Although the New York Giants were able to bring in several impact free agents, there are still some personnel questions. The defensive line and cornerbacks are essentially locked in with the additions of Janoris Jenkins, Damon Harrison, and Olivier Vernon. However, two linebacker positions along with the safety position have no players set in stone.
New York Giants Training Camp Position Battles: Defense
Middle Linebacker
Keenan Robinson and Jasper Brinkley will have a very tough battle for leadership of the Giants defense. The middle linebacker position has always been seen as the quarterback of the defense. Whichever of these two players becomes the starter, they will have to rise into that leadership role.
As very different players, the coaching staff will have some difficult decisions ahead of them. Brinkley, who took over for Jon Beason, was a first and second down specialist. Rated as a top five linebacker against the run according to Pro Football Focus (PFF) last season, Brinkley was a force to be reckoned with at times. However, Brinkley and the Giants were horrible when defending the pass. Too many third and long conversions led the Giants to acquire Keenan Robinson this off-season.
Robinson, who does not play well against the run, is significantly better against the pass. As a taller, lighter, leaner linebacker in comparison to Brinkley, Robinson has the ability to cover tight ends and make a difference in passing situations. With these two “yin and yang” type of linebackers, the Giants could be looking to have a rotation during games. Allowing these two players to play to their strengths could make things work for this defense. Having Brinkley come in to stop the run and playing Robinson on passing downs is a very realistic possibility for this team.
If Robinson or Brinkley plan on taking complete command of the starting spot, than they will need to work on their weaknesses and become more complete linebackers.
Weak Side Linebacker
J.T. Thomas and Jonathan Casillas are in an interesting battle for the Giants weak side linebacker position. Thomas started in 11 games last season while Casillas started in seven, but played in 15. As for now, Casillas has been able to move above Thomas on the depth chart. Thomas missed three games last season and time during the 2016 mini-camp because of injuries, which may end up being his biggest enemy. Also on their tails is newcomer Kelvin Sheppard.
Thomas is a very solid cover linebacker that makes sure tackles and runs well. However, if he plans on even making the team, he needs to stay healthy. Although the Giants do not have any great linebackers, they have a good mix of veterans and young players. The veterans are trying to prove that they can still contribute, while the young guys are hungry to demonstrate they are worthy of a roster spot. If Thomas cannot stay on the field, he will not be able to stay on a team with so many linebackers of similar ability.
Casillas may be atop the depth chart here but that may be by default. He was able to play in a lot of games last season so hopefully he can build from those experiences. However, he did not play well in those games. Not great at stopping the run or the pass, Casillas struggled mightily. Not big enough to be the run-stuffing beast and not fast enough to cover well makes for a bad mix. The only linebacker to have a worse PFF ranking for the Giants last season was Jon Beason and he retired. Casillas will need to figure out how he can improve and become the player the Giants expected to see when they signed him.
Sheppard will have his work cut out for him but he could be the sneaky pick to be the starter. Although a truer middle linebacker, the Giants may have plans on shifting Sheppard over to the weak side because of need. Having only missed three games in his five-year career, health has never been an issue for Sheppard. Spending last season with the Miami Dolphins, Sheppard started in 13 games and recorded 105 tackles. His two best games of the year came against NFC East opponents, Dallas and Philadelphia; recording 15 and 11 tackles, respectively. Sheppard is another Giants linebacker that does not have that “wow” factor, but seems to be the likely fit here.
Training camp and pre-season games will determine the starter at this position. For now, Casillas is the likely choice early on but do not be surprised if Sheppard emerges as the mid-year starter.
Safety
Cooper Taylor and rookie Darian Thompson will have to figure out a way to help one another while fighting for a starting position. Taylor, who has three years of NFL experience, will have an uphill battle. Thompson was able to take over the starting repetitions during mini-camp and worked well alongside Landon Collins. However, mini-camp and training camp are very different. The grind, daily battles, and pressure to perform during a position battle will surely test the rookie, Thompson.
Taylor’s experience with the Giants franchise and in-game playing time gives him two things that Darian Thompson does not have. If he can use those two things to his advantage and make the most of his opportunities, than he has a decent chance of being the starter. If Thompson can continue his early success while complementing fellow safety Landon Collins well, then he will likely keep control of the top spot. Thompson’s hard-hitting and knack for finding the ball gives him the advantage over Taylor. With five interceptions and two forced fumbles last season, Thompson knows how to create turnovers. On a defense that will have a couple of rookies and three free agent starters, turnovers will be a vital for their success.
The Giants have several other safeties including Mykkele Thompson, Nat Berhe, and Bennett Jackson. Unfortunately, all of them are returning from injury and have almost no experience. Is it possible that one or more of them step up and play well during camp? Absolutely. However, it is a long shot that these players will be anything more than special team contributors.
If you haven’t done so already, check out where the offensive position battles are taking place.
