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For the first time since 2004, the New York Giants took a quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft last month, taking Duke's Daniel Jones with the sixth overall pick.
While Eli Manning is set to be the starter entering 2019, the Giants' decision to select Jones obviously signals the end of an era, as the 38-year-old Manning is clearly on the decline and has just one year remaining on his deal.
Obviously, New York does not even resemble a playoff contender at the moment, as it traded away Odell Beckham Jr. and its defense is in shambles to the point where casual Giants fans probably can't even name more than five players on that side of the ball.
Here are the four biggest storylines for Big Blue going into this season.
4. The “Culture Change”
The main reason why the Giants dealt Beckham—not one year after signing him to a six-year extension—is because of the issues Beckham caused with his controversial comments through the media.
While there isn't much evidence of Beckham being disliked in the locker room, it's apparent the Giants felt the need to dump him in order to clear the air and start fresh.
But just how much will trading Beckham away really change things?
After all, Dave Gettleman is yet to show he truly knows what he is doing as the team's general manager, and Pat Shurmur is incredibly unproven as the club's head coach.
Maybe the Giants will play looser this year, and maybe they won't. We'll see.
3. Can Sterling Shepard Become the No. 1 Receiver?
With Beckham gone, the Giants no longer have a standout receiver. Sterling Shepard is now probably the top wide out on the roster, meaning he will need to step up in a big way in 2019.
Yes, New York signed Golden Tate, but Tate is past his prime and doesn't appear to be a legitimate No. 1 option anymore.
It remains to be seen if Shepard can be that guy, and while he has done a solid job as the No. 2, we really don't know if he has the talent to become a true top-flight receiver.
Of course, defenses will also likely pay more attention to Shepard now with no more Beckham to worry about, so Shepard may need to work a bit harder to get open this coming season.
2. What Will Saquon Barkley Do for an Encore?
Saquon Barkley had a phenomenal rookie campaign this past season, immediately stamping his name among the league's best running backs.
But, with a shaky offensive line and a questionable receiving corps, what will he do for an encore? Can he possibly replicate his production from 2018?
It looks like Barkley is good enough to get his regardless of the situation around him, but just like any other star, he will certainly perform better if the rest of the pieces step up.
With Beckham gone, Barkley now takes center stage as the focal point of the Giants' offense, and defenses obviously know this. It will be interesting to see how he responds.
1. Will Daniel Jones Play At All?
The general consensus is that if the Giants are in playoff contention, we won't see Jones, but if New York falls out of the race early, the rookie might make an appearance, very similar to Manning himself when he relieved Kurt Warner during his rookie year back in 2004.
Unlike Eli back then, however, Jones is extremely raw and does not come with a very impressive collegiate resume.
So, the Giants might actually be better off just sitting Jones regardless of their record. But, if New York does feel he is ready and isn't worried about destroying his confidence early on, we might see the kid get some snaps if the Giants are out of it, and let's be honest: this team almost surely is not going to be contending for a playoff spot.
