New York Giants Roster Breakdown in 2020

Many have mocked New York Giants GM Dave Gettleman for an archaic roster-building approach. It’s fair in a sense, but the jabs may be rushed judgment.

Gettleman has had some reaches in the draft and some odd moves elsewhere, but his G-Men still have a good amount of talent. Should New York progress and be more competitive in 2020, he may even end up looking like a genius.

That’s still up in the air, but the Giants certainly have a better roster now than they did a year ago. Before betting on Big Blue, one way or the other, be sure to take a look at the New York Giants depth charts for 2020.

Note: Starters are bolded

Daniel Jones was one of those Gettleman reaches I was talking about, but the dual-threat passer does offer long-term upside under center.

Jones delivered mixed results in his first year, but he flashed brilliance and deserves another full season before we can appropriately grade him.

Even if Jones ends up being a swing and a miss, at least the Eli Manning era is over.

Considering how devalued the running back position is, the Giants also reached when they selected Barkley 4^th overall two years ago.

While true, this is still one of the best physical specimens the league has ever seen. Dynamic, versatile, and explosive, a healthy Barkley gives New York a weapon very few teams have.

Dion Lewis serves as an underrated depth signing and can spell Barkley on third downs. Wayne Gallman is a fine second option behind Barkley, but losing Saquon for any amount of time would have to be seen as a catastrophic development.

Daniel Jones certainly has a plethora of speedy weapons to go to war with. Tate is still a very shifty option that knows how to get open and can do damage after the catch, while Shepard has turned into a route-running maven.

The second-year Slayton offered exceptional explosiveness as a rookie last year and could quickly demand a much bigger role in the passing game.

New York’s wide receiver depth isn’t astonishing, but the speedy Coleman as the #4 option is pretty interesting.

Engram is another fantastic passing game weapon, as the big, athletic tight end can do damage all over the field. He needs to stay healthy and be a bit more consistent, but he has superstar upside.

Rhett Eillson is gone, which leaves an open slot behind Engram. Kaden Smith and Levine Toilolo are statue-esque tight ends, but both are solid backups.

Nate Solder opting out is a big blow for Daniel Jones’ protection scheme.

The Giants have very strong interior o-line play with Will Hernandez and Kevin Zeitler, however, while incoming rookie Andrew Thomas is a top-10 talent that could give this group a major boost.

New York has to get better (43 sacks allowed in 2019) in pass protection, but they’re already a respectable run-blocking unit. This group has the potential to be a strength if things break just right.

New York once built two title winners on a stellar pass rush, but success has been hard to come by upfront in recent years.

The Giants have made strides on their defensive line, however, as Leonard Williams, Dexter Lawrence, and Dalvin Tomlinson create a nasty three-man wrecking crew.

Depth is a concern, while the G-Men weren’t exactly dominant (36 sacks) in the pass rush department in 2019.

New York completely retooled their linebacking corps this offseason, bringing over Green Bay alums Kyler Fackrell and Blake Martinez.

Both are slightly overrated additions, but in theory, Fackrell gives the pass rush a jolt on the edge, and Martinez mans the middle of the defense.

David Mayo and Lorenzo Carter round out the starters as solid, albeit unspectacular, options.

New York has some talent in their secondary, as Deandre Baker was the team’s first-round pick last year, and Bradberry is a stellar free agency addition.

There is mild concern regarding Baker, however, as he was involved in a troubling off-field incident during the offseason. If he ends up missing any time – which appears to be the case, the secondary could have major issues.

That could be the case anyway, as Baker graded poorly in year one, and the Giants don’t have a lot to get excited about behind him. This group was a bottom-10 unit against the pass in 2019.

New York is actually decent at safety for a team that lost a stud in Landon Collins a year ago.

Jabrill Peppers hasn’t turned into the superstar many hoped he’d become, but last year was his first in New York after being part of the Odell Beckham Jr. trade. At 24, he still has considerable upside.

There’s also Love on the other side, who looks to supplant the departing Antoine Bethea.

This group still looks average on paper, but the selection of Xavier McKinney in the 2020 NFL Draft will eventually bump one of these guys down the depth chart.

Aldrick Rosas is out and will be replaced by longtime Panthers kicker, Graham Gano.

Dixon is a bright spot for this group, having ranked inside the top 10 in In-20% and net average. If he can keep it up, he’ll be an asset for a balanced attack.

The return game does have some upside here, too. Golden Tate is a shifty returner who can field punts safely, while Jabrill Peppers may rotate with him during the year.

Ballentine figures to be the main man on kick returns, and a 25.6 kicker return yards average last year offers some promise.

The true grade should be an INC, but Gettleman has slowly built a team that can compete in the near future. On paper, he may very well have all of the pieces in place for New York to win some shootouts and give opposing defenses some trouble.

Is Daniel Jones the guy? Did New York invest too much in a running back? Nobody knows yet, but the offense could be fun to watch, and perhaps even ends up being great.

Defensively, the jury is still out. The good news is the G-Men did make a ton of moves to get better across the board, as the team now has rock-solid options at every level of the defense.

The Giants are better off today than they were when the 2019 NFL season ended, and usually, that’s about all you can hope for.

The key questions are if Jones is the right quarterback for this franchise and if this defense can improve.

Whether or not you think New York is heading in the right direction, there should be some solid spots to bet on the Giants in 2020. Consider brushing up on the Giants’ strength of schedule before placing individual wagers, though.