Ranking the 5 NFL teams eligible to appear on Hard Knocks
By Zach Cohen
3. New York Giants
Two Words: Big. Apple. There’s little chance HBO would be able to resist a season of Hard Knocks in New York City, even though the team’s headquarters is in East Rutherford, NJ. If you’re wondering what a New York-themed season would look like, go check out the 2010 edition with the Jets. It was quite entertaining.
Placing the show in New York may be enough, but there’s much more to talk about on the team’s roster as well. Superstar running back Saquon Barkley returns from a season-ending injury to try to stake his claim as the league’s best running back. Star wide receiver Kenny Golladay will make his debut in a Giants’ uniform, as does electric rookie Kadarius Toney. That trio alone should produce some fun content.
Outside of notable personalities — and those three aren’t the only ones — the G-Men face some crucial questions entering the season. Perhaps most important is the question mark hovering over third-year quarterback Daniel Jones. Like Drew Lock, Jones has yet to establish himself as the long-term answer. Outside of the offense, this Giants’ defense may look to follow in the footsteps of the Super Bowl-winning units from roughly a decade ago.
Start with a retooled secondary featuring newcomer Adoree’ Jackson, who was shockingly cut by the Titans in the offseason. Of course, diving into second-year coach Joe Judge should be interesting, too. Time will tell if he’s the coach who can lead this team back to the promised land, but early returns indicate this may be a good fit.