5 New York Giants in Line for Increased Roles in 2015
With so much offseason hype surrounding free-agent acquisitions and potential draft picks, it's easy to forget about the guys already on the roster who are in line to play a bigger role next season.
Some of these guys struggled to find the field last season. Others saw extensive playing time but project to play larger or more important parts in 2015.
The one thing all five players highlighted in this slideshow have in common: They were all rookies last year.
Now, in Year 2, these Giants have the opportunity to blossom. Perhaps a couple late free-agent pickups or early-round draft selections derail some of these dreams in the weeks to come. However, in the meantime, all the players named in this article are holding out hope for a starting job come fall.
Read on to find out who New York needs to step up next season.
DT Jay Bromley
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There's an opening at defensive tackle beside incumbent starter Johnathan Hankins. Although veteran Cullen Jenkins is returning at a reduced rate and former New York Jet Kenrick Ellis was added in free agency this week, the Giants would be foolish not to give Jay Bromley a shot at filling the void.
As a rookie last year, Bromley hardly had a chance to make an impact. After drafting him in the third round—a move criticized by ESPN.com's Dan Graziano and many in the fanbase as a reach—the Syracuse product registered a mere five tackles in the eight games he played.
Things ought to be different this year, now that Bromley has been afforded a year to find his NFL legs. At 6'3" and 306 pounds, he is a little leaner than the 320-pound Hankins, who specializes in stopping the run. The two tackles could work as complementary forces in 2015, since Bromley was touted for his ability to knife through the line and make plays in the backfield coming out of college.
During Bromley's final season with the Orange, he recorded 10 sacks and 14.5 tackles for a loss. The Giants would love to get that type of production out of a defensive tackle over the course of a full season. If he takes significant strides in his second season as a pro, Bromley can give New York's pass rush a boost and become a menace behind the line of scrimmage.
Bromley will need to do more in the preseason this year to earn that opportunity, though. Last year, he did not record a single sack or tackle for a loss through five exhibitions.
C Weston Richburg
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It's not as if Weston Richburg hasn't already played a large role for the Giants. As a rookie last season, he played in all 16 games, starting 15 of them. However, Richburg (6'3", 298 lbs) lined up at left guard in all those games. Now, it's time for him to play his intended position: center.
The Giants have parted ways with last year's starting center, J.D. Walton, leaving an obvious vacancy in the middle of the offensive line. Richburg's dry run at guard should have prepared him for this moment, and the team's swift decision to cut Walton says that it has.
Playing out of position presented challenges during Richburg's rookie season. His unit averaged a measly 3.6 yards per rush attempt (30th in NFL) and surrendered 30 sacks on quarterback Eli Manning (t-21st in NFL). He was blamed, personally, for some of these woes when he was benched in favor of in-season acquisition Adam Snyder for the Cowboys game on Nov. 23 of last year.
However, now that he is in line to play his natural position, Richburg may actually thrive as a leader along New York's offensive line. During his four seasons at Colorado State, he spent 45 of his school-record 50 starts at center. That consistency is what made him a second-round selection and the top center in the 2014 draft class; it's also exactly what the Giants need on their O-line.
If Ben McAdoo's offense is to explode in his second season as coordinator, he'll need a stronger push in the running game and more consistent protection for his quarterback. That undertaking will begin with Richburg's play at center and branch out from there.
DE Kerry Wynn
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New York's biggest late-season surprise had to be the play of Kerry Wynn at defensive end. The undrafted rookie was an unlikely candidate to even make the team; if not for the injuries at his position, Wynn might not have seen the field in 2014.
But when Mathias Kiwanuka and Robert Ayers Jr. landed on injured reserve with the team out of playoff contention, the Giants decided to see what they had in Wynn. At this point, they're probably glad they did.
In the final five games of the season, Wynn racked up 17 tackles. In his first game, he etched his name into the statbook with a half-sack in a tough loss to the Jaguars. Then, two games later he recorded a season-high seven stops, including one for a loss, in a win over the Redskins. The game after that was Wynn's real breakout performance: Against the Rams in Week 16, the defensive end led Big Blue to victory with a sack, a fumble recovery and even an interception.
At this rate, Wynn is on pace to become a star. The Giants already have the franchise-tagged Jason Pierre-Paul entrenched at right defensive end, but Wynn—a 6'5", 264-pound wrecking ball—has the prototypical size to play the 5-technique opposite him.
Does Wynn have what it takes to start for a competitive team?
He'll have to prove his worth to New York's coaching staff early in training camp. Not only are the Giants likely to target an edge defender early in the 2015 draft, but Wynn also has Ayers and Damontre Moore to deal with as far as in-house competition goes. He could get buried on the depth chart if he does not stand out right away.
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WR Corey Washington
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Corey Washington was the star of the 2014 preseason. Through the first four exhibitions, he caught four touchdowns—three of them were game-winners. No player generated more August excitement for the Giants, as most fans were certain the team had stumbled upon the next Victor Cruz.
However, once the regular season started, Washington was nowhere to be found. The 6'4", 214-pounder out of Division-II Newberry (S.C.) College caught only five passes for 52 yards last season. He had just one touchdown grab: a one-yarder late in a blowout loss to the Colts.
Washington's minute, regular-season impact was a result of his crippling inexperience. The undrafted free agent was still working on learning the route tree and wasn't fit to contribute on special teams. Receivers coach Sean Ryan described him as "a work in progress" last October, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
The ceiling for Washington is as high as the 23-year-old wants it to be. The receiver has all the physical tools to be a solid outside threat, as well as a dominant red-zone option. If he is putting in the time to learn all the intricacies of the position, there's no reason why 2015 can't be a breakout season for Washington.
Even though Odell Beckham Jr. has already established himself as New York's best young receiving star, there's room for one more to come up behind him. Cruz is attempting a comeback from a serious knee injury, and Rueben Randle's success has only come in spurts. Washington could make an unexpected run in training camp between these two, if he displays proper progression.
S Nat Berhe
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There has been plenty of talk about how badly the Giants need a safety. Antrel Rolle is now a Chicago Bear, and his contemporaries Stevie Brown and Quintin Demps are still hanging out on the open market. With so much uncertainty surrounding the position, New York must be glad it has one safety with some potential in Nat Berhe.
Berhe barely played on the defensive side of the ball as a rookie last year, but he did play extensively on special teams and excelled. The 2014 fifth-round pick out of San Diego State played like a speeding bullet for all 16 games, savoring his responsibilities on the kick- and punt-coverage teams.
If Berhe can translate his impactful special teams performances to stalwart defensive play, some of New York's woes at safety will be solved. The fit isn't perfect, though. Despite Berhe being built like a free safety at 6'0" and only 194 pounds, he plays more like a strong safety.
Can the aggressive defensive back, who loves to throw his body into the action, backpedal and play a preventive role as a center fielder, if that's what the Giants need of him?
"I did everything I was told to do and I did well," Berhe told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, in reference to his play last year.
Berhe must do the same in 2015, since the team is a bit strapped for defensive backs of his ilk. He has a clear shot to earn a starting role, especially since both the free and strong safety positions are giant, looming question marks for New York at the moment.
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