Giants.com is counting down to the start of the team's 2023 training camp with 23 questions in 23 days.
Each day, a member of the crew will answer one question about the roster, coaching staff, schedule, and much more.
4) Who is the X-factor this season?
The more and more I reviewed the roster, the more and more I kept coming back to Azeez Ojulari for several reasons. Putting the team aside for a second, this is a significant season for the former Georgia standout as he's entering his third year in the league. Ojulari appeared in all 17 games and led the team in sacks as a rookie with eight but was limited to only seven contests in 2022 due to injury. Every team strives to showcase two consistent pass rushers. If Ojulari can return to his 2021 form and Kayvon Thibodeaux takes the next step forward, the Giants could have a nice one-two punch off the edge.
While you can also make an argument for Thibodeaux to wear this label, I still think Ojulari gets the edge because we've already seen flashes of what he can do. Now it's a matter of him staying on the field and proving his production can be steady from start to finish. No one has ever produced a 10-sack season in Wink Martindale's defense, but if Ojulari can flirt with eight again, that will go a long way in making the pass rush that more dangerous and alleviating a relatively young secondary, which will be facing a tougher group of quarterbacks this season.
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Get excited for the 2023 season with photos from Media Day at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
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DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)
LB Bobby Okereke (58)
OT Andrew Thomas (78)
LB Jihad Ward (55)
S Xavier McKinney (29)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
OL John Michael Schmitz Jr (61)
DB Adoree' Jackson (22)
WR Sterling Shepard (3)
LB Azeez Ojulari (51)
WR Isaiah Hodgins (18), WR Darius Slayton (86)
TE Daniel Bellinger (82)
OL Evan Neal (73)
RB Eric Gray (20), WR Jalin Hyatt (84), DB Deonte Banks (36)
K Graham Gano (9)
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DB Nick McCloud (44)
QB Tyrod Taylor (2)
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WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
DB Cor'dale Flott (28)
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P Jamie Gillan (6)
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DB Gervarrius Owens (31)
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DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)
DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)
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S Xavier McKinney (29)
S Xavier McKinney (29)
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OL Mark Glowinski (64)
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OL Mark Glowinski (64)
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LB Carter Coughlin (52)
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LB Carter Coughlin (52)
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TE Tommy Sweeney (89)
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LS Casey Kreiter (59)
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TE Lawrence Cager (83)
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LB Elerson Smith (94)
OLB Tomon Fox (49)
WR Jeff Smith II (19)
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OLB Tomon Fox (49)
LB Elerson Smith (94)
OLB Tomon Fox (49)
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LB Azeez Ojulari (51)
LB Azeez Ojulari (51)
LB Azeez Ojulari (51)
LB Azeez Ojulari (51)
LB Azeez Ojulari (51)
DB Nick McCloud (44)
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TE Daniel Bellinger (82)
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TE Daniel Bellinger (82)
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OL Ben Bredeson (68)
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RB Gary Brightwell (23)
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LB Micah McFadden (41)
DT DJ Davidson (98)
LB Micah McFadden (41)
DL Vernon Butler (96)
LB Micah McFadden (41)
LB Oshane Ximines (53)
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OT Andrew Thomas (78)
OT Andrew Thomas (78)
LB Oshane Ximines (53)
OT Andrew Thomas (78)
OT Andrew Thomas (78)
DB Aaron Robinson (33)
OT Andrew Thomas (78)
OT Andrew Thomas (78)
DB Aaron Robinson (33)
OL Matt Peart (74)
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OL Tyre Phillips (79)
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OL Matt Peart (74)
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OL Matt Peart (74)
OL Corey Cunningham (70)
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DB Cor'dale Flott (28)
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LB Darrian Beavers (43)
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WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)
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DB Adoree' Jackson (22)
OL Shane Lemieux (66)
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OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)
OL Jack Anderson (77)
OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)
OL Jack Anderson (77)
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OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
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QB Daniel Jones (8)
QB Daniel Jones (8)
QB Daniel Jones (8)
DB Deonte Banks (36)
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NT Jordan Riley (95)
RB Eric Gray (20-O)
RB Eric Gray (20-O)
LB Troy Brown (46)
OL John Michael Schmitz Jr (61)
DB Leonard Johnson (35)
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OLB Habakkuk Baldonado (45)
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OL John Michael Schmitz Jr (61)
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OL John Michael Schmitz Jr (61)
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DB Jason Pinnock (27)
LS Casey Kreiter (59)
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WR Makai Polk (87)
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TE Lawrence Cager (83)
LS Casey Kreiter (59)
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DB Deonte Banks (36)
K Graham Gano (9)
P Jamie Gillan (6)
DE Ryder Anderson (90)
OLB Tomon Fox (49)
DB Deonte Banks (36)
LB Jihad Ward (55)
WR Jalin Hyatt (84)
DB Tre Hawkins III (37)
DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)
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DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)
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WR Parris Campbell (0)
TE Darren Waller (12)
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TE Darren Waller (12)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
OL Evan Neal (73)
DB Darnay Holmes (30)
DB Bobby McCain (21)
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RB Gary Brightwell (23)
DB Deonte Banks (36)
OT Andrew Thomas (78)
DB Cor'dale Flott (28)
TE Daniel Bellinger (82)
DB Deonte Banks (36)
LB Darrian Beavers (43)
WR Jalin Hyatt (84)
DB Deonte Banks (36)
DB Deonte Banks (36)
WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton (6)
WR Jalin Hyatt (84)
RB Matt Breida (31)
DE Ryder Anderson (90)
DB Tre Hawkins III (37)
RB Matt Breida (31)
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DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)
RB Matt Breida (31)
LB Jarrad Davis (57)
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TE Darren Waller (12)
S Xavier McKinney (29)
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LB Carter Coughlin (52)
RB Matt Breida (31)
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TE Daniel Bellinger (82)
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DB Adoree' Jackson (22)
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OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
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WR Darius Slayton (86)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
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QB Tyrod Taylor (2)
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QB Daniel Jones (8)
QB Tyrod Taylor (2)
WR Collin Johnson (15)
TE Chris Myarick (85)
TE Chris Myarick (85)
WR Collin Johnson (15)
