Previewing the NY Giants' Key Position Battles Heading into the 2015 Offseason

The New York Giants' front office won’t be able to make any significant roster moves for another month or so (besides signing eligible players to reserve/future contracts), but that doesn’t mean they haven’t developed a clearer understanding of where they need help and where there will be the greatest amount of competition for jobs.

Let’s take a very, very early look at five areas which may potentially create some interesting competition in the spring and summer.

Safety

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Regardless of what happens with Antrel Rolle, who is one of three unrestricted free agents at the safety position (the other two being Stevie Brown and Quintin Demps), the safety position should have some healthy competition in camp.

First, let’s backtrack and discuss Rolle. When deciding whether to keep him, the Giants need to determine if he can still deliver the goods as a starter or if he has perhaps moved into the same phase of his career Deon Grant did when signing with the Giants as an unrestricted free agent in 2010.

Remember, Grant had a big role on the defense but was not a starter. He also provided leadership on that Giants defense and was a key piece of the puzzle in the team’s 2011 Super Bowl championship.

Rolle himself admitted during one of his in-season weekly radio spots (h/t Jordan Raanan of NJ Advance Media) that 2014 wasn’t his best season.

The question that needs to be asked is whether it was the scheme, or if Rolle legitimately lost a step or two (the former is likely the answer).

Getting back to the competition at the position, it’s unlikely that both Brown and Demps will be re-signed. It also wouldn’t be a shock if the Giants look to upgrade the safety position via free agency.

If that’s their plan, then the odds of Rolle's return likely drop. However, if they add a second- or third-tier free-agent safety to the mix and re-sign Rolle, there will be competition between Cooper Taylor and Nat Berhe for the other starting safety spot. 

Offensive Line

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

An opinion that appears to be unanimous among the Giants brass, media and fans alike is that the Giants offense line needs additional help.

The question is: At what position will they pursue that help?

The key, as head coach Tom Coughlin alluded to in his interview with WFAN’s Mike Francesa, is incumbent right tackle Justin Pugh.

Do the Giants leave Pugh at right tackle and try to acquire a guard in free agency? Or do they instead draft a right tackle in the first round this spring, such as Stanford’s Andrus Peat, Texas A&M’s Cedric Ogbuehi or Iowa’s Brandon Scherff, and move Pugh inside to guard?

The Giants’ current depth at offensive tackle is paper-thin—James Brewer, Adam Snyder and John Jerry are all unrestricted free agents. Of those three, Snyder might be the only one who is re-signed, though he is also coming off a season-ending knee injury.

Regardless, look for the Giants to restock the shelves at the offensive tackle position with a combination of veteran and drafted options that could ultimately create competition for a starting spot.

Defensive Tackle

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Although defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins is under contract for 2015, per Over the Cap, his $2.916 million cap hit—and the fact that the Giants want to try to improve their run defense, as head coach Tom Coughlin told Mike Francesa of WFAN—could mean that the Giants will go in another direction at defensive tackle.

Looking at the current talent at the defensive tackle position, Johnathan Hankins is without question the top performer of the group and will return to the starting lineup in 2015.

Mike Patterson, who will be an unrestricted free agent, is unlikely to be re-signed.

Markus Kuhn, a 2012 seventh-round draft pick, finished with a run-stopping grade of minus-11.7 from Pro Football Focus (subscription required), the worst of the Giants’ defensive tackles.

Jay Bromley, the team’s third-round draft pick this year, will get an opportunity to step up and could in fact ultimately replace Jenkins in the starting lineup.

However, given the state of the position—the poor showing by Kuhn in the run defense and the advancing ages of Patterson and Jenkins—it would be surprising if the Giants don’t add at least one defensive tackle prospect to compete for a chance to help improve the league’s 30th-ranked run defense.

Third Running Back

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

In his interview with Francesa, Coughlin spoke about the need to get back to running the ball better than the team had in 2014, when it finished with the 23rd-ranked rushing offense (100.1 yards per game) in the NFL.

Besides fixing the offensive line, which was noted on a previous slide, the Giants will be counting on the duo of Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams to help the running game rise from the ashes.

As solid as Jennings might be as a starter, he has yet to make it through a 16-game season, which is why the Giants need a solid option as their third running back on the depth chart.

Peyton Hillis, who per Over the Cap still has another year left on his contract, is more than likely finished after suffering his second concussion in as many seasons.  

That opens up a competition for Hillis’ spot as that third running back.

Orleans Darkwa, who despite joining the Giants in midseason showed promise down the stretch, will be one guy in that mix.

Darkwa had his best showing in Week 16 against the Rams, when he ran four times for 21 yards and a touchdown, finishing with a 0.2 overall grade in his 42 offensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required)

Michael Cox will also have a chance. His season was cut short due to a broken leg suffered in Week 10 at Seattle, but prior to his injury, he ran four times for 33 yards in 20 overall snaps on offense, per PFF. 

The Giants will almost certainly add a young player or two to round out what should be an interesting yet under-the-radar competition this summer.

Punt Returner

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Although receiver Odell Beckham Jr. gave the Giants' punt return unit the shot in the arm it had been missing since the days of Domenik Hixon—Beckham finished with an average of 8.1 yards per return—the Giants would be foolish to continue to risk their best offensive player in that role.

If the Giants really want to get better production out of their punt return unit, Rueben Randle isn’t the answer, either (unless they are just happy with his ability to secure the ball).

You can also forget about Victor Cruz, who prior to his 2014 season-ending knee injury was frequently seen back there wanting to field punts during the part of practice open to the media. 

No, the Giants will probably hold an open competition for this underrated yet important role featuring some candidates probably not yet on the roster.

What about those who are on the roster, you ask? Besides Randle, receiver Preston Parker, who finished with a 6.6 average this year in four returns, could be an option. 

So too could running back Orleans Darkwa, who per Pro Football Focus (subscription required) did get one opportunity as a return specialist, albeit on kickoffs, during the preseason as a member of the Dolphins.

Whoever does become the next punt returner for the Giants, let’s hope that he sticks around for multiple years, as the Giants really haven’t had that continuity at that position since Hixon.

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