Giants vs. Panthers: Five Players to Watch

The New York Giants are coming off of a 21-16 loss at the hands of the Lions last week. While there has been no official statement by head coach Brian Daboll regarding his personnel plans, there is a good chance that the starters could get a few snaps this week.

If that is the case, here are a few Giants we want to see in game snaps.

ILB Bobby Okereke

The most glaring need when watching last year’s team was the lack of a top inside linebacker. The Giants had multiple players try to fill that role, such as Tae Crowder and Jaylon Smith. Somehow, defensive coordinator Wink Martindale could operate with lackluster talent.

The Giants decided to end that in free agency, inking Bobby Okereke to a four-year deal. Okereke is the team’s best middle linebacker since a healthy Blake Martinez in 2020. The 27-year-old linebacker is coming off of a 151 tackle season, his second straight 130+ tackle season since entering the league in 2019.

If the defensive starters play, watching Okereke take control of the middle of the defense should be a sight for fans who haven’t seen talent at the inside linebacker position in a long time.

QB Daniel Jones

The talk of the offseason has been about Daniel Jones’ continuation in the same offensive system and how much more comfortable and confident he looks. After the Giants inked Jones to a massive $160 million extension, expectations are on the rise and so far, Jones seems to have his teammates raving about how at ease he is in the offense compared to last year.

That's why if he gets on the field, watching Jones in this offense should be fun. After throwing for 3,205 yards, 15 touchdowns, and adding over 700 yards and seven scores on the ground, Jones is primed to make a jump with improved weapons around him. Additions such as tight end Darren Waller, and receivers Parris Campbell and Jalin Hyatt should help Jones spread the ball out more.

And what would the offense be without running back Saquon Barkley, who may or may not suit up for this week's game, but who will be a big part of the offense moving forward.

All those weapons and returning guys like Darius Slayton, Daniel Bellinger, Serling Shepard, and Isaiah Hodgins should make Jones's live far easier.

And of course, the return of star running back Saquon Barkley should help tremendously.

CB Adoree’ Jackson

The cornerback position for the Giants took an unexpected turn during training camp. They elected to draft Deonte Banks in the first round, expecting him to start alongside Jackson. However, the Giants also drafted Tre Hawkins III in the sixth round. Hawkins’ rise during training camp was unexpected, and has been taking valuable first-team reps on defense.

The team has even experimented with the idea of Banks and Hawkins on the outside, with Jackson sliding into the slot. They’ve been playing around with that scenario more often than not, which adds another interesting scenario into the mix of Wink Martindale’s exotic defensive looks.

Jackson had 51 tackles, seven pass breakups, and two tackles for loss in 10 games last season. The defense felt his absence when the Giants’ top corner went down. If Jackson suits up on Friday, seeing how he’s moved around the secondary should be a treat to watch how he’s matched up based on Carolina’s different pass catchers.

TE Darren Waller

Ever since landing tight end Darren Waller in a trade with the Raiders, the huge tight end has been the talk of the town as people marvel over how unguardable he's been.

Waller had 28 catches for 298 yards and three touchdowns in nine games last season. Injuries have been the only thing limiting Waller the last two seasons, as he’s appeared in 20 games since the start of 2021.

If Waller gets the chance to play against the Panthers, it’ll be the first time Giants fans see a game-breaking talent at the position in a long time. Already deemed the best weapon of Daniel Jones’ career, seeing Waller in action on Friday would be fun for everyone.

S Jason Pinnock

Jason Pinnock only played five snaps last week against Detroit; in those snaps, he had two pass breakups, one tackle for loss and one interception. Pinnock’s efficiency in that game and throughout camp likely landed him the starting job next to Xavier McKinney.

Now the question becomes: can Pinnock keep up his high level of play? It’ll be the first time he and McKinney will be on the field in a game as starters together. Pinnock and McKinney developing a connection is the key for the Giants' defense to be tight-knit on the backend. Watching Pinnock play again should have fans excited to see if he can continue to be a playmaker in the secondary.

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