NFL power rankings: NFL media doesn’t think highly of 2021 Giants

It is officially that time of year again: NFL Power Rankings. The New York Giants are aiming to get off on the right foot in 18 days when they take on the Jets for the team’s first preseason game.

Aggregating several rankings from around the Internet, the Giants come out to an average ranking of No. 24 in the 32-team NFL.

Let’s check out what outlets around the league are saying about the Giants heading into the 2021 season:

Sporting News: No. 22

The Giants should know this is a make-or-break season for third-year QB Daniel Jones. Along with Saquon Barkley coming back soon to flank him in the backfield, they have invested plenty in the line and receiving corps. If Jones can put it all together, the Giants can win the NFC East, given the defense, with all its mixed parts, has a chance to be a strong foundation.

NJ.com: No. 22

The defense should be good again, and there’s a lot to like about the culture Joe Judge created in his first season as head coach. But I can’t trust the offensive line or oft-injured, turnover-prone quarterback.

Bleacher Report: No. 24

This is a critical season for New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones.

After showing flashes as a rookie, Jones regressed in a number of categories last year—including just 11 touchdown passes in 24 starts. However, per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk, veteran cornerback Logan Ryan said that the 24-year-old signal-caller has the support of his teammates.

“He’s doing everything he can possibly to do set himself up for success and that’s all you can do,” Ryan said. “You’ve got to fall down to your level of preparation and I feel like he’s extremely prepared. Training camp is another scenario, another situation to get more prepared. It’s practice. So you’ve got to continue to get those reps and go out there and let the chips fall where they may, go out there and win the game. So, we’re all supporting Daniel. He’s got his teammates’ respect and he’s got the organization’s respect and he’s earned that job to be our quarterback.”

With Kenny Golladay in town, Jones has plenty of weapons to throw to. New York’s defense has quite a bit of potential as well. But Saquon Barkley’s balky knee and one of the NFL’s most porous offensive lines are not big-time problem areas.

The Athletic: No. 25

The Giants spent the offseason giving Daniel Jones better receiving options. Kenny Golladay, especially, should be a nice upgrade. But is that enough help for Jones in his third season? It’s fair to ask if the offensive line, which was an issue in 2020, is actually worse this year. Saquon Barkley will remain the most important non-QB on the roster, yet we might not see him at full strength until September.

What I’m watching in camp: I want to see if Joe Judge has mellowed in Year 2, or if he’ll still be up to his zany antics, with Slip ‘N Slides and old-school football drills.

ESPN: No. 25

The Giants proved in 2020 that they will not be pushed over. Coach Joe Judge immediately instilled a culture emblematic of his own tough, all-business approach to football. The floor for this franchise will be set by that, as the Giants should play quality defense and be disciplined in most areas. But the ceiling is set by Daniel Jones. Few players face the kind of pressure he does entering 2021, as a quantum leap from Jones would not only result in this franchise taking a huge step but also would turn questions next offseason from “Should the Giants find another quarterback?” to “How expensive will an extension for Jones be?” — Yates