Daniel Jones gave Giants fans a lot of fun moments in 2019, but can he lead New York to the playoffs in his second professional season?
The Giants limped to an ugly 4-12 record in 2019, but the franchise does believe they found their franchise quarterback of the future. Making the transition from Eli Manning to Daniel Jones was a tough public relations move, but it worked out pretty well on the field.
The franchise still has a long way to go before they can really be considered a good NFL football team. The offense led by Saquon Barkley is in relatively good shape. The front office stil needs to find Jones a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver, but the Giants will score enough points to be a fringe playoff team in 2019.
The big questions are on the defensive side of the ball. Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams were both high draft picks but neither has developed into anything more than an average starter on the defensive line.
The coaching staff hopes that adding James Bradberry in free agency will solve their secondary issues. He’s definitely an upgrade but the rest of the group is still flimsy. It’s hard to see how this defense is going to stop people consistently in 2020.
In the end the Giants are likely headed for another losing season. It can still have some high points for the team’s fan base. New York fans should keep an especially close eye on the following five bold predictions.
5. The light will come on for Dexter Lawrence
Williams may be a lost cause but there is still hope for Lawrence. He’s in line to take a major step forward in his second season as a pro.
He’s never going to lead the NFL in sacks, but he’ll show more ability to collapse the pocket from the inside in 2020. It’s very possible he’ll lead the Giants in pressures this year. Even if he doesn’t, the massive lineman will grow into a quality starter.