New York Giants training camp officially opens for the entire squad at their Quest Diagnostics Training Facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey on July 25. That is when head coach Brian Daboll and his coaching staff will have to try and put together the best 53-man roster possible and the best starting 11 players on both sides of the ball after that for the 2023 NFL season. That means players at multiple positions will be competing for spots on the Giants roster. With that in mind, here are the three biggest Giants training camp battles to watch ahead of 2023 NFL season, including the Darius Slayton vs. Jalin Hyatt battle at wide receiver.
Backup running back: Matt Breida vs. Eric Gray
The Saquon Barkley drama might be over after the running back finally agreed to a one-year deal. But with his injury history, the Giants training camp battle to back him up is still absolutely crucial.
Veteran Brian Daboll-ite Matt Breida is going up against rookie fifth-round pick Eric Gray for (what Giants fans hope is) the No. 2 RB role.
Breida is a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none type of back who is solid and reliable when healthy. The issue is he wasn’t healthy all that often in recent years until playing 17 games (with limited touches) last season.
Gray played two years at Tennessee and two at Oklahoma, racking up 3,089 career rushing yards, 827 receiving yards, and 26 total touchdowns. Last season, he ran for 1,366 yards for the Sooners with 11 TDs on 213 carries. The Tennessee native isn’t a speed-burner, but he can be a legit three-down back in the NFL, maybe as soon as next season.
This Giants training camp battle is fascinating because of the Barkley injury history. If this is a true RB2 battle, Mr. Reliable, Matt Breida, has the edge. But, if this is the RB1 battle due to an injury at some point, Gray could get the nod as the back with a lot more upside.
Wide receiver: Darius Slayton vs. Jalin Hyatt
Another rookie vs. veteran battle in training camp will be for the No. 2 outside wide receiver slot.
After a solid first season with Big Blue, Isaiah Hodgins will be one of the starters on the outside, and 2023 offseason free agent acquisition Parris Campbell will be the slot receiver alongside Wan’Dale Robinson. That leaves veteran Darius Slayton and rookie Jalin Hyatt to compete for the other outside spot.
Hyatt is a speed-burner who slipped to the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, where the G Men scooped him up. He’s incredible at taking the top off of the defense, but can he do more than that?
Darius Slayton, like Matt Breida above, is incredibly consistent but not a difference-maker. In his three full seasons (he played just 13 games in 2021 due to injury), Slayton had between 46 and 50 catches and 724 and 751 yards. He is a good WR, but he’s not making defenses sweat or sending a safety to stop him.
Jalin Hyatt has the potential to become a top WR in the league. He just needs to show he’s more than a one-trick pony. Hyatt will have a role in the Giants roster no matter what, as he’ll run post routes and get a few deep shots every game for sure.
If the former Volunteer can show some more mid-range route-running ability, he could knock Slayton down a peg in Giants training camp and become WR2 or even WR1 for the team this season.
Nickel cornerback: Darnay Holmes vs. Cor'Dale Flott
While most of the most interesting Giants training camp battles will be on offense, there is a crucial competition on the defensive side as well. That’s the nickel cornerback battle between Darnay Holmes and Cor’Dale Flott.
Veteran Adoree' Jackson and rookie first-round pick Deonte Banks will hold down the starting CB spots this season. In the modern NFL, though, the slot corner is just as important, and New York is having an open competition for that spot.
Holmes has the inside track as he was the team’s starter at the position last season. However, Brian Daboll and company are giving Flott a chance, too.
Aside from doing it before, Holmes has two more advantages that could help him win the role. First, Flott struggled with injuries last season, playing just 11 games. Also, Flott is more versatile, and the Giants may just want him as the corner to back up all the other corners.
That said, Flott is a 6-foot-2 CB who can play the slot, and that could give other teams nightmares if he’s the starter on the Giants roster.