New York Giants: Top 3 Remaining Questions And Answers

Sep 24, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz catches a touchdown in front of New York Giants cornerback Eli Apple, safety Darian Thompson (27) and linebacker Jonathan Casillas (52) in the third quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

Providing an influx of talent on the offensive line and running back position certainly helped the offensive unit as a whole for the New York Giants, but several questions remain as we move forward through the offseason.

The defense has transition from a 4-3 to a 3-4 scheme, which presents certain challenges. It requires a completely different personnel group and additional depth on the linebacker corps and defensive line.

Question #1: Do the Giants have enough talent to manage injuries?

In 2017, the Giants were plagued by the injury bug as Jonathan Casillas, Keenan Robinson, Janoris Jenkins, B.J. Goodson, Romeo Okwara, and Olivier Vernon all succumbed to ailments. That’s five of the starting 11 players that missed a minimum of three games last year. The depth behind those players lacked in quality and athleticism.

In the season ahead, the Giants have begun to build a foundation of depth players that can pick up the slack in case of injury, but if a near majority of the defense goes down once again, it will be impossible to fill the gaps without taking an overall hit.

So far, GM Dave Gettleman signed Teddy Davis, B.W. Webb, Curtis Riley, William Gay, and Orion Stewart to compete for starting jobs in the secondary and provide depth in case of injury. There will likely be cuts, but the best of the group will remain as reserve corners.

As for the defensive line, the Giants signed Josh Mauro (four game suspension), brought in former Redskin A.J. Frances, and retained Robert Thomas. The DL is arguably the most essential unit in a 3-4 scheme, as they ultimately allow the linebackers to shoot the gap and utilize their talents appropriately. Building a strong foundation in the trenches helps the rest of the defense succeed.

Question #2: Is Aldrick Rosas the man at kicker?

Last season, rookie kicker Aldrick Rosas made 18 of 25 attempts (72%). Rosas ranked 27th for kickers that had at least 20 attempts. To put his struggles into perspective, Harrison Butker, who was also a rookie in 2017, attempted 42 kicks and made 38 of them (90%).

The Giants would be smart to add veteran competition at kicker, as Rosas has been inconsistent in minicamp this offseason. That doesn’t bode well for his in-game abilities; if he’s not performing in practice with little pressure.

Options would be former Seattle Seahawk’s kicker Blair Walsh, who also struggled last year with a 72.4% completion rate. Despite his struggles, he’s proved in the past to be effective, managing a 92.1% completion rate in his rookie season (2012) and a 87.2% in his fourth year (2015). At just 27 years-old there is plenty of life left in his leg, but building his confidence might be the biggest concern with him. Nonetheless, he would offer solid competition and a proven track record.

Question #3: Can we trust Eli Apple to bounce back from a disastrous 2017?

One of the most pressing questions revolves around cornerback Eli Apple and his abilities moving forward after a dark 2017. While his mother was receiving brain surgery and his step-dad and mentor left his life, Apple was left with a whirlwind of loss and hopelessness, which showed on game-day with his lack of effort and aggressive nature in the locker room.

Gettleman and head coach Pat Shurmur spoke with Apple and ensured that he would receive a second-chance. Apple has taken the chance in stride, while showing inconsistency in practice despite the renewed hope, he has shown flashes of development and confidence, but still needs to work on keeping his assignment in-front of him and locating the ball in air. He was beat multiple times on deep routes that saw him lose the ball and allow the receiver to jump over him and secure the catch.

On the bright side, Apple is now a part of a rejuvenated defense that has several new leaders and faces. The fresh start and rekindled relationship with Landon Collins should be enough to enable his maturity and growth. Unfortunately, that may not translate into NFL talent, but we can remain optimistic for the time being. The Giants brought on William Gay to provide support, in which he could become the starting second-corner given Apple continues to struggle.