NY Giants Twitter Mailbag: The 'Getting You Ready for OTAs' Edition

It has been a while since I did a Twitter reader mailbag.

With the New York Giants' training camp roster just about set and with Phase 3 of the voluntary offseason program to begin after Memorial Day, let's jump right into the reader questions about upcoming roster battles, injuries and more.

Thanks for the question.

First, I don't think that a series of things necessarily has to happen for the other pieces to fall into place—if Rueben Randle has a productive year, it doesn't matter what happens with Victor Cruz.

Second, I share in the optimism that Cruz will make it back to the field. The question that people aren't asking and which is more valid, is whether Cruz will be the same player he was before the injury.

I'm not a medical expert, so this is just my opinion, but I think the answer will be that we won't see the pre-injury form of Cruz until 2016.

With that said, I don't see the Giants cutting Cruz under any circumstance related to his injury. That's generally not how they do things and certainly not with a player who has been one of the faces of the franchise.

That's a very good question, James. Even though the Giants defense is starting from scratch with a new system, there is no substitute for the experience a player gains by being on the field.

Julie Jacobson/Associated Press

To that end, it will be interesting to see how well Cooper Taylor does in the spring and summer.

Last year, he did look more at ease on the field and had worked hard to add some muscle to his frame. 

If we remember that Taylor suffered his latest season-ending injury last summer, he should be more than ready to start up again with his fieldwork—if he hasn't already been doing so during Phase 2 of the offseason program.

I think the Giants will keep three tight ends, same as always. Barring injury, Larry Donnell is safe. I'm not sure I can say with confidence that both Daniel Fells and Adrien Robinson are safe, though.

In Robinson's case, being a 2012 draft pick and having flashed a bit toward the end of last season could be enough to keep him another year.

I think back to the end of last year when general manager Jerry Reese told the media the draft picks generally get a little longer rope before they're sent packing.  

“We try to give guys a chance to fail,” he said, when asked about determining when to cut the cord on draft picks who don't show much hope of working out.

“If you give them a chance to fail and they fail, that's fine, we made a mistake. But you have to give guys a chance to fail first before you push them out the door.”

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

With that said, undrafted free agents Matt LaCosse and Will Tye are two very intriguing prospects. I could see one of those two making the final roster with the other maybe landing on the practice squad.

As I wrote earlier, Tye is a big target who could very well give the Giants a size advantage in the slot, while LaCosse is a more than decent blocker.

Last year, the Giants really didn't have either on the team, so it would not surprise me if those two players get very long looks this summer.

Thanks for the question, Patrick. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo told reporters at the rookie minicamp he doesn't envision pigeonholing his safeties into specific roles right now; instead of having a true box safety and a deep center fielder, he's labeling his guys “left” and “right.”

I came away with the impression that the starting safeties will have to be able to do both in terms of playing down in the box and playing center field, and it will all boil down to personnel matchups.

It sure wouldn't surprise me if Odell Beckham Jr. does, given how versatile he is and how many options he gives Ben McAdoo.

After all, he's done just about everything else, it seems, except flap his arms and fly.

Actually, upon further contemplation, would it surprise anyone if it turns out that Beckham has a Superman cape stashed away somewhere?

Nah, me neither.  

Six safeties is far too many to keep on any 53-man roster. Typically, the Giants try to keep four on the roster, though if they have a swingman at corner who also can play safety, that might allow them to keep three true safeties.

You could, however, see one of the young safeties end up on the practice squad if he has a solid training camp and preseason. 

Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. All quotes and information were obtained firsthand, unless otherwise sourced.

Follow @Patricia_Traina