How Many Starters Do we have for 2024

This is by design and the GM has a plan.

If he gets hurt again let him go(he probably will) but there’s no point releasing a potential good pass rusher who’s making nothing. Simmons can stay I think he hasn’t found his stride yet, Hyatt is not number 1 material. Possibly an Alvin Harper, John Taylor type number 2 but we need a real 1. Keep Pugh for his leadership, I love Flott I think he’s gonna be a good player

...whether it's at OT or OG.

The Giants have to sign someone that is at least competent at both OG and OT. They can't start 2024 with the expectation that Neal will fill either role.

If he earns a starting job, great. But they need a real backup option regardless.

In comment 16287098 Rich_Houston_1971 said:

Quote:

This is by design and the GM has a plan.

Yes, and that plan is to only sign good football players to long-term deals. Which is correct.

But then how do you get so many good football players added to your roster?

I guess we have to wait at least another 2 years to be good?

not counting draft picks washouts soon to hit in McKinney and Ojulari.

At best seems like it was several years ago
In reality, was a mirage or miracle
People say this season has exposed Daboll
I say last season shows what an incredible coach he is.

in the games remaining.

My guess:

Thomas - LT
JMS - Center
Neal - Guard
Open - Guard
Open - RT
Open - WR1
Hyatt - WR2
Slayton - WR3
Open - TE1
Bellinger - TE2
Open - RB
Open -QB

Open - DE
Lawrence - DT
Open - DE
Okereke - LB
McFadden - LB
Thibodeaux - Edge
Open - Edge
Corner - Banks
Corner - Flott
Corner - Hawkins
Safety - Pinnock
Safety - Open

the team has lacked bench depth for a very long time. I do believe we helped in that area a bit this past off season.

With the number of injuries this team suffers to the starting lineup every year, without solid backups we cannot win either.

we were giving up in the A gap seemed brutally bad.

rookie scale contracts from prior 4 drafts.

Each team has between a half dozen and a dozen players committed to on multi-year deals. Those are the core players who must produce, here they are:

Jones
Thomas
Lawrence
Waller
Okereke

i expect they plan to extend Barkley into that core and bring slayton back at his price tag, so that veteran group is basically 1/4 of the starting lineup.

Banks, McFadden, Neal, Wandale, Hyatt, JMS, Thibs, Flott, Pinnock, Bellinger, Hawkins, Davidson, maybe Riley/Owens/Gray, Ojulari, McCloud, Hodgins etc. are among the rookie contract group likely back competing for meaningful playing time.

That is the approximate 50% of the roster that will return.

+10 or more rookies (7 draft picks currently)
+10 or so vets from FA (at various price points)

the number of starters right now doesnt really matter, they need the production to come from the top core group and they need to secure depth through the middle/bottom of the roster from depth players in FA and draft picks.

in 2022 they got a ton of quality starts from richie james, moureau, hodgins (waiver claim), mccloud. ward, jelly, feliciano and glowinski werent exactly quality but they were healthy most of the year, and obviously the 3 core players they extended were all healthy as opposed to 1/3.

whether or not they bring waller back is kind of interesting, in theory it's similar money between him or barkley, and barkley would be the obvious better candidate if they have to choose 1 or the other.

In comment 16287098 Rich_Houston_1971 said:

Quote:

This is by design and the GM has a plan.

Do you really believe that?

In comment 16287233 TyreeHelmet said:

Quote:

In comment 16287098 Rich_Houston_1971 said: Quote: This is by design and the GM has a plan. Do you really believe that?

Yes.

He is one guy that can free up $.

Also Waller needs to really be looked at. I don't know that he is worth it.

Between starters and depth - they are set at maybe kicker and punter?

BUT the biggest issue on this team is health.
If I’m counting right, 15 out of 22 starters have missed time this year. That can’t continue otherwise, everything else we discuss is pointless.
Maybe it’s training, maybe it’s conditioning and maybe it’s the schemes they are using (that unfairly ask their players to do things they really can’t).
Whatever it is, they need to figure it out. Injuries happen, but they degree and level of games lost due to injury have become laughable it’s so bad.

Go find three more in the first 60 picks and three more in free agency and let’s bounce back from this.

Elite level
1. DL Lawrence
2. LT Thomas
3. RB Barkley

Good/above Avg
4. LB Okereke
5. Edge Thibodeaux

Promising/solid
6. LB McFadden
7. CB Banks
8. C Schmitz
9. SCB Flott
10. S Pinnock
11. WR Robinson (more of a role player but I like him as a starting slot)

Possibly
12. WR Hyatt

I left out Waller. Not sure if he’ll be back. Ojulari is a rotational guy who can’t stay healthy. Neal isn’t starting caliber. The rest aren’t worth a mention.

With the old skool Alvin Harper reference...
Bravo
John Taylor was tough to cover...plus you had to pay so much attention to Jerry Rice.
I seem to recall Taylor making a huge TD in the 1990 NFC Championship game...first play 2nd half,that would be their last score of the game

Will we be willing to move him to guard? Different staff, but we never tried it with Flowers when he failed equally miserably at OT.

I'm not saying we have to keep drafting OL with high picks, but we've got to figure it out somehow. This bunch is unsatisfying.