New York Giants OTAs: 5 players to watch for Week 2 | Sporting News

The New York Giants are set for their second week of organized team activities (OTA) on Thursday at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford.

Though the Giants held a brief OTA practice session Tuesday, the media will be permitted to watch Thursday’s practice.

With the second week of OTAs getting underway, here are five Giants to keep an eye out for:

Giants OTAs: 5 players to watch in Week 2

QB Daniel Jones

The Giants starting quarterback will be the player to watch for the next few months. Jones has been working in 7-on-7 drills, showing off some impressive movement without a brace following a torn ACL that ended his 2023 season prematurely.

Jones has a lot to prove entering the second season of a four-year, $160 million deal. Getting as much work in as he can during the spring can help lay the foundation for a potential bounce-back campaign.

WR Darius Slayton

Despite being in the middle of a contract dispute, Slayton returned to voluntary practices Tuesday. It isn’t clear what sparked Slayton’s return after being absent from the team for the majority of the offseason, but it’s good for the Giants to have their No. 2 wide receiver back.

Slayton can be a very solid running mate for rookie Malik Nabers on the outside, and it will be interesting to see how his numbers respond to no longer being the top target in the offense.

TE Theo Johnson

The rookie tight end has enjoyed a solid start to OTAs. His opportunities should only continue to grow with Darren Waller still away from the team as he contemplates retirement. The tight end room is thin with Daniel Bellinger and Chris Manhertz being the main competition for Johnson.

The fourth-round pick is a long-term investment, but there are some qualities he put on film at Penn State that show he has the potential to hold a solid role during his rookie season.

CB Nick McCloud

If the season started now, the Giants would be rolling out a cornerback tandem that includes Deonte Banks and Cor’Dale Flott on the outside. However, McCloud still finds himself in the thick of the competition for that boundary role opposite Banks.

According to Pro Football Focus, McCloud allowed an 83.9 passer rating and 10.1 yards per reception on 22 targets in 2023. 

OT Josh Ezeudu

Everything involving the offensive line should be taken with a grain of salt considering the lack of pads and live contact. But Ezeudu has been working as the backup left tackle in Andrew Thomas’ absence. Despite being pretty overwhelmed at the spot in 2023, the Giants are keeping Ezeudu at tackle.

It’s vital for the third-year tackle to find his footing and build a foundation with a solid spring showing going into training camp. The offensive line depth is questionable, and Ezeudu has a lot to prove in Year 3.