Will Daniel Jones sink or swim for the Giants this season? Here are five bold predictions for Jones and his teammates as they head into 2021.
Joe Judge successfully piloted the Giants to six wins in his first season, but the injury to Saquon Barkley effectively ended New York’s campaign. The team’s offense only managed to score 22.3 points per game which put entirely too much pressure on the team’s competent defense. The hope is that Barkley’s return in 2021 will set things right in the Big Apple.
Of course, the Giants’ front office didn’t sit still in terms of adding skill players to support Daniel Jones. Kenny Golladay landed a big-money deal in New York which will place massive expectations on the talented wide receiver to provide an immediate impact. Golladay will give the Giants offense the bonafide No. 1 wide receiver they have lacked since Odell Beckham’s departure.
The signing of Adoree Jackson is New York’s big-ticket addition on the defensive side of the ball. That, combined with the expensive retention of Leonard Williams should position the Giants to have a top-10 defensive unit. They’ll need to be that good if they want to power the team into the postseason.
Read on for five bold predictions about what’s going to go down with the Giants in 2021.
5. Leonard Williams won’t get double-digit sacks
Signing Williams to a three-year, $63 million deal in free agency was an obvious overpay by GM Dave Gettleman. It’s also not a transaction that surprised anyone familiar with Gettleman’s previous work.
The Giants coaching staff hopes Williams can build on the 11.5 sacks he notched a season ago. That’s not going to happen. He lacks the explosion to generate that much pressure from the inside. He’s a standout run defender, but he’s only an average pass rusher. His sack total will drop precipitously as a result.