Oshane Ximines

New York Giants News, 6/25 – Lorenzo Carter primed for big 2019

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New York Giants, Lorenzo Carter

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

The Giants did very little to supplement the loss of pass-rusher Olivier Vernon this offseason. Drafting Oshane Ximines and signing Markus Golden, a player that hasn’t seen a productive season in three years, ultimately creates more question marks than bonafide answers.

However, one player that really intrigues me is Lorenzo Carter. Going into his second season, there’s reason to believe 2019 could be a breakout year for the former Georgia Bulldog.

After earning four sacks, 10 quarterback hits, and seven tackles for a loss last season, the expectations for the lanky pass-rusher have grown. His elite athleticism and bend around the edge give him a unique advantage, but he will need to further develop his moves to fully reach his potential.

The 2019 season should give him the perfect opportunity to show what he’s learned after a year of NFL experience. The Giants are hoping he can at least replicate the production of Vernon and the 11 games he played last year. If Carter could collect seven sacks, 21 QB hits, and five tackles for a loss, I would say it would have been a successful campaign.

Nonetheless–

Your Giants top news of the day!

Ed Valentine (Big Blue View) – Lorenzo Carter better be a breakout pass rusher

Bryan Perez (With the first pick) – Tiki Barber says Daniel Jones will be a star in New York

Mike Moraitis (Giants Wire) – Giants’ Tae Davis ready to slide into larger role

Kevin Patra (NFL.com) – Cody Latimer: Giants WR corps can be ‘dominant’

Anthony Rivardo (Empire Sports Media) – New York Giants: Can Janoris Jenkins Be A Shutdown Corner Again?

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Check out the best news from yesterday!

New York Giants News, 6/24 – Nate Solder healthy for training camp

New York Giants: Kareem Martin expected to make a bigger impact in 2019

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New York Giants, Kareem Martin

The New York Giants signed outside linebacker Kareem Martin in 2018 with the anticipation that he would be an impactful player on the defensive front.

A former player for defensive coordinator James Bettcher, Martin was versed in his schemes and play-styles, allowing him to help his teammates adapt. I feel as though that was his primary usage and role last season, as he only racked up 48 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

What does Kareem Martin count against the New York Giants’ cap?

General manager Dave Gettleman signed Kareem on a three-year, $15 million deal, and it’s very unlikely the Giants elect to cut him this offseason due to his dead-cap hit.

Counting 5.941M against the cap, Martin also holds a $4.833M dead-cap hit which only represents a $1.1M increase in cap-space if cut. The Giants are better off keeping him around and utilizing him in a similar role to Markus Golden and Oshane Ximines.

However, the 6-foot-6 defender could see his role diminished alongside Ximines and Golden, two new players looking to leave their mark in their first season with the team. Martin will earn a pretty penny to be a glorified teacher.

On a positive note, Martin did rack up 10 QB hits last season, showing that he’s capable, to an extent, when it comes to getting into the backfield and causing pressure. The Giants and Bettcher will ask the same of him again in 2019, something he needs to improve on and provide more value.

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Adding players like Dexter Lawrence and Jabrill Peppers on defense should help in creating more opportunity in the trenches. Peppers’ ability to move around the field will force opposing offenses to be more conservative and utilize their tight ends in passing schemes, otherwise, Peppers will play close to the line of scrimmage and blitz.

Lawrence’s massive presence will open up holes for stunts and more efficient blitzes for players like Martin. Overall, we should see more production from the defensive front this upcoming season.

 

New York Giants: What Will Be Oshane Ximines’s Role In 2019?

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One of the New York Giants‘ biggest needs heading into the NFL Draft was their need for a pass-rusher. They had the opportunity to get one of the best pass-rushers in the draft class with the 6th overall pick but opted to controversially select a quarterback instead.

The Giants then went on to drafts two defenders in the 1st-round, neither of which were pass-rushers. Big Blue waited all the way until the 95th overall pick at the end of the 3rd-round to select a pass-rusher. With the 95th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected Oshane Ximines.

Oshane Ximines was the first player from his college, Old Dominion, to ever be drafted to the NFL. Ximines was a star defender for four years at Old Dominion, propelling him into the NFL Draft. After finding copious success at the collegiate level, the question is, what will Oshane Ximines’s role be with the Giants?

How Oshane Ximines Will Make His Impact In 2019

The New York Giants traded away their best pass-rusher, Olivier Vernon, during the 2019 NFL offseason. Vernon was with the Giants for three seasons and did not exactly live up to his contract. He failed to have a 10-sack season in New York, which lead to his eventual departure.

Now the Giants are left without a star pass-rusher and a ton of unproven talent on the edge. Lorenzo Carter looks to make a jump in his second season. Markus Golden is coming off of an injury and the Giants are hoping he can bounce back. And Oshane Ximines is coming from a small school, despite a ton of talent, and getting ready to compete in the NFL.

Oshane Ximines was phenomenal in his 2018 senior season. In 2018, Oshane totaled 58 tackles, 11.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss. He also added 4 forced fumbles, 2 passes defended, and even 1 interception. This type of playmaking ability and versatility could be exactly what the Giants need.

However, the question is, how much of Ximines’s talents will be on display in 2019? During OTA’s Oshane Ximines took occasional snaps with the first team defense, so Giants fans might see more of X-Man than expected. Especially with his underrated coverage skills.

While practicing with the first team defense, Oshane was put in coverage against Golden Tate. Tate is one of the better route runners in the NFL, but somehow, Oshane surprised everyone and stuck with him in coverage, forcing an incompletion. Ximines is a versatile pass-rusher with the ability to occasionally play in coverage. This could make X-Man a secret weapon for the Giants.

Oshane Ximines will be a rotational pass-rusher for the Giants in 2019. Having a rotational pass-rusher will be key for the Giants in 2019. Ximines totaled a plentiful 55 pressures in 2018. That pressure total would have lead the Giants in 2018, as Vernon’s 47 pressures were the most for New York last season. He is not yet a starting edge rusher- that title belongs to Golden and Carter- however, he should see ample playing time, getting after the quarterback in passing situations and third downs.

New York Giants News, 6/17 – Oshane Ximines needs to pan out

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New York Giants, Oshane Ximines

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

The decision to trade Olivier Vernon to the Cleveland Browns was a good one by New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman. Vernon’s inability to stay on the field and remain healthy hurt the team, especially when you consider his hefty price-tag.

Gaining right guard Kevin Zeitler in the trade benefits the Giants in more than one way, making the trade a success. However, losing a premium edge-rusher hurts the defense. Gettleman went out and drafted Old Dominion standout Oshane Ximines in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Ximines, a talented player with tons of potential, will face the physicality obstacle. The level of talent he will face in the NFL dwarfs the competition he enjoyed in college. The fact of the matter is, the Giants need him to live up to his potential, otherwise, the defense will be in big trouble this upcoming season.

The Giants will have plenty of cap space to sign a quality outside linebacker in 2020, but in the meantime, they will rely on their youth to carry the load. It will be interesting to see how he develops over the course of the offseason and what type of role he plays in the pass-rush.

Nonetheless–

Your Giants top news of the day!

Jared Schwartz (New York Post) – Jon Halapio ready to be the Giants’ center of attention again

Dan Benton (Giants Wire) – Giants’ Darius Slayton named a ‘surprise offseason standout’

Ed Valentine (Big Blue View) – Giants’ 90-man roster: Don’t forget about WR Cody Latimer

Dan Benton (Giants Wire) – Is Jabrill Peppers the Giants’ biggest x-factor in 2019?

Alexander Wilson (Empire Sports Media) – New York Giants: 3 surprise impact players for the 2019 season

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Check out the best news from yesterday!

New York Giants News, 6/16 – Julian Love a darkhorse at corner

 

New York Giants: 3 surprise impact players for the 2019 season

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New York Giants rookie, Oshane Ximines.

With training camp around the bend, the New York Giants are in a good place, atmospherically and skill-wise. They have plenty of talent to begin building a roster that competes on a weekly basis, something we haven’t seen in quite some times.

The rookies on the team have shown they’re capable in shorts and t-shirts, but now it’s time to test them in live-action, and we will really see who can make a name for themselves.

Here are 3 surprise New York Giants players for the 2019 season:

1.) CB – Corey Ballentine

When the Giants drafted Ballentine in the 6th round, it wasn’t expected that he would make a starting impact on the team. This offseason, though, he’s shown his length and aggressiveness in coverage, something that will pay dividends if he’s forced into a starting role.

I believe his influence will come in the form of special teams play. His speed and athleticism should make him a decent gunner on the outside, and we’ve seen what a bad special-teams unit can do to the success of a team.

2.) TE – CJ Conrad

The undrafted tight end out of Kentucky has lit up OTAs and mini-camp so far for Big Blue. He’s one of just two players (Darius Slayton) to earn first-team reps.

His impact will be exciting and surprising — I anticipate him beating out Scott Simonson for the third TE job and seeing a fair amount of snaps for a rookie. Simonson only counts 90K against the cap if cut, so he’s expendable. In favor of providing Conrad with essential playing time and development, I believe he will prove his worth on the football field.

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3.) OLB – Oshane Ximines

Despite coming from a small school (Old Dominion), Ximines acquired impressive skills for an edge-rusher. He has struggled with the change to outside linebacker and understanding his assignments, but once he does, his tangibles traits will be on full display.

Gettleman was impressive with his counter-punch in college, a move most veterans haven’t even perfected. Some teams had Ximines rated as a second-round talent, but the Giants grabbed him in the third. Looking forward, he will earn himself a solid number of reps in 2019, and if he can add a bit of muscle, there’s a ton of value that can be extracted from the rookie pass-rusher.

However, I do believe his rookie season will be bumpy and there will be a learning curve facing off against more physically stout athletes.

New York Giants: Ranking the top 5 rookies on their development

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New York Giants rookie quarterback, Daniel Jones during voluntary OTAs.

With minicamp coming to a close for the New York Giants and OTAs starting up again next week, it’s time to take a step back and evaluate the rookies.

The Giants had a solid draft in 2019, grabbing Daniel Jones, Dexter Lawrence, DeAndre Baker, Oshane Ximines and more, but who has looked the best so far this offseason?

Ranking the top 5 New York Giants rookies in terms of progress and development playing with the veterans:

1.) DeAndre Baker – Cornerback

The Giants traded up into the first round to grab Georgia standout corner, DeAndre Baker. An aggressive cornerback with the ability to man-mark receivers provides the Giants with a true No. 2 alongside Janoris Jenkins.

So far, Baker has been nothing but stellar in camp. He’s been on the back of every assignment, playing extremely close in coverage and showing elite speed on the ball. Head coach Pat Shurmur mentioned that he loves how Baker can play press, but the Giants haven’t been able to exercise the part of his game due to the restrictions of practice thus far. He’s been great in every other aspect.

Having Jenkins as a mentor should help Baker see his true potential. I expect him to eventually overtake Jackrabbit for the top role within the next two seasons.

2.) Daniel Jones – quarterback

Drafting Jones with the 6th overall pick certainly forced a few head scratches, but he’s developed very well since joining Big Blue. Every practice has seen the Duke product elevate his game and grow in comfort. His deep ball has been solid, accuracy on point, and progressions seamless.

In fact, he has looked better than Eli Manning so far, which only attests to his potential at such a young age. He will undoubtedly sit behind Manning for the first year of his career, and that will only allow him to prepare for Eli’s succession even more efficiently.

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3.) Darius Slayton – wide receiver

When Slayton entered camp for the Giants, it was thought he forgot how to catch. His fundamentals were completely sideways and looked as if he was a redshirt freshman off the streets. Since then, he has made strides in his development, and his name is starting to surface in the No. 3 wide receiver battle.

Slayton will have to fend off Corey Coleman and Cody Latimer, but his progress so far has been exciting. One of the faster pass catchers in the most recent draft, the Auburn product has shown he can play at a high level. He will have to continue working on his hands and catching without using his body, but he could sneakily earn the final starting receiver spot with a bit more work.

Shurmur thinks WR Darius Slayton has made huge strides. “He’s the first guy that comes to mind” when asked about standouts from the rookie class.

4.) CJ Conrad – tight end

Some might not even know who CJ Conrad is out of Kentucky, but he has the potential to be a steal of an undrafted free agent. Conrad has the ability to catch passes and block on the line of scrimmage – he was the Wildcats’ only weapon and defenses game planned around stopping him.

So far, he’s looked solid alongside Daniel Jones in red-zone drills, hauling in two consecutive touchdown passes, one of which was an impressive sliding grab. At 6-4, 248-pounds, the big tight end will look to develop even further and hopefully earn some playing time in his first season with the Giants.

5.) Oshane Ximines – pass rusher

General manager Dave Gettleman really skimped on the pass rusher position this offseason, drafting only Ximines to fill a glaring hole Olivier Vernon left in his wake after being traded. However, the Old Dominion product has developed attributes for a small-school athlete.

Gettleman found his counter-punch very appealing and has great speed around the edge. Oshane will have to adapt to a 3-4 outside linebacker role, but if he can adjust well, he will earn significant reps in 2019.

 

New York Giants putting all their chips in on Lorenzo Carter to break out

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New York Giants, Lorenzo Carter

The New York Giants took an interesting path this offseason as they failed to address the pass-rusher position with elite talent. First, the Giants signed former Arizona Cardinal Markus Golden, a player that’s three-years removed from a good season, second, they passed on Josh Allen out of Kentucky with the 6th overall pick in favor of Daniel Jones, and third, GM Dave Gettleman waited until the third round to draft an outside linebacker, Oshane Ximines.

The reality is, they’re putting a lot of hope and confidence into second-year player, Lorenzo Carter. The former Bulldog had an up-and-down rookie campaign, tallying 42 combined tackles, seven tackles for a loss, 10 QB hits, four sacks, and four passes defended.

One thing that stood out to me was the diversity of his statistics. He tackled well, recorded sacks, and batted down balls at the line of scrimmage. His multi-faceted approach gives us reason to believe he will break out in 2019.

New York Giants are excited about Lorenzo Carter:

The Giants are certainly expecting him to be their top pass-rusher, a tall expectation to live up to, but defense coordinator James Bettcher stated he seems to be  “rushing with a plan” this spring.

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Carter is a lanky edge-rusher that will line up outside the opposing offense’s tackle position, which will allow him to utilize his bend and speed around the edge. Again, the Giants are betting all their chips on Carter to have a great season, which generally indicates they’re still in the midst of a rebuild.

Not having a trusted pass-rusher leaves plenty of concern on the table, and I imagine they will use some of the cap-space gained back next year to bring in a high-profile player to accompany Carter and Ximines. At this point, though, it will be a developmental year for the duo with Carter being the highlighted option.

 

New York Giants: 3 rookies that can make a significant impact

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New York Giants defensive lineman, Dexter Lawrence.

The New York Giants made the most of their draft picks by adding numerous high-profile prospects, here is how they rank by impact.

The most efficient way to build a team in the NFL is through draft picks, specifically picks in the first two rounds. The New York Giants told the world that this ideology was their priority after they traded away Odell Beckham Jr. for draft capital.

Holding two first-round selections and a second-round pick presented the front office with an opportunity to fill positions of need with premium talent. However, not every top selection will have an impact on the 2019 season, in fact, a majority of the later round players will likely hold the most value in specific situations.

Here are the 3 rookies that will hold the most value for the New York Giants:

1.) CB DeAndre Baker

Moving up into the top of the first round to snag DeAndre Baker from Georgie might have been one of the better moves general manager Dave Gettleman executed during the most recent draft.

Baker is an extremely talented corner with the ability to develop into Janoris Jenkins’ ultimate replacement. He was considered the best corner in the draft, and moving up to grab him turned out to be a sneaky good move. Corners began flying off the shelf just after Baker was selected.

He’s feisty in coverage and physical at the line of scrimmage. He will be an impact player for a secondary that lacked talent considerably.

2.) OLB Oshane Ximines

As stated before, sometimes players drafted after round two can turn out to be the most significant. Old Dominion pass-rusher Oshane Ximines can be that player for the Giants. He has a quality counter-punch, which impressed Gettleman enough to earn a second-round grade. Grabbing him in the third was a great pick for the Giants, as they acquired a high-upside outside linebacker to essentially replace Olivier Vernon.

Coming from a smaller school will force Ximines to hurdle the obstacles of transition, but he seems to be adapting well so far. Adding a few pounds of muscle and facing off against NFL talent should provide him with the skills to develop into a player of impact in 2019.

Despite coming from a small school, Oshane tallied 18.5 tackles for a loss and 12 sacks in 2018, proving he’s capable of getting into the backfield with tenacity. Additionally, he’s skilled in forcing fumbles, a category the Giants will be looking to improve upon this upcoming season. The Giants only forced nine fumbles last year, ranking 30th in the league.

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3.) DL Dexter Lawrence

The Giants desperately needed to add a big body to the interior of the defensive line. While BJ Hill and Dalvin Tomlinson have proven they’re capable players, there’s nothing that compares to adding a massive 6-4, 342-pound goliath to the trenches.

Lawrence is a massive, far bigger than the infamous Vince Wilfork. If he can be just as talented the Giants will have hit a home run with this pick. The Clemson product is expected to be a force in the pass-rush game as well, despite recording just 3.5 sacks in 2018.

Despite his lack of numbers in the sack category, he will be a key cog in the run defense. I’m hoping he can add a bit of quickness to his game and develop into a capable pass-rusher, as that would really round out his influence on the team.

Honorable mentions:

-Julian Love

-Darius Slayton

-Ryan Connelly

New York Giants: 3 rookies that could surprisingly earn starting roles

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New York Giants rookie, Oshane Ximines.

As we wait upon the start of training camp, the New York Giants have obtained a good sense of who will be competing for starting roles and who will be destined for a reserve spot. The Giants drafted a ton of rookies that will have immediate impacts whether it be on a starting unit or on special teams.

Players like DeAndre Baker, Julian Love, Oshane Ximines, Dexter Lawrence, and more, are all fighting to earn their spot on the team…but some have a higher probability than others.

Three New York Giants rookies that can earn a starting job:

1.) CB Julian Love

The Giants snagged Love in the fourth-round of the 2019 NFL Draft, a player that was projected to go in the second-round. His abilities will fit perfectly in nickel-packages for Big Blue. I don’t expect him to compete realistically for an outside corner spot as Baker and Sam Beal have the No. 2 spot in their sights, but Love can certainly steal the slot-corner position away from second-year player, Grant Haley.

Haley has 11 games of NFL experience under his belt, which ultimately gives him the upper hand in the impending position battle. However, Love is great in man coverage and can stick with quick receivers. He’s one of my darkhorse players for the 2019 season.

2.) LB Ryan Connelly

The Wisconsin product is an extremely instinctive player that is fantastic at shooting gaps and finding the ball in the trenches. He’s not a massive linebacker, but he has the potential to be a three-down player.

Connelly was a fourth-round pick and will compete with B.J. Goodson for a starting job. Tae Davis could also be tossed into the mix but he’s a better cover linebacker than run-stopper, limiting his upside. Connelly can do both, which makes me think he could overtake Goodson for the starting job if he shows a bit of development this summer.

Goodson has shown flashes of quality at times, but injuries have derailed his career, and he’s awful in coverage. He’s a pure run-stopper and clogs holes well. Connelly will have to refine his tackling technique at the NFL to harness his full potential. I love his upside, though, which makes him a great player to watch out for during training camp.

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3.) OLB Oshane Ximines

The Giants are heading into the depths of the offseason with very minimal talent at the pass-rusher position. They essentially replaced Olivier Vernon with an injury-prone Markus Golden who has one good season three years ago, and third-round selection Oshane Ximines from a no-name school.

They’re banking heavy on the breakout of Lorenzo Carter and Golden to return to his former self. However, Ximines shouldn’t be slept on. He has an effective counter-punch and is extremely developed in regard to his moves for a small-school edge-rusher. He could very well beat out Golden or Carter for a more prominent, starting position. While I’m not convinced Oshane will beat out Carter, I could see him giving Golden a run for his money. Markus is coming off a serious knee injury and hasn’t played at a high level in quite some time.

 

 

New York Giants: 3 biggest position battles of 2019

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New York Giants, JJ Watt

As the New York Giants progress through the OTA period, position battles are starting to catch fire and some unexpected ones have taken shape. The defense will be one of the more prominent units full of competition and opportunity, as the amount of rookies and younger players has increased exponentially this offseason.

Adding players like DeAndre Baker, Julian Love, Jabrill Peppers, Corey Ballentine and more, have made the outcome of the starting team a bit more murky, which is a positive thing.

Nonetheless–

New York Giants top 3 position battles:

1.) No. 2 cornerback spot

The assumed No. 1 corner for the Giants is Janoris Jenkins, but the second spot opposite the veteran is the position up for grabs. Heading into pre-season it was expected the DeAndre Baker has the starting job all but locked up, however, 2019 Supplemental Draft pick Sam Beal has shown he can compete at a high level.

Beal has shown his range and ability in coverage thus far in OTAs, tipping a pass with his recently surgically repaired shoulder that resulted in an interception by Peppers. This will be one of the more exciting battles of the early summer, as the two are fierce competitors with solid attributes.

2.) Pass rusher

Some might have Lorenzo Carter and Markus Golden penciled on the defensive line, but I’m not so quick to give them the starting jobs. The Giants recently drafted pass-rusher Oshane Ximines out of Old Dominion. Coming from a small school certainly doesn’t present the best chances in terms of an immediate impact for Ximines, but he has proved to be quick and active so far in camp.

Oshane has advanced moves for a product of a smaller school – GM Dave Gettleman was especially impressed with his counter-punch. I expect Carter to earn a starting role, but Golden is three years removed from his best season, a 12.5 sack effort in 2016. He’s coming off a significant knee injury and shouldn’t be considered a starter just yet, Ximines could steal the job with a bit of development.

3.) Right tackle

Mike Remmers was recently signed to a one-year deal to solidify the right tackle position for the Giants. I do not consider him the legitimate starter until he has proven that his surgically repaired back isn’t a hindrance to his abilities. Chad Wheeler was the starter at RT last year and will fight for his right to stay put.

I expect both Wheeler and Remmers to battle it out over the course of the summer. “Big George” out of Kentucky could also be in the mix, but I believe he will need a bit more development before he can withstand premium NFL edge-rushers.

It’s fair to remember, though, that Remmers was forced to play out of position with the Minnesota Vikings, so returning to his natural spot at right tackle should help him find his normal self.