Is there still a place on the Giants for Oshane Ximines?

Could Oshane Ximines end up on the outside looking in when the New York Giants trim their 2022 roster to the regular season limit of 53 players? Let’s talk about Ximines as we conclude our player-by-player profiles of the 90-man roster that will open training camp in just a few days.

By the numbers

Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 254
Age: 25
Position: Edge
Experience: 3
Contract: Final year of four-year, $3.452 million deal | 2022 cap hit: $1.204 million

Career to date

Ximines was selected in Round 3 of the 2019 draft by the Giants, 95th overall. It was hoped that Ximines, out of small-school Old Dominion University, would develop into a productive player who would help the Giants’ needy pass rush.

Ximines had a promising start, compiling 4.5 sacks and nine quarterback hits in 503 defensive snaps (45 percent) as a rookie. Look closer at that rookie season, though, and troubling signs were already beginning to emerge.

After playing 40 or more snaps three times in the first six games of his career, Ximines never played more than 35 snaps in a game the rest of that season.

Ximines played in only four games in 2020, only once playing more than 26 snaps, before a shoulder injury sidelined him the remainder of the year. I remember walking past him in the locker room late that season, asking him about his diminishing role, and only having him shake his head and say he didn’t know the reason.

Last season, Ximines played only 183 defensive snaps (27 percent). After a Week 8 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs during which he committed a critical offside penalty, Ximines played only one defensive snap the rest of the season. He was inactive six times, and totaled just one special team and one defensive snap in the three games during which he was active.

Ximines has not had a quarterback sack since Week 15 of his rookie season, when he registered a half-sack against the Miami Dolphins.

2022 outlook

Troubling.

Ximines seemed to fall out of favor with the Pat Shurmur/James Bettcher coaching staff. Then, he fell out of favor with the Joe Judge/Patrick Graham coaching staff.

Now, he faces a situation where he looks to be well down the depth chart on a team that features a number of young edge defenders with upside. No. 5 overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux, and second-year players Azeez Ojulari, Quincy Roche and Elerson Smith would all appear to be ahead of Ximines. Veteran Jihad Ward and special teams ace Cam Brown are likely ahead of him, as well.

I’m not writing Ximines off completely. He is still on his rookie contract, making him an inexpensive player. He is, though, likely going to need an outstanding training camp and perhaps some injury misfortune by players mentioned above to stick around.