Let's get back to our ongoing look at some of the positions where there are likely to be training camp battles.
Today's we will look at left tackle, even though this 'battle' appears to be nothing more than a quick, bloodless skirmish that has already been won.
The left tackle vacancy was, of course, created when GM Jerry Reese decided not to pay long-time starter Luke Petitgout like a premiere lineman (which he isn't) and released him.
If you paid attention to news from the Giants recent mini-camp, you can pretty much tell how this is going to turn out. Let's go through it anyway, however.
• In the blue corner. David Diehl, the 6-foot-5, 319-pound fifth-year player who is looking at starting in his fourth position on the line.
• In the red corner. Guy Whimper, the second-year tackle from East Carolina.
• In the white corner. Adam Koets, the rookie sixth-round draft choice from Oregon State.
MY VIEW: Diehl, who is moving from left guard, took most of the first-team snaps at left tackle during mini-camp. Whimper is a good athlete who is a project, and doesn't appear to be ready. Koets? He's an even longer-term project who has no chance to earn this job.
PREDICTION: It's not exactly going out on a limb to say Diehl will be the starting left tackle. That's obvious. The real question is, how well will he handle it? I actually feel bad for the guy. He's a talented guard, who I think could be an All-Pro if he ever had the opportunity to settle in. As a tackle I think he'll do a representative job, though there will be times where he looks really, really bad.
I do hope Whimper develops into a long-term solution, or that the Giants find one during next year's draft or free agency period. Diehl is a better guard, and I'd like to see him given the chance to stay there.
• NOTE: I'll be heading off to our summer camp in the Adirondacks for a couple days, so most likely there won't be any updates. Feel free to use the Dairy section if you have something Giants-related you need to talk about.