thelesterlee
Welcome to the Deadseriousness 2024 NFL Preview where we’re going team-by-team, getting ready for the 2024 season. First, we have the New York Giants.
How did 2023 go?
Somehow, thanks to the magic of a local Italian boy, the Giants managed to win 6 games after Daniel Jones tore his ACL week 9 behind one of the worst offensive lines I have ever seen.
The year ended with New York parting ways with star running back, Saquon Barkley. We are almost past the Dave Gettleman era.
There’s just one last problem on the roster…
Biggest question for 2024: The strange Daniel Jones contract out.
After making the playoffs for the first time in his career in 2022, the Giants rewarded Daniel Jones with a 4-year $160 million deal but there’s an interesting little clause in his contract that will 1000% make this one of the weirdest Giants seasons we’ve ever witnessed.
Jones is set to make $30 million in 2025 and $23 million is insured against injury meaning if Jones gets injured this year, the Giants automatically owe him $23 million. HOWEVER, if Jones stays healthy all year, New York can cut him and move in another direction after the season.
So Daniel Jones is truly entering the most important season of his career.
If he struggles even a little bit, the Giants could bench him for Drew Lock and cut him next spring.
But Jones is fully aware of this.
He’ll be playing with this in the back of his mind but hey, maybe it makes him more aggressive and we’ll see him start to stand strong in the pocket and throw through oncoming pass rush because what’s the worst-case scenario? He gets injured and paid?
This will be a weird year.
Most to prove: Evan Neal
With the 7th pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected offensive tackle, Evan Neal, out of Alabama. It hasn’t gone great.
If Carmen Bricillo manages to fix Evan Neal, he’s got my vote as the best OL Coach in the league.
I was so sure that Evan Neal was gonna be good, man… but this is just brutal. pic.twitter.com/13dDyLVncL
— Marcus Whitman (@TFG_Football) June 4, 2024
Since entering the NFL, Neal has a pass block win rate of 82.2% which ranks 62nd out of 66 qualifying tackles. Neal is truly one of the worst players in professional football.
And with the Giants signing Jermaine Eluemunor to a 2-year deal this offseason, Neal’s on a short leash.
This year will literally determine if Evan Neal gets to be an NFL player going forward.
Breakout candidate: Daniel Bellinger
Going into his 3rd season, Daniel Bellinger becomes the no. 1 tight end after Darren Waller retired to make lightskin R&B. With Malik Nabers and Jalin Hyatt drawing the defense’s attention downfield, Bellinger will be sitting in the middle of the field to bail out Daniel Jones.
The Great of #Giants100 tight end Daniel Bellinger is his ability as a pass receiver. Especially in the short to intermediate areas. pic.twitter.com/o9jiy2IVcA
— Coach Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) July 22, 2024
Bellinger will be right there in the middle for midrange shots. He’s bringing back the traditional power forward.
Quarterback report
Since I believe Drew Lock will start more games this season, let’s talk about him instead of Daniel Jones. Lock had a huge comeback victory in Seattle last season in a 20-17 victory over the Eagles.
Here is he after the game giving an emotional interview:
Drew Lock tears up and gets emotional during postgame interview pic.twitter.com/qf5AhZCY2P
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) December 19, 2023
I believe Drew Lock is ready to lead an NFL team and he has the actual personality and a little swagger needed to connect with the guys. He and Malik Nabers could be a PROBLEM next season.
Coach’s Corner
We all know and love Brian Daboll so let me use this as an opportunity to talk about the defense. The Giants hired defensive coordinator, Shane Bowen, from the Titans.
Last season ended with former defensive coordinator, Wink Martindale, attempting a coup in the locker room. He could not return to this team after he and Daboll cursed each other out. While Martindale called the most blitzes in the league, Shane Bowen is the polar opposite.
Martindale’s defense pressured the QB’s with nonstop blitzes out of nowhere but they were also exposed to big plays downfield and like, casual runs up the middle.
Shane Bowen is more of an old-school cat who likes to have four guys put their hands down on the line of scrimmage and battle in the trenches.
Last season, the Titans had the best red zone defense in the NFL. In his 3 seasons as the Titans DC, Bowens’s defense allowed the fewest rushing yards per game (89.7) and lowest yards per carry (3.7).
In 2023, the Giants allowed the 4th most rushing yards in the league. Shane Bowen will instantly transform them into run-stoppers. Guys are no longer flying into New Jersey and getting an easy 100 yards on the Giants.
Schedule notes
New York starts the season at home against the Vikings in a winnable game and then go on the road back-to-back weeks against Washington and Cleveland. They could see themselves 3-0 heading to Dallas for their annual early season primetime game when the Cowboys blow them out in the most embarrassing way possible.
The Giants face the NFC South this year so if everything goes right, that’s 4 easy wins for New York. As long as they don’t get beat down by the Eagles and Cowboys in a demoralizing way that kills the vibe and leads to a catastrophic losing streak, the Giants could fuck around and be competitive with Drew Lock and the boys.
Best case scenario
I genuinely believe the success of this team is 1000% on the backs of the pass rush. Trading for Brian Burns to lineup across from Kayvon Thibodeaux and signing Jordan Phillips to play DT next to Dexter Lawrence gives New York one of the best defensive lines in the NFL.
We saw the D-Line carry the Giants to TWO Super Bowls in the past. If Malik Nabers is the difference maker all the propaganda is telling me he is than Drew Lock can have an Eli Manning-esque run and lead the Giants back to the playoffs. Can they beat the 49ers? Probably not but a team that went to the playoffs in 2022 can find their way back there two years later.
Worst case scenario
Both Daniel Jones and Drew Lock suck, like, those are very real possibilities. Brian Daboll and GM, Joe Schoen get fired at the end of the year and the Giants once again restart their rebuild with a brand new vision and guys like Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux get traded anddddd the New York Giants continue to suck for the next 4-5 years.
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How do you think the 2024 New York Giants will look? Leave a comment below. Respond on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Or shoot me an email at Deadseriousmailbag@gmail.com. Let’s chat, bay-beeeee.
