The New York Giants are entering an important season for the franchise after missing the playoffs a year after winning the Super Bowl, as Eli Manning is another year older and the team could have some issues at wide receiver with the Victor Cruz contract situation, making the upcoming OTA workouts at the end of May and the beginning of June very interesting.
The Giants have brought in a number of new players in free agency, but like the team usually does they were solid not splashy moves that added depth and talent, with names like Brandon Myers, Louis Murphy and Cullen Jenkins joining the roster. The team was pragmatic in its approach this offseason as they did not have too much financial space to work with and as a result they had to cut some important but high priced players in running back Ahmad Bradshaw and defensive lineman Chris Canty. General manager Jerry Reese and head coach Tom Coughlin used free agency and the draft to add depth and talent to the roster, with names like Dan Connor, Murphy and Mike Patterson joining the team.
The Giants have a mandatory minicamp coming up in June, which will be another interesting part of the Cruz contract saga, but first they will have voluntary workouts for Organized Team Activities on May 29-31 and June 3-7 and it will give Coughlin a chance to work out some rookies and to also see what the new players look like on the field before training camp starts. Some of the biggest spotlights will be on first round pick Justin Pugh, who the Giants hope can start as a rookie, as well as running back David Wilson, who is set to get a chance to be the feature back in just his second year after the team released starter Ahmad Bradshaw.
The wide receiver position will be a key focus as well, as Tom Coughlin was mad that Hakeem Nicks did not show up to the last workout and then afterwards reports came out that he was planning to demand a new contract, much like Cruz is. His agent later said that the report was wrong and Nicks expressed that he likely will play out his contract and he may have just been skipping the voluntary workout and could show up. Nicks is coming off a year in which he missed games due to injury and he could be trying to get fully healthy before coming back.
Wilson spent part of last season in the doghouse after fumbling in the opening game of the year, but after cutting Bradshaw, the team appears ready to give the second year back the full responsibility as the starter. He showed flashes of brilliance while returning kicks and had a record game during the season and if he can catch passes as well he could be one of the league leaders in yardage. Pugh was selected in the first round and the offensive line is a position of need for the Giants and the team is hoping that he will establish himself as a legitimate option to start this season. The Giants offense has always played better when they have a legitimate third receiver like that had with Mario Manningham during the Super Bowl season and Big Blue hopes that Louis Murphy could serve that role this year as well as Ramses Barden, who re-signed after testing the free agent market.