Giants' Final Preseason Tune-up Leaves Three Roster Questions Still Unsettled

With the 53-man cutdown looming, Big Blue heads into its finale against the Jets still searching for answers at three key spots.

New York Giants helmets rest on the field before the preseason game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

At this point in the preseason calendar, New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh pretty much has a good idea as to what the initial 53-man roster he’ll take into his first season with Big Blue is going to look like.

But that doesn’t mean that there still aren’t a few question marks that need to be resolved as the Giants wrap up their 2026 preseason slate “on the road” against the New York Jets tonight.

Here is a look at three of the biggest unanswered questions.

Who Will Be the Backup Center?

New York Giants center John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61) on the field during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

John Michael Schmitz is firmly entrenched as the starter, but his backup still needs to be resolved.

The Giants have three guys who are competing for the role: veteran Lucas Patrick, who has yet to see any preseason action due to knee issues, and youngsters Bryan Hudson and Brenden Jaimes.

Of Jaimes (23 snaps) and Hudson (64 snaps), the former has yet to allow a quarterback pressure, whereas Hudson has allowed one. Jaimes also has a better PFF pass-blocking grade (78.0, the best among the team’s centers), whereas Hudson has a 59.0 grade.

Jaimes and Hudson are also relatively close in grades in the run-blocking department, Hudson with a 69.0 grade and Jaimes a 65.3. 

All that said, PFF grades shouldn’t be the deciding factor as to who comes out on top. Still, it will be interesting nonetheless to see if the Giants take a chance with Patrick and his shaky knee and try to slide one of the younger guys to the practice squad for insurance while also maybe looking to trade the other to a team in need of a center, such as the Los Angeles Chargers, who lost Tyler Biadasz to a season-ending knee injury.

Who Wins the Starting Cornerback Jobs?

New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Entering training camp, it was thought that only one of the Giants’ starting boundary cornerback roles would be up for grabs, that being the right cornerback that opened when Cor’Dale Flott went to Tennessee in free agency.

That has not been the case, however, as the Giants have had a four-way competition for the two starting jobs, with Paulson Adebo, Greg Newsome II, Deonte Banks, and rookie Colton Hood competing.

Hood, the rookie, is a future starter who will have a decent-sized role on the defense. Throughout the summer, he’s shown sticky coverage and has played a physical game, particularly in run support.

But there are still some technical flaws in his game that need ironing out, such as his off-coverage consistency and his discipline in zone coverage, where, per PFF, he has a 28.8 grade, the worst of the Giants corners this summer.  

Adebo, who started off looking like he was in the coach’s doghouse, has come on strong of late in practice, looking healthy once again in limited game snaps last week against the Dolphins. 

But don’t discount Banks, who has had the best summer out of the three veterans and who could push Adebo to the sideline with another strong showing in the preseason finale.

Banks is finally playing to his potential, having shown tight, physical coverage and cutting down on his mistakes. 

He’s also been more involved in the run defense, showing a certain hunger in his game that was mostly missing since his rookie season. Undoubtedly driven by his contract status–his option wasn’t picked up—Banks has been playing lights out this summer and has a chance to nail down a starting job.

Which Receivers Will Round Out the Depth Chart?

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) reacts during a preseason opening game between the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The season-ending knee injury suffered by Calvin Austin III has forced the Giants to rethink the bottom of their receiver depth chart behind prospective roster locks Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields, and Darius Slayton.

Odell Beckham Jr.’s and Darnell Mooney’s chances of earning roster spots appear to have vastly improved thanks to Austin’s injury. If both make the roster, that would give the Giants five, raising the question of whether the team keeps six or seven.

Dalen Cambre has actually been among the best receivers the Giants have had this summer. Cambre has caught all four of his pass targets—one of three receivers on the team to have caught every pass target, joining Fields and Austin—for 46 yards, the receiving yardage total second among the team’s wideouts. 

Cambre, who can play outside or in the slot, can also give the team special teams coverage snaps, which is a valuable asset in his favor.

Then there is the question of whether Braxton Berrios earns a spot given his experience as a return specialist. 

Berrios hasn’t given the Giants much this summer in the receiving department, appearing in one game and catching one pass for nine yards, but he can return punts and kickoffs. But that alone might not be enough for him to stick on the roster. 

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