New York Giants: 3 players to keep an eye on during training camp

The New York Giants are gearing up for training camp to start early next week. Rookies will report on Tuesday, with quarterbacks and injured players on July 23 and the rest of the team on July 28.

This is an excellent opportunity for rookies to get accustomed to the NFL style and see their first reps on the practice field. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic affecting sports worldwide, there will undoubtedly be some complications as things progress toward the regular season. The preseason has already been cut two games to limit exposure, and there will be other ratifications implemented as well.

Nonetheless, business, as usual, is the mantra the NFL is taking. The Giants need all the time they can get to iron out their roster after drafting new starters on offense and defense.

Here’s a look at three New York Giants players we should keep an eye on:

1.) Nick Gates

The Giants are still attempting to cement their offensive line to provide Daniel Jones with more time in the pocket and Saquon Barkley with more running lanes. Drafting Andrew Thomas was a positive step forward toward continuity. Positions like center and right tackle are ones that need to be completed for.

Gates, who is a former undrafted free agent out of Nebraska, played well when filling in at right tackle and right guard in 2019. Ultimately, his performance has earned him the right to compete at center and right tackle. He is a mean, gritty player who general manager Dave Gettleman has confidence in.

The second-year lineman has been working diligently in Nevada with Raiders quarterback Derek Carr under center. The reps he is gaining will be essential for training camp. His size at 6-foot-5 and 307 pounds is a bit big for the center position, but it can’t be any worse than with the Giants have been utilizing there in recent years.

He is a priority player to keep an eye on during training camp.

2.) Xavier McKinney

McKinney is one of the more exciting young players the Giants are attempting to cement as a starter. He played in an NFL-style defense with Alabama, showing that he can play at a high-level and transition to the league more efficiently. With the Giants utilizing Antoine Bethea last year at free safety, they struggled in the deep half of the field, especially when it came to coverage.

McKinney has elite game-speed and will be expected to hold down the fort in cover-1 sets.

However, he is also capable of moving up to the line of scrimmage and rushing the passer with great speed and aggressiveness. While there’s plenty to iron out, including tackling technique and adding a bit more size, the next few weeks will be imperative to his success in 2020. His exciting play-style and play-maker ability make him a must-watch in training camp.

3.) Andrew Thomas

Reports have indicated that Thomas could start his career at right tackle. Those questions will likely be answered during training camp, as head coach Joe Judge said that every player will have to earn their spot on the roster.

The fourth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft has not stopped training since his inception into the NFL. The New York Giants are expecting him to make the offensive line more productive in both the pass and run game, which makes me think he will start out a left tackle.

However, with Nate Solder still on the roster, the Giants could allow Thomas to start on the right side, giving him great experience, which could help him transition if need be in the future. Ultimately, giving your offensive linemen experience at different positions is only beneficial, which was something the Giants failed to do with Ereck Flowers, who was forced to play left tackle. We all know how that ended up.

Many offensive tackles in the NFL started on the right side and transitioned over to the left in year two. There’s no doubt that Solder will be cut after the 2020 campaign, and if he struggles, they can always move Thomas over to the left side. That will be an interesting position to keep an eye on during training camp.