New York

Giants

Neal is entering his third year in the league and has yet to live up to the potential that made him the No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Presumably still rehabbing from an ankle injury that required surgery back in January, Neal was believed to be ready to return close to camp. Instead, he was placed on the PUP list at the start of training camp, and little has been said of when he may return to the field. When he does return, it’s possible Neal will be without a starting job after it was reported earlier that Jermaine Eluemunor would man the right tackle spot while Greg Van Roten slots in at right guard.

Goodrich signed with the Eagles after going undrafted in 2022. He spent his first year in the league on Philly’s practice squad and appeared in four games last year, one of which was credited as a start. He totaled five tackles while playing a mix of special teams and slot corner. Goodrich will be fighting for a roster spot in Giants camp this summer.

Per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, Jermaine Eluemunor is going to play right tackle with Van Roten at right guard. That means Evan Neal is the odd man out. The former top-10 pick is currently on the PUP list and doesn’t appear to have a role in the New York offense. Van Roten started all 17 games for the Raiders last year and is a solid addition for a team that fielded one of the league’s worst offensive lines in 2023.

Van Roten started all 17 games at right guard for the Raiders last season, earning a PFF blocking grade of 75.3 on 1,025 offensive snaps. He’s played on three different teams over the last three years and has started 71 of the 110 career games he’s appeared in. The Giants had one of the worst offensive lines in the league last season and could benefit from some upgrades — specifically along the interior. Ben Bredeson and Justin Pugh, who led the team in snaps at both guard positions last season, are no longer with the team. Van Roten could likely earn the starting job in camp if he were to sign.

This report comes via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. Jones, who suffered a torn ACL in November, was not fully cleared for football activities this spring but has not suffered any setbacks in his recovery. According to Raanan, Jones “was throwing and playing without any limitations with 500 kids at his first official football camp,” which is starkly different from an NFL practice but aligns with how Jones feels about his recovery. Raanan reports that Jones isn’t expected to be placed on the PUP list to start camp, which would signal his availability when they open practice on Wednesday. Jones enters a make-or-break season with the Giants after last year’s disastrous performance. Jones signed a four-year, $160 million contract last offseason, only to throw for 909-2-6 in six games. If he can return to his 2022 form, Jones would have some high-end QB2 upside in fantasy, but it’s more likely he will play closer to what he’s shown in four of his five years as a pro.

Johnson was expected to compete for the starting tight end job after being selected in the fourth round of this year’s draft. Now, he lands on the physically unable to perform list at the start of camp with a hip injury. With Darren Waller’s retirement, Daniel Bellinger is now in line to start. The hope is Johnson’s injury is not serious but he will be out to start camp practices.

Should Daboll retain play-calling duties in the regular season, the offense will likely increase both its passing rate and overall pace of play. With Kafka running the offense from 2022-2023, the Giants ranked 20th in passing rate during one-score games (58.7 percent), 18th in plays per drive (6.0) and 14th in plays per game (65.7). In Daboll’s final two seasons with the Bills (2020-2021), their offense ranked first (69.0 percent), fourth (6.5) and eighth (68.3), respectively. Even moderate shifts toward Daboll’s old methods would increase both QB Daniel Jones and rookie WR Malik Nabers’ fantasy-scoring opportunities. Giants brass seemingly offset Kafka’s play-calling demotion by adding “assistant head coach” to his title.

With Darren Waller’s recent retirement, the Giants are looking for a reliable pass-catching tight end. “It looked this spring like Cager and fourth-round pick Theo Johnson will be asked” to fill Waller’s role in the New York offense. Giants head coach Brian Daboll said Cager, a converted wideout who has 19 receptions over five NFL seasons, was “probably one of the most improved players throughout the offseason.” ESPN’s Jordan Raanan did not mention presumed starting TE Daniel Bellinger as a candidate to take on pass-catching duties in 2024.

Hyatt declined to provide the exact number, though his increased bulk was apparently been a frequent topic of discussion during Giants OTAs. “That was one of the things I wanted to improve on,” Hyatt said. “Playing on the outside, you’re going to get more press coverage and more body-to-body catches. So just getting bigger, getting strong with my catch point, getting stronger with my hands, and so far everything is working.’’ Coach Brian Daboll also believes Hyatt is playing faster this offseason. Hyatt has understandably fallen off the fantasy radar after his quiet rookie campaign and the Giants’ subsequent first-round selection of Malik Nabers, but he’s a sensible, talent-based zero-cost flier in the final rounds of deeper drafts.

Saylors in 2024 led the UFL in rushing yards (537), averaging five yards per carry and scoring five touchdowns for the Battlehawks. Saylors led the UFL in yards after contact per rush. He also caught 24 passes for 264 yards. It will be an uphill battle for Saylors to crack the Giants roster this summer. For now, Devin Singletary and Tyrone Tracy are expected to lead New York’s backfield.