3 questions the New York Giants face during training camp

With the New York Giants padding up for the first full practice of 2020 on Monday, many questions remain unanswered. With cornerbacks DeAndre Baker and Sam Beal set to miss the 2020 season, there is a void in the secondary. Also, the return of Evan Engram and Ryan Connelly represent questions, considering they are both coming off season-ending injuries.

Of course, the offensive line is another unit that poses an issue. Nobody knows whether the starting offensive line for the Giants will be able to hold up during the regular season, with two new players in Andrew Thomas and Cam Fleming holding down the tackle spots.

Taking a look at three questions the New York Giants face during training camp:

1.) Will Matt Peart earn any reps with the first team?

With veteran Cam Fleming set to compete at right tackle, this leaves third-round pick, Matt Peart, in a developmental role. This is exactly where Peart should be, coming out of the University of Connecticut and lacking the muscle mass to really anchor down at the position. However, he seems to have put on some more mass and his frame is steadily building out, which is a fantastic sign for his physical development. As he refines his technique and fundamentals, Peart could quickly cement himself as a starter for the Giants down the line, but I imagine they will look to wait as long as possible before making that decision.

In the meantime, the Giants can feel confident they have multiple options in case Fleming misses any time.

2.) Where will Julian Love play?

When Julian Love recorded his first interception against the Chicago Bears in 2019, everybody opened up their eyes a little bit more to the former Notre Dame corner. Love is an exceptional talent who was a corner predominantly during his collegiate career. However, the Giants have attempted to utilize him as a utility player, molding him to a safety role while maintaining his corner skills.

With his ability to play deep in coverage and close to line scrimmage, pairing him with Xavier McKinney and Jabrill Peppers will only be beneficial. Rotating them and creating unpredictable defensive coverages will help coordinator Patrick Graham maximize his creativity when calling plays.

Last year with the Giants, love posted 37 combined tackles, five tackles for a loss, three passes defended, and one interception. With a year of experience under his belt, it will be interesting to see how the Giants utilize his abilities and find reps for him in a new scheme.

3.) Is Ryan Connelly the expected starter at MLB?

Reports have indicated that both Evan Engram and Ryan Connelly have rehabilitated well and are moving adequately around the practice field. Connelly suffered a torn ACL in week four against the Washington football team in 2019. He had started the season strong, tallying 20 combined tackles, two interceptions, and two tackles for loss. The Giants also signed linebacker David Mayo to a three-year deal, who could subsequently steal reps from Connelly early in the season.

With the regular season set to start in less than a month, Ryan will have a lot to catch up on. Considering he’s essentially a rookie after missing 12 games last season, giving him the appropriate time to develop is the smart thing to do.