NY Giants Twitter Mailbag: The 'Winding Down' Edition

So here we are, within three weeks of finishing a disappointing 2014 season for the New York Giants.

Time has certainly flown by quickly, though some might correctly argue not fast enough given the disappointment of the season.

The offseason is certainly shaping up to be a busy one, as there is going to be another shakeup that this time will probably include some of the coaching staff.

With that said, there are many questions about the direction this team might be taking, so what better time to open a mailbag than now? 

Thanks to all the readers who took time to submit a question—remember, if you have a question for me, post it on Twitter or drop a comment in the section below the article.

Rocky, they actually have been doing that a little bit—just look at these last two games. For what it’s worth, Adrien Robinson has looked impressive as a blocking tight end, too, which is something the Giants have really been missing from the position.

Will we see more of that moving forward? Perhaps.

As I noted in my game preview, Washington has had some issues with defending the tight end this year, so this might be as good a game as any for offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo to try a few new things involving Robinson.

There are a few things you need to understand about how head coach Tom Coughlin has always approached which young players get game uniforms.

One, players have to earn game snaps in practice. If they can’t earn the coaches’ confidence, the players aren’t going to play; it’s really as simple as that. That’s how it is with most NFL coaches who have had success in their tenures. 

Two, while I’m not saying Corey Washington is going to be the next Jonas Seawright or Adewale Ojomo. Just because a guy looked like an all-star in the preseason against lesser competition doesn’t mean he’s the next superstar.

People seem to forget that Washington came from a small college program. It takes time to learn how to read NFL defenses and make adjustments when you are a receiver.

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

In the preseason, we don’t see a lot of scheming—what you see in the preseason is man versus man, just as you might see in a game of street flag football. Guys who generally make the roster are the ones who dominate their level of competition.

Now I know what you might be thinking: How can a guy learn if he’s not in a game? Again, it comes down to practice—making the plays, running crisp routes, running the right routes, executing downfield blocks, etc.

If a player isn’t inspiring confidence in the classroom when he’s quizzed on what he’s supposed to do, he’s not going to get on the practice field ahead of someone who does exhibit an understanding of what he’s doing.

The bottom line with Washington is he will get a full offseason in with the team this coming winter and will get a chance to compete for a larger role next year.

If he continues to work, if he continues to study, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in a bigger role next year on offense.

Ronnie, I’m really not sure how to answer your question since I never made it to medical school. Seriously, it all depends on which website’s information you trust, and even then, every case is different as one’s physical condition, rehab schedule, etcetera can influence the recovery period.

However, I can tell you there is optimism that Cruz will be ready for the 2015 season. I wouldn’t be surprised, though, if he misses all of the offseason activities and is limited throughout training camp next year.

I also wouldn’t be stunned if he starts training camp on the PUP list, though again, it all depends on how well his rehab goes over these next few months.

Chris, I do think Williams is indeed starting to hit his stride. He is not 100 percent of the way there yet, but he’s been doing a better job in spotting and hitting creases.

His pass receiving is still clunky—he has far too many “body catches” in his game—but the more he works at it, the better he is going to become in all aspects of the game.

People forget there is a transition from college to the NFL. A rookie rarely walks in on Day 1 and is an instant hit.

Remember, Williams was a Day 3 draft pick, so the expectation coming in was that he had some rough spots that still need to be worked out.

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@Patricia_Traina who do you expect to start opposite john hankins next year? A:Bromley B:Jenkins C:other (draft/fa)?

— Gold Dust (@ed_kelly_) December 11, 2014"

Ed, I would be stunned if it’s not Cullen Jenkins for three reasons.

First, he has one more year left on his contract, a year that, per Over the Cap, has a very reasonable cap figure of $2,916,668.

Second, while Jenkins doesn’t have the numbers to show for it, he has always done a good job of mucking up the middle, thereby opening things up for the others to exploit (which they haven’t always done).

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Third, Jenkins can play defensive end. Versatility is key for any player, and if that player is still productive, as Jenkins was prior to his calf strain, he is going to stick around.

Jay Bromley likely needs another year before he really starts to make a dent in the defensive snap count column.

By the way, this might not be popular among some, but I firmly believe Markus Kuhn is going to be a part of that defensive tackle rotation next year.

Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and The Sports Xchange. All quotes and information obtained firsthand unless otherwise sourced. Follow me on Twitter @Patricia_Traina.