What They Should Be Thinking Today: New York Giants

Inspired by ESPN.com AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky, this is my attempt to periodically get inside the heads of the four teams in the NFC East. Today, a quick look at what the New York Giants should be thinking as they visit the President at the White House.

This is our last day to bask

At 2:30 p.m. ET, we have a meet-and-greet with the President of the United States. Wild stuff. You can watch us live right here. Very few Americans get an opportunity like this, and we earned it. We're going to enjoy it.

These memories won't fade, but we're back to work Tuesday for mandatory mini-camp. There, we officially put Super Bowl XLVI in the rear-view mirror.

To defend our title, we'll have to be much better in 2012 than we were in 2011. Guys like Will Beatty, Terrell Thomas and Prince Amukamara have to get back onto the practice field, and we have to start trying to determine who our No. 3 receiver will be.

Injuries will happen

I mean, hopefully they won't, but we're going to prepare as though starters will once again get hurt. Few teams have been as unlucky with injuries as we have in recent seasons, and yet we've been resilient.

Aside from Hakeem Nicks breaking his foot, we've been relatively unscathed thus far. The key, now, is to keep preparing as we always do and accept that guys might go down. If they do, we're confident in our backups.

Do we wish we had more depth along the offensive line? Sure. But our left tackle was placed on injured reserve midway through last season, and we survived just fine. 

We might have too many quality linebackers

Again, it's good to be deep. But while they often say you can't have too many good quarterbacks, pass-rushers or corners, you rarely hear that sentiment about linebackers. Remember, like, a year ago when this was our weakest position? Well, a lot has changed since then.

Obviously there's Michael Boley and Mathias Kiwanuka, but then of course there's Chase Blackburn, who came out of retirement to become a stellar starter last year, and Mark Herzlich, who exceeded expectations as an undrafted rookie. There's also Jacquian Williams, who had 78 tackles despite starting just two games in 2011. 

Throw in the talented yet rarely healthy Clint Sintim and 2011 sixth-round pick Greg Jones, and then add offseason acquisition—and former top-10 pick—Keith Rivers. Oh, and don't forget about Jake Muasau, the undrafted rookie who has been impressive at OTAs, or speedy special-teams cog Spencer Paysinger. 

The natural assumption is that we'll have to make some cuts, but we're really hoping for some of those youngsters to emerge now. If that happens, maybe we can trade a well-paid man like Boley for some help at thinner positions. It's far-fetched, but it'd sure beat having to release quality players.

Just a thought.