The New York Giants were one of the surprise teams of the 2022 season, posting a five-game improvement en route to a playoff berth. Facing critical decisions on free agents like Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley this offseason, the Giants worked to retain their core while adding pieces to an unproven roster.
Let’s take a look back at New York’s offseason moves as we preview the Giants’ 2023 campaign.
Everything You Need Ahead of the New York Giants 2023 NFL Season
Last year’s Giants made the postseason for the first time since 2016. With reinforcements added on both sides of the ball, can New York make another playoff run in 2023?
New York Giants Roster Changes
- Players Signed
- QB Daniel Jones
- RB Saquon Barkley (franchise tag)
- RB Matt Breida
- WR Parris Campbell
- WR Jamison Crowder
- WR Isaiah Hodgins
- WR Sterling Shepard
- WR Darius Slayton
- EDGE Jihad Ward
- EDGE Oshane Ximines
- DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches
- DL A’Shawn Robinson
- LB Jarrad Davis
- LB Bobby Okereke
- CB Amani Oruwariye
- S Bobby McCain
- P Jamie Gillan
- Players Acquired Via Trade
- TE Darren Waller
- The Giants acquired Waller from the Raiders in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick (No. 100).
- TE Darren Waller
- Players Drafted
- CB Deonte Banks
- C John Michael Schmitz
- WR Jalin Hyatt
- RB Eric Gray
- CB Tre Hawkins
- DT Jordon Riley
- S Gervarrius Owens
- Players Lost
- WR Kenny Golladay
- WR Richie James (Chiefs)
- WR Marcus Johnson
- G Jon Feliciano (49ers)
- C Nick Gates (Commanders)
- DL Henry Mondeaux (Jaguars)
- DL Nicholas Williams
- LB Jaylon Smith
- CB Fabian Moreau
- S Landon Collins
- S Tony Jefferson
- S Julian Love (Seahawks)
While the Giants thought they might have to choose between Jones and Barkley, they were eventually able to retain both. New York agreed to a four-year, $160 million extension with Jones just before the franchise tag deadline, allowing them to use the tender on Barkley instead.
Adding weapons for Jones was the Giants’ offseason priority, and they began by acquiring Waller from the Raiders, who will give Jones a big-bodied presence in the middle of the field and in the red zone. At wide receiver, New York took a volume approach and brought in a bevy of slot receivers, including Campbell and Hyatt. While the Giants are still missing a true WR1, they’re hoping their sum-of-its-parts receiving corps can get the job done.
On defense, New York’s most significant expenditure was at linebacker, where they desperately needed help. Okereke inked a four-year, $40 million deal that came in above the rest of the LB market, so the former Colt will need to ascend in order to live up to that contract.
The Giants declined to re-sign Love even though he landed only two years and $12 million from Seattle. But they did select Banks in the first round of the draft, giving Don Martindale a physical cornerback who can play man coverage on the outside.
New York Giants Coaching Staff in 2023
- Head Coach: Brian Daboll
- Offensive Coordinator: Mike Kafka
- QB coach: Shea Tierney
- RB coach: Jeff Nixon
- WR coach: Mike Groh
- TE coach: Andy Bischoff
- OL coach: Bobby Johnson
- Defensive Coordinator: Don Martindale
- DL coach: Andre Patterson
- ILB coach: John Egorugwu
- OLB coach: Drew Wilkins
- DB coach: Jerome Henderson
- Safeties coach: Michael Treier
- Special Teams Coordinator: Thomas McGaughey
The Giants will bring back most of their coaching staff in 2023, but they’re lucky they didn’t lose at least one of their coordinators.
Kafka interviewed for head coaching positions with the Cardinals (twice), Panthers, Texans (twice), and Colts and was mentioned as a potential candidate for the Broncos. Meanwhile, Martindale interviewed twice with Indianapolis. It seems likely that one or both of New York’s coordinators could land an HC role as soon as 2024.
Predicting the New York Giants Depth Chart
Offensive Depth Chart
- QB: Daniel Jones, Tyrod Taylor
- RB: Saquon Barkley, Matt Breida, Eric Gray, Gary Brightwell
- WR: Parris Campbell, Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, Sterling Shepard, Jamison Crowder
- TE: Darren Waller, Daniel Bellinger, Lawrence Cager
- LT: Andrew Thomas, Matt Peart
- LG: Ben Bredeson, Joshua Ezeudu
- C: John Michael Schmitz, J.C. Hassenauer
- RG: Mark Glowinski, Shane Lemieux
- RT: Evan Neal, Tyre Phillips
Defensive Depth Chart
- DT: Dexter Lawrence, Leonard Williams, A’Shawn Robinson, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Ryder Anderson
- EDGE: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Azeez Ojulari, Jihad Ward, Tomon Fox
- LB: Bobby Okereke, Jarrad Davis, Darrian Beavers, Micah McFadden
- CB: Adoree’ Jackson, Deonte Banks, Darnay Holmes, Cor’Dale Flott, Amani Oruwariye, Aaron Robinson, Tre Hawkins III
- S: Xavier McKinney, Jason Pinnock, Bobby McCain, Dane Belton
Special Teams Depth Chart
- K: Graham Gano
- P: Jamie Gillan
- LS: Casey Kreiter
- KR: Gary Brightwell
- PR: Darnay Holmes
2022 Results and Standings
The Giants overperformed expectations in 2022 on the strength of their offense, which ranked just 15th in scoring but finished ninth in efficiency while posting a league-low 7.3% turnover rate. Jones kept his interceptions and fumbles and check and ended the season sixth in QBR behind Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts, and Jared Goff.
New York started the 2022 campaign hot, with surprising wins over the Packers, Ravens, and Jaguars helping them to a 7-2 mark by mid-November. Big Blue stalled over the rest of the regular season and finished with just a 9-7-1 record, but that was enough to earn the No. 6 seed in the NFC.
The Giants pulled out a 31-24 win over the No. 2-seeded Vikings on Wild Card Weekend, then were forced to face the Eagles in the Divisional Round. New York, which had already lost two games to Philadelphia in the regular season, fell again in a 38-7 rout.
2023 Power Ranking and Season Outlook
The Giants are ranked 13th in Dalton Miller’s post-draft power rankings, putting them squarely in contention for another playoff berth in the NFC.
The NFC is weak overall, but the NFC East is the strongest division in the conference. The Eagles are fully expected to be dominant again in 2023, while the Cowboys have added enough pieces to their roster to remain a likely postseason contender. Even the Commanders could be intriguing, depending on how their Sam Howell/Jacoby Brissett quarterback battle unfolds.
Jones’ new $40 million per year contract is an indication that New York expects another leap from the former first-round quarterback. Taking more deep shots could be on the agenda, as Jones ranked second-to-last in 2022 with just 4.9% of his attempts going for 20+ yards. Hyatt, who has elite speed and averaged 18.9 yards per reception at Tennessee last season, could help in that area.
But the Giants’ most significant improvement needs to come on the defensive side of the ball, where they ranked just 29th in weighted defensive DVOA. New York was arguably the worst run-defending defense in the NFL, but Okereke proved himself as an excellent run-defending linebacker with the Colts.
In the secondary, Jackson and Banks will give Martindale two corners capable of playing sticky man coverage. Martindale blitzes as much as any defensive coordinator in the league, and the Giants will be looking for a breakout sophomore campaign from 2022 first-rounder Kayvon Thibodeaux, who posted four sacks and ranked 36th among edge rushers in pressures last season.