New York Giants Training Camp: 6 Biggest Things to Take Away

As the 2012 New York Giants wrap up training camp and transition back to the Timex Performance Center, there were several significant developments that deserve the attention of every fan. Although Big Blue enters this season as the defending Super Bowl champions, there are still some question marks on the roster.

Not only were the Giants the most inconsistent team in the NFL a year ago, but they finished last in the league in rushing while barely making the playoffs. The Giants had an amazing run, but this season they will enter every game with a target on their backs. 

The NFL is a bloodthirsty, merciless league that does not lend credence to past accomplishments, nor does it let one skate by based on personal accolades. For the New York Giants, the 2012 campaign will not only be about building a model of consistency that will allow this immensely talented squad to flourish as the season progresses, but about the continuance of a journey that began during the final six games of the team's improbable run to Super Bowl glory a season ago.

Let's take a look at six of the biggest takeaways from Big Blue's time in Albany, and how these issues may impact their upcoming title defense.

Offensive Line Remains in Limbo

The New York Giants dove into training camp with several question marks on the offensive line, and they left with very few answers.

The 2011 squad was the only team ever to win the Super Bowl while finishing last in the NFL in rushing. While this may just be a testament to the NFL's evolution into a pass-first league, Big Blue will need to put forth a more balanced attack in 2012 to see continued success.

Contrary to previous seasons, there are issues at every position in the trenches.

Right guard Chris Snee is widely considered to be one of the elite players at his position. However, he is coming off his worst career season in 2011. Furthermore, he will be 30 this season, an age at which offensive linemen generally start to decline. Will Snee be able get back to where the team needs him to be in 2012? As the undeniable leader of this group, the Giants are in trouble if Snee does not produce.

Although David Diehl is moving from left tackle and transitioning to the right side, he is still a major concern. To put it lightly, Diehl was downright awful in 2011. In fact, he gave up four sacks, six hits on the quarterback and 20 hurries in just 246 snaps at left tackle. Those statistics are unacceptable and we could see him benched if he puts on a repeat performance. Moving to the right tackle position should be beneficial. However, at the age of 31, there is no reason to think Diehl is going to get any better.

Perhaps the lone bright spot with this group in 2011 was left tackle Will Beatty. Beatty is big, strong, athletic and showed improved technique as last season progressed. However, not only did he miss the last third of 2011 with an eye injury, Beatty is currently sidelined with lingering back issues. His timetable for a return is uncertain, which leaves him as a question mark at this point.

After signing a five-year, $27.5 million deal a year ago, center David Baas suffered through a lackluster, injury-plagued season. Can he bounce back and become what the team thought they were getting?

Lastly, left guard Kevin Boothe was serviceable in 2011. However, he is a career backup and has never been relied upon to start for a full 16 games.

These are all issues that Big Blue came to camp with, and will leave with. In the first preseason game at Jacksonville, the starters looked average, at best. Furthermore, the backups looked relatively incapable at times. For the Giants to be successful in 2012, the offensive line is going to have to overcome its collective deficiencies and piece together a quality season.

2012 Is Linval Joseph's Time to Shine

Coming out of training camp, nobody would have guessed the Giants would have question marks on its stalwart defensive line.

However, with Shaun Rogers out for the season, Marvin Austin's back issues and Chris Canty's return up in the air, the defensive tackle position looks depleted of its once unyielding depth.

With those injuries taken into account, Linval Joseph is going to be heavily relied on to take a step forward in 2012.

Joseph is a big (6'4", 323 pounds), strong defensive tackle who shows a considerable amount of athleticism. Not only does he have the ability to push the pocket and bring pressure up the middle on the pass-rush, but Joseph is a big body who creates traffic in rushing lanes as well.

In fact, Pro Football Focus rated Joseph as the No. 1 defensive tackle of the playoffs in 2012, ahead of guys like Vince Wilfork and Ndamukong Suh. Although Joseph did not record a sack, he had more total quarterback pressures than any other defensive tackle.

With that, the key to Joseph taking a step forward this upcoming season will be consistency. In 2011, we saw him have some fantastic performances in the playoffs, but play some of his worst games against the lowly Washington Redskins. If the Giants are going to be short on depth at defensive tackle they will need Linval Joseph to show up for all 16 games.

That being said, with the talent the Giants have at defensive end, teams will have no choice but to block Joseph solely with an interior linemen. Even without Chris Canty on the other side Linval Joseph will have every opportunity to wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines in 2012.

Prince Amukamara Must Step Up

To say that Prince Amukamara has gotten off to a rocky start with the Giants would be an understatement.

After being drafted in the first round in 2011, Prince missed his entire first offseason due to the lockout. To compound that, he suffered a broken foot just two days into his first NFL training camp.

While Giants fans were optimistic that his Week 11 return against the Philadelphia Eagles would provide a boost to a seemingly ineffective secondary, Prince struggled mightily in game action a season ago.

In regular season play, quarterbacks posted a 125 QB rating and completed 70 percent of all passes thrown in Amukamara's direction. The rookie was routinely benched for his poor play throughout the year. In short, it was readily apparent that Prince was not ready for NFL action over the majority of last season. In fact, former New York Giants safety Deon Grant publicly stated what he told Prince at halftime of a Week 16 loss to the Washington Redskins, via The Star-Ledger.

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I told him, ‘you got every physical attribute to play this game and go against any receiver. I said, ‘but right now, you’re just not ready for that.’ Not saying that he won’t be ready, it’s not taking anything from him, but me being in the game for a minute, physically he made plays through the stretch since he’s been back, but I’ve just been seeing him struggle. 

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However, after Terrell Thomas' most recent ACL injury in training camp, defensive coordinator Perry Fewell will rely heavily upon Prince to step up and take ownership of the second starting cornerback role. The growing pains must be over and Prince Amukamara needs to be ready to contribute for Big Blue to have a formidable secondary in 2012.

Potential Breakout Stars

Just like every other training camp in NFL history, there are going to be players that impress coaches with their ability; there will also be those who don't.

The New York Giants have already cut players like Janzen Jackson and Justin Trattou for not showcasing their ability. However, Big Blue has had more than its fair share of young players flash some serious potential in camp.

Let's take a look at three guys who we may see significant roles in 2012.

David Wilson (RB)

In case you were unaware, David Wilson is really, really fast. The 5'10", 205-pound rookie out of Virginia Tech has showcased some impressive speed, explosiveness and agility throughout camp. Wilson is in contention to see some time as an option out of the backfield and as a kick returner.

Although we will most likely see David Wilson in a backup role in the early weeks, do not be surprised if he breaks out to have a successful rookie campaign. His LeSean McCoy-like ability to change direction at full speed is going to be an asset for Eli Manning and the offense. If Wilson can learn his blitz pickups, we will see him leapfrog Ahmad Bradshaw into a starting role sooner rather than later.

Will Hill (S)

Heading into his senior season at the University of Florida, Will Hill was projected as a second-round, or maybe even a first-round draft choice. However, character concerns left him undrafted and out of football for the entire 2011 season.

However, New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese took a flyer on Hill this offseason and put him on a zero tolerance policy. So far, it looks like a worthwhile investment.

Not only is Hill expected to make the team, he looks to have a significant role. With the departure of Deon Grant and the suspension of Tyler Sash, Will HIll should see time in the team's three-safety packages. Furthermore, we may see Hill line up at nickel cornerback.

Nobody has ever doubted Will Hill's ability to play football. The raw talent and potential for stardom has always been there. If he can keep his head on straight, the Giants may have found themselves a diamond in the rough.

Adrian Tracy (LB/DE)

If you happened to catch the Giants' first preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, you could not have missed Adrian Tracy. The third-year player out of William and Mary showcased his athleticism, while overmatching his opponent for much of the contest. After the game, his teammates started calling him "Yosi", which stands for "Young Osi," referring to Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora.

While there is significant depth ahead of Adrian Tracy at the defensive end position, Tracy should become a major upgrade over Dave Tollefson at the fourth defensive end spot. The guy can flat out get to the quarterback. Look for him to make some big plays this season.

Mark Herzlich Will Eventually Start at Middle Linebacker

Write it; mark it down. Mark Herzlich will start over Chase Blackburn at middle linebacker for the majority of the 2011 campaign.

Although Chase Blackburn filled in admirably for a Giants defense that sorely lacked a capable middle linebacker a season ago, Mark Herzlich has distinguished himself as the best middle linebacker not only in camp, but also in the team's first preseason matchup.

Compared to a year ego, Herzlich looked quicker and more decisive off his run/pass keys. Furthermore, he has improved drastically in his pass coverage skills as well. This will be invaluable to the Giants' ability to defend the middle of the field, which looked vulnerable at points last season.

While Chase Blackburn may still have a role within the defense in short-yardage situations against the run, Mark Herzlich's superior athleticism will enable him to leapfrog Blackburn in order to take over the starting Mike linebacker spot.

Build the Bridge

Although the Giants 2012 motto "build the bridge" may not be as catchy or media friendly as "all in" or "finish," it was the major theme of training camp

Everybody knows and understands how the Giants won the Super Bowl a year ago. For the majority of the season, Big Blue was anything but the best team in the NFL. However, once the pass-rush got healthy and the running game got going, so did the Giants.

That being said, the team was 9-7 in 2011 and still managed to receive a home playoff game. The chances of that ever happening again, especially in a division as talented as the NFC East, are slim to none. So it's imperative Big Blue not only carries over its stellar play that led it to a Super Bow last season, but sustains that level for an entire season.

With the NFL's toughest schedule in 2012, consistency will be major factor in deciding if Big Blue has enough to repeat as Super Bowl champion.