7 Giants on the bubble to watch vs. Lions

The New York Giants host the Detroit Lions in their 2024 preseason opener at MetLife Stadium on Thursday night and, even though there are no mandatory cuts until August 27, jobs are still on the line.

Head coach Brian Daboll did not specify who would play in the game against Detroit and how much, but it will likely be a battle of “roster bubble” players.

Here are seven players that can help or hurt their chances on Thursday night.

The Giants are keeping Daniel Bellinger and rookie Theo Johnson, so they might be held back. Lawrence Cager has shown flashes but is likely to sit as he’s dealing with a hamstring issue and Jack Stoll has been on the concussion protocol all week.

That opens the door for the veteran Chris Manhertz and Tyree Jackson this week. Jackson is a former quarterback the Giants are keeping around for practice purposes, so Manhertz can really gain some traction for a roster spot with a solid performance on Thursday.

With the new kickoff rules being instituted this season, the role of kickoff returner will obviously change. Teams might realize a running back is better suited than a wide receiver in this role.

The Giants plan on using Gunner Olszewski and Isaiah McKenzie on kickoffs to start but appear to like McKenzie more because of what he can bring to the offense. Olszewski might have to stand out on both kickoff and punt returns to avoid becoming a roster casualty.

The shine is off the apple for Tommy DeVito. His emergence last year to mini-stardom can only take him so far. Now, he has to take the next step and continue to improve.

He’ll get that chance ton Thursday and beyond as the Giants will keep Daniel Jones out of harm’s way and turn to backups Drew Lock and DeVito to guide them through the preseason.

That doesn’t mean that DeVito is a lock for a roster spot. He still has to show some maturity and progress or risk being a practice squadder next month.

There may not be much more Dyontae Johnson can do to make the roster. He’s already shown that he’s capable of playing at the NFL level. With the Giants set at inside linebacker with Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden, and rookie Darius Muasau opening some eyes this camp, Johnson will have to stand out that much further.

He’ll be competing against Matthew Adams, Carter Coughlin, and Darrian Beavers for a roster spot.

Johnson has received some first-team reps, so maybe the Giants are willing to give him plenty of opportunities this preseason.

Last summer, Tre Hawkins stood out as a rookie but by season’s end, he was hardly playing. This summer, he’s just another young face in the Giants’ young secondary. He has to impress a new defensive coordinator in Shane Bowen and has more competition for snaps than he did last year.

Hawkins could benefit from playing less man-to-man but he’s starting out as a backup and may be on the bubble if he fails to stand out.

OL Austin Schlottmann

The Giants signed Austin Schlottmann in free agency this year but his role has never really been defined. With center John Michael Schmitz (shoulder) out, the Giants have been using recently signed Greg Van Roten at center and Jimmy Morrissey has gotten snaps as well.

Schlottmann is among a glut of interior linemen vying for roster spots but he’s still got to beat them out. A solid performance on Thursday will help.

The Giants love Bryce Ford-Wheaton’s size/speed combination and he’s been hard to ignore in practice, but is there a spot for him even if he balls out this summer?

The Giants have Malik Nabers, Jalin Hyatt, Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton, Allen Robinson, Isaiah Hodgins, Miles Boykin, McKenzie, Olszewski, Dennis Houston, and undrafted free agents Ayir Asante and John Jiles in camp and have some difficult cuts ahead.

BFW will have to go above and beyond in preseason games to stave off a trip the to practice squad.

Honorable mentions

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: 7 Giants on the bubble to watch vs. Lions