nick gates

New York Giants: Projected starting offensive line in 2020

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New York Giants, Nate Solder, Jon Halapio, Mike Remmers

The New York Giants‘ offensive line is the team’s kryptonite; it has been for the last five years. Finally, the Giants made improvements to the offensive line through the draft and free agency. As a fan, this makes me very happy, protecting Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley is the primary concern. All fans want to see these guys play for eight-plus years. There are a lot of questions that need to be addressed this offseason. Who will start at left tackle? Nate Solder, or Andrew Thomas? Who will win the starting center job, Spencer Pulley, Nick Gates, or Shane Lemieux?

I think the end of the preseason will answer all these questions. Joe Judge and the coaching staff want the best man to win the starting job. All these players are going to get a fair shot, and it will come down to who wants it more and who excels at their position.

“The best players will play. I don’t care where you got drafted, I don’t care if you’re an undrafted free agent, I don’t care if you’re old, young, traded, whatever you got there for. Everybody will have an opportunity every day to compete for a job on our roster. Every day. If you want to be on the field, be the best player. Outwork the guy in front of you. Prove your value to us, show you can handle the job, and we’re going to put you on the field and give you an opportunity.”

Andrew Thomas starting left tackle

Andrew Thomas is going to be the starting left tackle week one. He is the best option and has all the skills to play at the pro level. The Giants drafted him to fix their blind side problem and protect second-year quarterback, Daniel Jones. As we all saw, Nate Solder was not at his best last season. I still think Solder will be apart of the offensive line, just at another spot. In 2019, Andrew Thomas was a Walter Camp All-American first team, and winner of the SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy, this was Georgia’s first recipient in 21 years!

There’s no question Thomas has the athleticism and skill set to become an All-Pro lineman; having a great offensive line coach is also huge for his development. There is no reason to move Thomas to right tackle, he played both in college but excelled at Left. Coming into the draft, Andrew Thomas was the purest left tackle; the Giants made the right decision with their fourth overall pick.

Will Hernandez starting left guard

Will Hernandez has been a reliable option since he was drafted back in 2018. Since drafted, Hernandez has started in every game (32), talk about a reliable offensive lineman! In 2019, Hernandez’s number of penalties went up (4), more than his rookie year (2). This is something that can be worked on and is not that big of a deal. He played 1067 snaps in 2019, and 1027 snaps his rookie season. The Giants’ offensive line needs a gritty guy like Hernandez, who will do all the dirty work in the trenches.

Spencer Pulley starting center

The New York Giants will have a competition battle at center. For starters, I believe Jon Halapio will be cut from the team; he has sustained too many season-ending injuries. I think the Giants have better options at center, Pulley, Gates, and Lemieux will all battle it out. I feel Spencer Pulley is going to win the starting job. He already has experience playing center, it is his primary position, unlike Gates and Lemieux. In 2019, Pulley only played in four games, he only recorded one penalty and was on the field for 95 snaps. If Pulley happens to get injured and can’t play for the remainder of the season, I want the Giants to give Shane Lemieux a shot at center. Several clips have surfaced of Shane Lemieux practicing snaps during his workouts. I feel like Nick Gates is more of a guard and would rather stay there.

Kevin Zeitler starting right guard

There is no mystery behind this one, Kevin Zeitler will be the starting right guard in 2020. He battled shoulder issues in 2019. If he is healthy, we will see a very productive right guard. I see Zeitler being the leader on the offensive line, a veteran who has a lot of experience in the NFL (eight seasons). He will be a great mentor for the young guys who were just drafted. In 2019, Zeitler started 15 games, he only missed one due to a shoulder injury. In those 15 games, Zeitler averaged 93% of offensive snaps, and only had one penalty all year! All in all, the Giants need Zeitler to be the leader of the offensive line in 2020, I think he has a few more years left to play before Shane Lemieux takes his position.

Nick Gates starting right tackle

In 2020, there will be a battle to see who plays right tackle. Most people think Nate Solder is a starter next season. I think he will come off the bench and be a fill-in type player. I think Nick Gates is the better option right now until Nate Solder can prove he can still protect and be effective in the run game. I think Solder will be a great mentor for the other offensive lineman; the Giants can’t rely on him. The Giants can’t let him play left tackle and be responsible for protecting the blindside. Nick Gates only started three games in 2019, I think 2020 could be a different story, and he could be a starter week one. He did well last season, the Giants’ offensive line was awful, and Gates was the only bright spot some games.

Do the New York Giants have their long-term center in Nick Gates?

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New York Giants, Nick Gates

The center position for the New York Giants remains one of the bigger weaknesses is going into the 2020 season. Currently, they are scheduled to develop a position battle, consisting of Nick Gates, Jon Halapio, Shane Lemieux, and Spenser Pulley.

The primary issue is, none of these options are established or considered to be above average at the position. Halapio has struggled in recent years and is recovering from a torn ACL, Pulley is serviceable but not above average by any means, and Lemieux/Gates have never taken a live snap at the position.

Nonetheless, Gates has been practicing in Nevada with Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr. Taking snaps under center, Gates is developing a skill set prior to the start of training camp and preseason. This should give him a leg up and allow him to potentially steal the starting position for the foreseeable future.

Gates stated in the past that he prefers to play guard over tackle, and moving to center would put them on the innermost workings of the offensive line. I believe he has a toughness and frame to excel at the spot, but he needs more live reps to be considered at this as a starter for 2020.

General manager Dave Gettleman is excited about Gates and what he brings to the table. He expressed confidence in him several months ago before the NFL draft.

“The thing you love about Nick is just how tough he is, because it’s a fist fight in there,” Gettleman said. “History tells you that the toughness of your team is really, really indicated by the toughness of your offensive line.”

Gates grew up around construction as a child in Nevada, which he factors into his toughness.

“My toughness comes from that,” Gates told The New York Post. “We used to go at it and I had to hold my own. I was the youngest [for a long time], so everybody kind of picked on me. You have to be tough when you are the youngest. Playing football or wrestling, one of us gets mad and it starts off from there.”

The New York Giants could use a boost at center

If Gates can establish himself as a starting player at the center position, the Giants will be in good shape. They currently have No. 4 overall pick Andrew Thomas at left tackle, Will Hernandez at left guard, Kevin Zeitler at right guard, and Nate Solder at right tackle. This unit could be mixed up a bit, with Thomas possibly projecting as a right tackle next season — nothing is set in stone just yet.

Nonetheless, the former Nebraska lineman has the talent to move inside and showed promise at both guard and tackle positions in 2019. If the Giants can elevate him from undrafted free agent to starting center, they will have some financial flexibility next off-season in free agency.

New York Giants: Nick Gates Training For Center Position In Las Vegas

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New York Giants, Nick Gates

The New York Giants have a huge hole in their offensive line. After shoring up the tackle position in this year’s draft, the Gmen did not do much to improve the center position. Jon Halapio spent most of the 2019 season as the team’s starting center, however, inconsistent play and a season-ending injury will lead the team to find someone else to man the position.

Now the Giants have a positional battle for the starting center job. Players such as Spencer Pulley, Shane Lemieux, and Nick Gates will be competing for the job. A report came out today regarding Nick Gates and his journey to win the center job.

Nick Gates Snapping In Las Vegas

According to Ryan Dunleavy of the NY Post, Nick Gates is practicing snapping to Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and working alongside Giants teammate Will Hernandez near his home in Las Vegas. 

Nick Gates has been working hard this offseason. The former undrafted rookie is training to become the team’s center in 2020. Now, entering his third season, Gates is attempting to undergo a position change in hopes of winning the new job opening. Dave Gettleman has mentioned Nick Gates as a strong candidate for the job in previous interviews.

“We have faith in Nick Gates.’’ – Giants general manager Dave Gettleman

“You know, just for what it’s worth, we’ve talked about Nick [playing center]. He did do some of that last year in practice, so it’s not completely new. Nick is smart. The thing you love about Nick is just how tough he is, because it’s a fist fight in there. There’s no doubt about that. History tells you that the toughness of your team is really, really indicated by the toughness of your offensive line. So, we’re always looking for that kind of piece. Nick would be in consideration at center, absolutely.” – Dave Gettleman on Nick Gates

Nick Gates did practice at center in 2019. He also started games at both right tackle and right guard in place of an injured Kevin Zeitler and an injured Mike Remmers. In Gates’s start at right guard in December he did not allow a single pressure and played an excellent game. Gates finished the 2019 season with a 77.0 overall grade and only 1 sack allowed in 290 snaps (Pro Football Focus).

Nick Gates flashed a lot of potential in 2019. He contributed quality snaps when he was on the field and made a lot of progress towards becoming a starting offensive lineman in the NFL. It is encouraging to read that Gates is training for the center position at which the Giants need a major upgrade. Maybe Nick Gates will be that upgrade.

Shaun O’Hara: Pulley the Right Choice at Center For Giants…For Now

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New York Giants, Spencer Pulley, Jon Halapio, Nick Gates

The New York Giants have been building up their offensive line this offseason, adding three tackles and an interior lineman in the draft and free agency.

The one position they haven’t formally addressed, however, is center. The Giants do have a plan, but is it a solid one? There are a lot of ‘ifs’ surrounding the center position and analyzing the situation, it seems as if they are counting on getting lucky rather getting good.

Last year’s starter, Jon Halapio, is currently not on the roster as he is still rehabbing from a Achilles injury he suffered lat last season. At last glance, Halapio’s rehab is going well and the team has even mentioned re-signing him once he’s healthy.

Halapio’s backup is Spencer Pulley, who has started nine games in his two seasons with the Giants. Pulley is a serviceable option for the Giants at the moment considering the other choices facing them at the moment.

GM Dave Gettleman has intimated that Nick Gates, who has played both center and guard for the Giants can also play center. Then, there is fifth round draft pick Shane Lemieux out of Oregon, a tough interior lineman in the mold of Rich Seubert who is mainly a guard and has never played center.

Lemieux will be working at center and so is Gates but former Giants Pro Bowl center and current NFL Network analyst Shaun O’Hara believes that Pulley is the Giants’ best option right now.

“I think Spencer Pulley is a good center,’’ O’Hara told the NY Post. O’Hara believes that Lemieux’s learning curve will be too steep to displace Pulley in camp this summer.

“The toughest thing a lot of guys have, if you’ve never played center, is shotgun snaps,’’ said O’Hara. “Most guys can figure out the under-center snap. Shotgun snaps, sometimes people become mental midgets with that and they just can’t handle it. It sounds to me he’s the kind of guy that is gonna stay out and snap 1,000 balls if he has to, to make sure he can handle that.’’

The experience angle led O’Hara to say that Pulley should be the starter until the Lemieux or someone else can come in and raise the level of play without sacrificing stability.

“He’s not going to come in and be better than Spencer Pulley right away,” O’Hara said of Lemieux. “Just from a mental standpoint, making the calls. And you got a young quarterback too. Daniel Jones has not seen every defense yet. Would I want a second-year quarterback and a rookie center playing? Heck no.’’

That may not deter the Giants from fast-tracking Lemieux into the center position. They want change up front and quickly.

How the New York Giants can maximize Nick Gates’ value on the offensive line

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New York Giants, Nick Gates

The New York Giants have a long way to go before they can be considered an above-average team in the NFL. General manager Dave Gettleman a new head coach Joe Judge have made it a priority to bolster the offensive line and hopefully replicate a dominant force like the Dallas Cowboys’ unit.

Hiring offensive line coach Marc Colombo should aid in that conquest, and drafting tackles Andrew Thomas and Matt Peart should bring brighter times to the trenches for the Giants.

However, the right tackle and center positions remain open for the taking. The Giants will host position battles at both spots, including players like Shane Lemieux, Cameron Fleming, Nick Gates, Matt Peart, John Halapio, and Spencer Pulley.

Where does Nick Gates fit into the New York Giants’ plans?

Gates, who had a solid 2019 season, supplementing injuries at right guard and right tackle, has the potential to earn a starting position next season. He played 290 offensive snaps, 203 at right tackle, and 77 at right guard. He also played in 16 snaps as an extra tackle in jumbo sets. Throughout the season, he surrendered only one sack and allowed just one penalty.

Gates is being considered for a full-time role on the offensive line, and rightfully so after he was able to hold up at the tackle spot and protect Daniel Jones. He’s also being considered as a potential center alternative, having taken snaps this off-season to prepare himself.

Gates is a mobile lineman with smooth movements and agility for an undrafted player. His feet are extremely reactive and allow him to counter well and mirror pass rushers. His football IQ and ability to diagnose pass rushes early is one of his more positive attributes.

Ultimately, he is an incredibly underrated player for the New York Giants on the line, and even if he doesn’t lock down starting position, his ability to move all around and supplement injuries is essential. One way or another, he is a significant piece to the puzzle, and the Giants will be looking to maximize his talents as a starter or a premium depth player.

Changing positions is always a tricky task, and given Gates’ lack of reps at center in live games, he will struggle to adapt to the position. Nonetheless, he has done a fantastic job molding into a serviceable player at most other positions, and if he can excel at center, the Giants will be well on their way toward boasting a strong O-line.

Projecting The New York Giants’ Top Roster Weaknesses In 2020

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New York Giants, Markus Golden

The New York Giants have rebuilt their roster over the past couple of seasons. They found their future franchise quarterback, Daniel Jones, in 2019 and revamped their offensive line in 2020. The future is bright for the New York Giants, but the rebuild is not complete. There are some legitimate strengths on their roster but also some glaring weaknesses. Today, I will break down those weaknesses heading into 2020.

The Pass Rushers

It is no secret that the Giants lack a premier pass-rusher. They have a chance at retaining Markus Golden before the season starts, but even still, the pass-rush with Golden was not fantastic last year. The Giants did sign Kyler Fackrell this offseason, though, and he should make an impact. But there still is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the group of pass-rushers on the Giants’ roster.

Lorenzo Carter did not take the leap forward that we expected him to last season. Oshane Ximinez flashed potential, and hopefully, he can build on that in 2020. But the pass-rush on the Giants’ defense is going to have to derive mostly from Patrick Graham’s scheme. Graham loves to blitz in creative ways to get after the quarterback. That is how the Giants are going to have to do it this year.

The Lack Of A Primary Receiver

The Giants have a core of talented receivers on their roster. Sterling Shepard, Golden Tate, and Darius Slayton form a reliable group of receivers for Daniel Jones to throw to. But there is no X-Factor amongst the group.

That dominant, reliable, number one receiver can be so crucial for an offense. Don’t believe me? Let me refresh your memory of the Giants’ 2008 season. How bad was that offense after the Plaxico Burress incident occurred? They could not move the ball without that legitimate receiving threat. And it’s not like there were no other capable receivers on the roster. Amani Toomer, Steve Smith, and Dominick Hixon were all solid contributors. But they were not primary targets. They could not draw double teams and open up the offense the way that Burres could.

That is what we are looking at with the Giants’ offense in 2020. There is a lot of talent in that receiving corps, and there is a chance that Slayton could progress and become that primary threat. But, at this moment in time, that dominant number one receiver does not exist on the Giants’ roster.

Darius Slayton and Golden Tate both averaged only 2.2 yards of separation per catch. This number ranked near the bottom of the NFL. Sterling Shepard did manage to average a respectable 3.1 yards of separation, though. But still, Daniel Jones had a lot of tight windows to throw into last season and there is no sign that that will change in 2020.

Question Mark At Center

The Giants have options at the center position. There will be a three-way competition for the starting role. But there is no definitive answer at this point as to who will start at that key position.

Spencer Pulley, Nick Gates, and Shane Lemieux are all options at center. But there are cons with each of them. Pulley has never been an impressive starter, albeit he is a solid backup. Gates and Lemieux are both offensive guards that will look to make the position switch this season. Even if the switch is made successfully, there are bound to be growing pains along the way.

The Giants finally solidified their tackle positions, drafting Andrew Thomas at fourth overall and Matt Peart later in the third round. This gives the Giants the flexibility to move Solder to the other side of the line or have Thomas play his rookie season at right tackle. The options at that position make it a strength compared to the center position, where the options are slim and unreliable.

The New York Giants’ offensive line is deeper than ever before

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New York Giants, Nate Solder, Jon Halapio, Mike Remmers

The priority this off-season for the New York Giants was to finally solve the complicated puzzle that has been the offensive line. Protecting Daniel Jones and opening running lanes for Saquon Barkley is essential for the offense to succeed and play at an elevated level. General manager Dave Gettleman finally invested in the protection of his two most influential draft picks. Ensuring Barkley and Jones have everything they need to succeed should and is the focus for the Giants.

In 2019, Jones endured poor offensive line play which resulted in him being sacked 38 times. Lowering that number and allowing him more time in the pocket is essential for his future production, and taking a step forward in 2020 is the ultimate goal. His statistical output last season was quite good for a rookie who wasn’t expected to play at all with Eli Manning starting week one. Manning was quickly moved to the bench in favor of Jones, who emerged victorious the next two games but failed to string together a winning season.

The 2019 line consisted of:

LT: Nate Solder

LG: Will Hernandez

C: Jon Halapio

RG: Kevin Zeitler

RT: Mike Remmers

This unit ranked as one of the worst in the league, with Solder giving up 11 sacks, ranking second-worst in the category.

Overhauling this section was a requirement this off-season, and the Giants spent the fourth overall pick on Georgia tackle Andrew Thomas. This move subsequently moves Solder over to the right side, where he will compete with Nick Gates and Cam Fleming for the starting position. Paying nearly $20 million for a fringe starter is problematic, but his dead-cap lowers to $6.5 million in 2021, indicating he will likely be let go.

However, adding Thomas alone does not attest to the overhauling of the unit, which is why the New York Giants spent more draft picks to ensure depth at essential positions. In the third round, Big Blue selected Matt Peart out of UConn, who has fantastic tangible skills and the potential to emerge as a starter in the future. In the fifth round, they drafted Oregon guard Shane Lemieux, who has the upside to play center as well. Developing him over the next few months will hopefully see him adapt to different positions and give the Giants another quality guard to work with.

“Versatility is the biggest factor in this game,” Lemieux said, per the NY Post. “Coaches want to be able to put you in multiple spots. I have really good mentors that told me that at training camp, no matter where you are, they are going to throw you in, and you have to be ready. I just want to be prepared before that happened.”

Last season, the Giants only had Nick Gates as their preferred depth piece, but with the added draft capital to the position and signing free agent Cam Fleming, they have plenty of players to work with and move around in case of injury. Hopefully, this will allow them to solidify the offensive front and protect Daniel Jones adequately.

Projecting What The New York Giants’ Offensive Line Of The Future Will Look Like

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The New York Giants completely rebuilt their offensive line in the 2020 NFL offseason. The team hired Marc Colombo to coach the position group after years of success coaching the Dallas Cowboys’ line. They then signed OT Cameron Fleming as a stop-gat right tackle for the 2020 NFL season. After that, the Giants invested heavily in their future offensive line, spending three draft picks on the line in the 2020 NFL Draft.

New York surprised fans by selecting stud left tackle Andrew Thomas with the fourth pick in the NFL Draft. They then drafted two more offensive linemen in the later round of the draft. But those later picks are not expected to start in 2020. Those selections were made with the long-term in mind. But what does that long-term plan look like? In this article, I will project the future of the New York Giants’ offensive line.

What Does The Line Look Like Now?

  • LT – Nate Solder
  • LG – Will Hernandez
  • C – Spencer Pulley
  • RG – Kevin Zeitler
  • RT – Andrew Thomas

The rookie offensive tackle Andrew Thomas is going to be in the starting lineup. The question is, on which side of the line will he play? Will they put Andrew Thomas in at left tackle immediately, or leave Nate Solder in the position he already holds? Solder has admitted he is fine with a position switch, so the two tackle positions could be swapped between now and August. But, if I had to guess, the Giants will likely place Thomas on the right side of the line to start his career, then switch him to the left side once Solder’s contract is off the books.

Will Hernandez was the Giants’ second-round pick in 2018 and has looked the part so far. He did take a slight step backward in 2019, but that could have been caused by a multitude of confounding variables, such as an incompetent coaching staff. Entering his third season with a new, talented offensive line coach in Marc Colombo bodes well for Hernandez’s future at guard for the Giants.

The center position is a glaring weakness on the Giants’ roster. There will be a three-way competition for the starting job in 2020. As a default, though, I plugged Spencer Pulley in at the starting center position. He is the only player on the roster with long-term starting experience at the position and is also the only true center on the roster. He has a good chance of winning the competition because of that.

Kevin Zeitler will man the right guard position again. Zeitler is a rock at that position and is as reliable as it gets. He is easily the best offensive lineman on the Giants at the moment and will continue to be in 2020.

What Will The Offensive Line Look Like In The Future?

  • LT – Andrew Thomas
  • LG – Will Hernandez
  • C – Shane Lemieux
  • RG – Nick Gates
  • RT – Matt Peart

As crazy as it may sound, I genuinely believe Dave Gettleman and the Giants managed to find three future starting offensive linemen in the 2020 NFL Draft class. Andrew Thomas, at a minimum, will be a solid left tackle for years. He is technically sound, played against top-tier collegiate talent, and dominated through all his years at Georgia. The Giants locked down their most important offensive line position for years when they selected Andrew Thomas fourth overall.

On the opposite side of the line, Matt Peart, out of UCONN, was an extraordinary pick at 99 overall in 2020. He will not be ready to start day one, but after some time developing behind the scenes with Marc Colombo, fixing some flaws he possesses, and adding much-needed strength/muscle mass, Peart has the tools to be a starting right tackle in the NFL. He is athletic with very agile feet and already has solid technique. Just a bit of grooming, and he can make an impact as early as next season.

Kevin Zeitler is the best player on the Giants’ offensive line at the moment. But the thirty-year-old guard is only under contract through 2021 and could be pushed out the door sooner than later by the youthful inexpensive options already on the Giants’ roster. Thirty is still relatively young for an offensive lineman, so maybe he sticks around for a second contract with New York, but eventually, he will go, and I think there is a good chance his replacement is already on the roster.

Zeitler’s replacement could be Nick Gates or Shane Lemieux. At the future right guard position, I placed Nick Gates. Nick Gates and Shane Lemieux could end up switching positions, though, with both players being natural guards training to compete for the center position. But I think Gates’s NFL experience at the right guard position gives him the edge. Lemieux is a high-IQ mauler, though, and already understands the importance of positional versatility and will be prepared to move to center if he must.

When looking at the potential of the future offensive line, one trait stands out in particular: youth. These are all young, growing offensive linemen with high ceilings and plenty of work to do to reach their maximum potential. The future of the Giants’ offensive line is in great shape after the 2020 NFL Draft.

What are the New York Giants doing to solve the center problem?

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New York Giants, Nick Gates

The New York Giants have one spot that needs filling; what are they doing to solve it?

Everybody believed the Giants would allocate draft capital toward the center position, but GM Dave Gettleman and Hc Joe Judge turned the other cheek toward a spot that has lacked talent in recent years.

Jon Halapio has been the Giants’ center of choice the past few seasons, despite breaking his leg and suffering a torn Achilles tendon in back-to-back seasons. Gettleman was confident that he would return to full health in 2020, stating:

“Halapio is coming back, hopefully he’ll be ready to go and recovered from the Achilles by June. We’re just going to keep working at it,” general manager Dave Gettleman said during a conference several weeks ago.

This is a good sign for a team who’s fall-back option is Spencer Pulley, a journeyman center who cannot be trusted as a starter. However, Halapio isn’t an elite player either; some might even argue he just barely scratches average. Finding a better offensive lineman to fill the void would likely be in the best interest of the team, which is where former UDFA Nick Gates and fifth-round draft pick from 2020 Shane Lemieux comes into play.

“I understood that this game is all about versatility,” Lemieux said on a Zoom interview, accordoing to Giants.com. “I think that me getting good at all three interior positions is going to benefit me well in the future. I don’t really have a position. I just want to be ready whenever I get in, to be ready to play whatever coach asks me to.

“I think I’m an offensive lineman, that’s what I’m coming in as. That’s what I have been playing, I’m a football player. I’m a football player that plays offensive line. No matter where the coaches want to put me to help the team, that’s where I’m going to go.”

Gates has reportedly been taking snaps under center the past few months in preparation for a potential move to the inside, and Lemieux is also capable of making the transition. With Halapio and Pulley expected to return next season, a competition battle will likely be the result of management’s lack of injection into the position.

Having four players battling it out at the position, the Giants can be confident the winner will be at the very least serviceable. An added benefit is they will have significant depth scattered across the offensive line.

 

New York Giants: 2 surprise breakout players in 2020

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New York Giants, Oshane Ximines

Taking a look at two breakout players for the New York Giants in 2020:

The 2019 NFL Draft saw GM Dave Gettleman allocate ample resources toward the secondary, but the players added to the roster didn’t live up to expectations. First-round corner DeAndre Baker struggled in year one, rightfully so due to the challenging transition to the NFL, and both Julian Love and Corey Ballentine experienced minimal reps.

The defense needs to take a significant step forward if the Giants want to be competitive next season, and with Gettleman signing only three free agents to solve positions of need, it’s safe to say that defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has his hands full. The lack of a star pass rusher and unproven talent at inside linebacker could be problematic, but the Giants do have players who can rise to the occasion.

Here are two breakout players for the Giants:

1.) Oshane Ximines

With pass rush a major concern, Ximines has big shoes to fill with Markus Golden expected to move on in free agency. The Giants simply don’t have the necessary cash to sign a proven outside linebacker, which resulted in Gettleman adding Kyler Fackrell on a one year deal to replicate Golden’s production.

Ximines quietly had a solid 2019 campaign, posting 4.5 sacks on 45% of defensive snaps. Compared to Golden, who plays on 83% of snaps, the Giants must be confident in Ximines and his ability to replace the former Giants with ease. I believe the former Old Dominion standout will break out for the Giants next season, simply based on his nice array of pass rush moves and underrated strength.

Adapting to the physicality and speed of the NFL takes time, and with Ximines showing he can keep up in his rookie season, we should see compounded growth on our investment.

2.) Nick Gates 

The offensive line needs some love, and Gettleman made sure to ensure the media that they have tremendous faith in Nick Gates, who featured as a reserve option in 2019. Gates, formerly being an undrafted free agent last season, filled in valiantly at guard and tackle.

Coming out of college, he was projected as a guard due to his lack of upper body strength and anchor, but the Giants may see him as a possible fit at right tackle. I believe his frame suggests he’s more of a center, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Giants throw him into a position battle at RT and C to see where he fits. Ultimately, I believe Gates will earn a starting spot one way or another and will prove his durability at the NFL level.