well before he went down and missed a handful of games. While he was out, Downs saw a ton of action in his place and recorded 27 combined tackles, a quarterback hit, and a fumble recovery in 16 games played.
After the offseason, Crowder is now ready to reclaim his starting spot, which will eventually slot Downs back to the bench come 2021. Additionally, the Giants also loaded up on talent at the position. They still have Carter Coughlin and acquired a free agent in Reggie Ragland who can definitely tighten the competition within the linebacker unit.
Even though he was recently re-signed by the Giants, Devante Downs has a slim chance of being named as a starter if Crowder heads into the season in the pink of health.
Evan Engram
Giants tight end Evan Engram turned many heads when he was named to his first Pro Bowl selection last season. It came as a surprise since his production during his rookie season was way better than his output in 2020. He notched 654 receiving yards on 63 touches and a lone touchdown in 16 games played last year.
Engram may have accomplished a significant feat, but he is still far from being a complete player as he recorded 11 drops last season. Despite his shortcomings, head coach Joe Judge and his staff remained confident in the ability of their TE1 to step up for the team until the end of their 2020 campaign.
However, the upcoming season may be different for Engram. The Giants recently brought in another capable tight end in Kyle Rudolph during the offseason. The former Minnesota Viking may have tallied lesser numbers in 2020 as compared to Engram, but he is a more accurate catcher and a better blocker on the field.
Nothing is set in stone as of the moment. Rudolph is still working his way back and recovering from a foot injury that he sustained last season. However, Engram's starting job will definitely be up in the air once the newcomer gets to settle in and show out in practices before the 2021 season gets in full swing.
Follow Us
Subscribe