The New York Giants stunned most of the NFL world by qualifying for a playoff berth in Year 1 of the Brian Daboll Era. Passionate New Yorkers out there will say otherwise, as the fanbase largely has always believed in Daniel Jones and his ability to be a starting-caliber quarterback.
Along with Jones witnessing a career year, running back Saquon Barkley shined as one of the best offensive players in the league. The former No. 2 overall pick eclipsed 1,300 yards on the ground while chipping in ten touchdowns and carrying a heavy workload most weeks.
Giants welcome Brian Daboll with immediate playoff success
This bounce-back performance led to the Giants slapping the franchise tag on Barkley as the two sides continue working on a long-term deal. The depth behind the Penn State alum is less than inspiring, so it will be crucial to the team’s success to have Barkley available in 2023.
The offensive line is slowly morphing into one of the top units in the NFC. Andrew Thomas is a bonafide franchise player on the blindside, and Evan Neal can only go up from here after posting one of the worst rookie stints in quite some time. Still, the traits that made him a top-seven pick are there in droves.
Where things start to get tricky is when looking at the pass-catching group. The beauty of having Daboll is that he can succeed with any assortment of weapons. The downside of committing to Danny Dimes is that he really needs help from his wideouts to be a difference-maker.
Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt are fun in theory, but neither profile as a true WR1 in the NFL. The rest of the room consists of Isaiah Hodgins, Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard, and Parris Campbell… all of whom are fine players but do little to move the needle on their own.
Darren Waller and Daniel Bellinger even the scales out a bit with their pass-catching prowess at tight end, but each guy has to prove their durability. Waller has been in and out of the lineup throughout his career, while Bellinger suffered a freak injury to his eye. A healthy year from both would go a long way to alleviating concerns.
On defense, New York boasts a few players with superstar upside. Azeez Ojulari and Kayvon Thibodeaux could become a top pass-rushing duo in the league this season, plus rookie cornerback Deonte Banks finally gives the unit a franchise pillar in the secondary.
Free-agent addition Bobby Okereke is one of the best under-the-radar moves this offseason. He will man the middle of the defense and serve as the green dot player for the Giants. During Okereke’s time with the Colts, he always found the football. That level of intensity will be beneficial to the entire locker room.
Giants: 3 reasons New York will return to postseason in 2023
Now that we have a quick rundown of the roster, here are three reasons why the Giants will return to postseason play in 2023.
No. 1: Daniel Jones Continues Improving
One of the biggest storylines entering the 2022 season centered around the Giants not picking up Daniel Jones’ fifth-year option. As damning as that seemed for Jones and his future in the Big Apple, the former Duke Blue Devil used the chip on his shoulder to post a career-best effort.
Jones regularly made his presence felt as a runner and passer, serving as a dual-threat option out of the backfield for Daboll and Co. The 2019 first-rounder posted a 9-6-1 record as the team’s starter in 2022, with career highs in completion percentage, passing yards, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns.
Most impressively, Jones largely did this without a clear top option at wide receiver. Featuring a pass-catching group of “decent-at-best” players, the Giants still fielded one of the most efficient offenses in the league. Kudos to Daboll for crafting the game plan, but Jones deserves his flowers for bringing the vision to fruition.
His breakout 2022 campaign netted Jones a lucrative long-term deal from a front office that refused a fifth-year option not even 12 months prior. Could it have been a blip on the radar? Sure. However, as long as Daboll calls the shots, it is fair to expect Jones to continue developing as a passer.
The once No. 6 overall pick will never live up to those expectations, but he doesn’t have to. Winning MVP is meaningless in the grand scheme of things for the Giants. The ultimate goal is a Super Bowl championship. Jones might be enough to pull off an unexpected playoff run with the right pieces around him.
No. 2: NFC Is Still Wide Open For The Giants
The Philadelphia Eagles are the top dawgs in the NFC and will remain in that position until someone knocks them off. That being said, the rest of the NFC feels ripe for the picking. Unfortunately, the Giants must deal with a division that consists of the Eagles (and Cowboys).
The good news? New York just proved it can earn a postseason spot in the stacked NFC East. The Giants are an even better roster now than in 2022, mostly due to an impressive NFL Draft class and some savvy signings in free agency.
Assuming another leap in development from a roster jam-packed with young talent, Big Blue Nation should see even more wins this coming season. The depth chart features ascending talent at some of the most premium positions in the NFL, including pass rusher, cornerback, and the offensive line.
The Eagles won’t make life easy on the Giants in the NFC East, but even if Philly sweeps them, the only matchup that matters is a potential showdown in the playoffs. This time, Jones, Daboll, and Co. could be the ones advancing to February.
No. 3: Saquon Barkley Motivated To Earn Paycheck
The possibility that Saquon Barkley sits out the 2023 season remains moderate. The star running back has yet to ink a new deal with the team that selected him at No. 2 overall in 2018. However, I’d bet Barkley will suit up regardless of the contract situation.
Sure, Barkley could sit out the entire year, refuse to sign the franchise tag, and then search for a different deal on the open market next offseason. But this is a potentially riskier option than actually playing on the one-year deal. First and foremost, Barkley is slated to make north of $10 million in 2023, which is premier money for a ball carrier.
Next, Barkley has insane momentum coming off the back of his best campaign as a professional. He is a hand-in-glove fit for Daboll’s system and should put up even crazier numbers in Year 2 of the scheme. Few players in the league can impact a game as much as the Penn State veteran.
The Giants can worry about Barkley’s contract situation after the season, but until then, New York should ride him until the wheels fall off. We’ve watched running backs play a crucial role in deep playoff runs before. Don’t rule out the same outcome for Barkley.