12 PLAYERS TO WATCH IN GIANTS PRESEASON FINALE

The New York Giants finish their preseason Saturday night against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium (7:30 p.m./NFL Network-CBS). Rosters have to be trimmed from 90 to 53 players by Tuesday afternoon, making this the final chance for several players on the roster bubble to make their case.

With that in mind, here are 12 players to watch against the Jets. Some of these players are on the bubble, others could just be interesting to pay attention to.

QB Tommy DeVito — We are probably going to see a lot of DeVito Saturday night. As I write this, I am not certain starting quarterback Daniel Jones will play. If he does, I think his appearance will be brief. Drew Lock, working back from a hip injury, will only play in an emergency.

A good performance from DeVito could assure him of a spot on the 53-man roster.

OT Evan Neal — The beleaguered tackle is continuing to work his way back from ankle surgery. Neal took a handful of reps on Wednesday in the joint practice with the Jets. He should see some action Saturday night, and it will be interesting to see how well he moves around.

G Jake Kubas — An undrafted free agent out North Dakota State, Kubas is making a serious bid for a roster spot. Can he make another favorable impression Saturday night?

FB/TE Jakob Johnson — I go back-and-forth as to whether or not I think the recently-signed veteran will make the 53-man roster. If Johnson gets the veteran treatment and plays only a few snaps early in the game, or doesn’t play at all, that tells us he is probably making the roster. If he is on the field deep into the game, that tells us something else.

RB Dante Miller — If ‘Turbo’ is going to make the 53-man roster, he needs to do enough to convince Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen that the Giants need to keep a fourth running back.

RB Tyrone Tracy — I still can’t believe the fifth-round pick escaped serious injury a couple of weeks ago when he was carted off the field with an air cast on his leg. I have seen him practice since then. I think Tracy can be an important player for the Giants, and I want to see him get more game reps.

WR Allen Robinson and Isaiah Hodgins — I seem to be grouping these two together consistently. I don’t know if the Giants will keep six receivers or seven. If they keep seven, I think it’s one of these two. Can one or both leave a strong final impression?

DT D.J. Davidson — The 2022 fifth-round pick is probably going to make the initial 53-man roster. I think his spot is vulnerable, though, as the Giants might look for depth on the waiver wire. Can he do something against the Jets to convince them they don’t need to.

DB Alex Johnson — The undrafted free agent out of UCLA has an opportunity. Second-year safety Gervarrius Owens has been missing time with a knee injury, Johnson has been impressive in two preseason games, and the Giants need help in the secondary.

Johnson has played 34 snaps at free safety, 42 in the box, 13 in the slot, 2 at outside cornerback and a single snap actually lined up on the defensive line this preseason. He leads the Giants in tackles with 11.

S Tyler Nubin — Since returning from a quad injury, the second-round pick has been gaining ground in his competition with Dane Belton for a starting safety job. A solid performance Saturday, especially if he is on the field early in the game, might win the job for Nubin.

PK Jude McAtamney — Just a guess, but I think we are going to see the former Gaelic football player Saturday night rather than Graham Gano. McAtamney is an International Pathway Program player who will be on the Giants’ practice squad. He can boom the ball, and made a 60-yard field goal into the wind during one of the training camp practices I attended. I would like to see him in game conditions.

2024-08-24T14:05:34Z dg43tfdfdgfd