Thanks again for asking your questions on Twitter and for using the #nygmail tag to do it. Here are some more of your submissions from this past week.
@DanGrazianoESPN How much does the threat of further injury influence the likelihood of add'l roster moves? (Mathis, Long, etc). #nygmail
— Matthew DeCapua (@mdecapua1) June 12, 2015@DanGrazianoESPN: That's a good question as it pertains to the New York Giants' potential search for outside offensive line help. With left tackle Will Beatty on the shelf, they're moving pieces around to see what they do and don't have at the tackle positions. But the question of depth behind the offensive line starters is a key question as well. Should Ereck Flowers or Marshall Newhouse suffer an injury, then all of a sudden someone like Michael Bamiro, Sean Donnelly, Brandon Mosley, Dallas Reynolds or Eric Herman gets into the mix as a potential starter. The first two on that list are undrafted tackles. The others are interior linemen who, if elevated in this hypothetical scenario, would shift someone like Justin Pugh or Geoff Schwartz to tackle. Newhouse was signed to be the backup tackle. John Jerry was signed to be the backup guard, but he's already working as something akin to a co-starter at right guard while Schwartz works his way back slowly from last year's injuries. So adding a veteran guard such as Evan Mathis or a veteran tackle such as Jake Long would improve the experience level of the Giants' offensive line depth depth. Mathis would be an instant starter at guard and likely move Pugh or Schwartz out to tackle. Long would be either a starter or a veteran backup at tackle, and as we've discussed, his health is the key to his eventual signing with the Giants or anyone. He had ACL surgery about seven months ago.
The Giants wanted to get through this spring and see how their reconfigured line looked to them before training camp. They have a three-day minicamp this week, after which they'll have all of the spring data they need to make their assessments. They may well decide that their current depth at the offensive line positions doesn't set them up well if they suffer another injury to a starter, and yes, that could influence them to push harder to bring in one of the veterans you mention. After everything fell apart and they had to start inexperienced players on the line in 2013, they made a point the past two offseasons of bringing in veteran backups like Newhouse, Jerry and Charles Brown (I know, I know). They still think guys like Mosley and Herman have potential, but if they decide there's too little NFL experience on their bench, yes, that could push them to sign a "known name" veteran.
@DanGrazianoESPN Obvious position battles at S and Nickel...any other battles to watch during camp that catch your eye? #nygmail
— Scotty Z (@ScooterZ24) June 11, 2015@DanGrazianoESPN: Oh, I think there are quite a few. I think the Giants have to sort the outside linebacker roles with J.T. Thomas, Jameel McClain, Jonathan Casillas and Devon Kennard in the mix. I expect to see a lot of Kennard on the strong side and in the pass rush, but the way they arrange those guys is interesting to me. I also would like to know who will be the starting defensive end opposite Jason Pierre-Paul. They don't see Robert Ayers as the run-stuffing defensive end they like in that spot, so does that open a door for someone like George Selvie? Can Damontre Moore show enough in that area to earn more snaps? Look at defensive tackle as well. Is Kenrick Ellis the run-stuffer they sought to put next to Johnathan Hankins? We sure did see a lot of Markus Kuhn there in OTAs, especially with Cullen Jenkins playing so much at the end spots with Pierre-Paul absent and other guys hurt. Can rookie Owamagbe Odighizuwa and second-year defensive tackle Jay Bromley earn spots in the line rotation this year? Is Kerry Wynn in line for more work?
On the offensive side, Preston Parker, Corey Washington, Marcus Harris, Julian Talley and a couple of others are competing for one, maybe two roster spots at wide receiver, as we discussed Saturday. Do they have someone who can push Flowers and/or Newhouse at tackle if they struggle? Can Jerry steal the right guard spot if Schwartz is hobbled? How will they divide the running back carries?
Giants training camp is loaded with competition this year. Should be fun.
