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.
7) What is the biggest area the Giants need to improve on defense?
Wink Martindale set his sights on two targets when he took over the defense a year ago: be great in the red zone and on third down. Mission accomplished. The Giants ranked fifth in the NFL in both categories, which was all the more impressive given their primary struggle.
"I think one of the things that concerned me last year was our inability to stop the run," team president John Mara said in late March at the NFL Annual Meeting. "It just seemed like it was second-and-two all the time, and it's pretty hard to live that way all season. So, I think the players that we added there will help us. If we can consistently stop the run, then we can unleash the pass rush. Those are some of our best players right now."
The Giants ranked second-to-last in giving up 5.23 yards per carry and were 27th in allowing 144.2 per game. To address that, the Giants signed inside linebacker Bobby Okereke and defensive linemen Rakeem Nunez-Roches and A'Shawn Robinson. Of course, they also signed Dexter Lawrence, the franchise's first interior defensive lineman to make the Pro Bowl since Erik Howard in 1990, to a new contract.
"I think with the size of them, and you've seen them, they'll be able to collapse," Martindale said of the additions. "Everybody thinks, when they think pass rush, the tackle guys, the inside guys, they think of Warren Sapp and Aaron Donald. God touched those guys twice. These guys have just been touched once. So, just as long as they can collapse the pocket, just like [Dexter Lawrence] did last year, and get the quarterback off the spot, you'll see a lot of good things happen. I think we've got the size and the ability to do that."
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Get excited for the 2023 season with photos from Media Day at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.


TE Darren Waller (12)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

DB Deonte Banks (36)

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)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

DB Nick McCloud (44)

QB Tyrod Taylor (2)

LB Jarrad Davis (57)

WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)

DB Cor'dale Flott (28)

S Dane Belton (24)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

P Jamie Gillan (6)

DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)

WR Jalin Hyatt (84)

RB Eric Gray (20)

DB Deonte Banks (36)

DB Deonte Banks (36)

DB Deonte Banks (36)

DB Deonte Banks (36)

DB Deonte Banks (36)

DB Deonte Banks (36)

DB Deonte Banks (36)

WR Jalin Hyatt (84)

DB Deonte Banks (36)

WR Jalin Hyatt (84)

WR Jalin Hyatt (84)

WR Jalin Hyatt (84)

WR Jalin Hyatt (84)

WR Jalin Hyatt (84)

WR Jalin Hyatt (84)

RB Eric Gray (20), WR Jalin Hyatt (84), DB Deonte Banks (36)

RB Eric Gray (20)

RB Eric Gray (20)

RB Eric Gray (20)

RB Eric Gray (20)

OL John Michael Schmitz Jr (61)

OL John Michael Schmitz Jr (61)

RB Eric Gray (20)

OL John Michael Schmitz Jr (61)

OL John Michael Schmitz Jr (61)

OL John Michael Schmitz Jr (61)

DL Jordan Riley (95)

WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton (6)

DL Jordan Riley (95)

DL Jordan Riley (95)

WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton (6)

WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton (6)

DB Tre Hawkins III (37)

DB Tre Hawkins III (37)

P Jamie Gillan (6)

P Jamie Gillan (6)

DB Tre Hawkins III (37)

DB Tre Hawkins III (37)

DB Tre Hawkins III (37)

DB Jason Pinnock (27)

OLB Habakkuk Baldonado (45)

OLB Habakkuk Baldonado (45)

OLB Habakkuk Baldonado (45)

DB Gervarrius Owens (31)

DB Jason Pinnock (27)

DB Gervarrius Owens (31)

DB Gervarrius Owens (31)

DB Jason Pinnock (27)

DB Jason Pinnock (27)

K Graham Gano (9)

K Graham Gano (9)

LB Troy Brown (46)

K Graham Gano (9)

K Graham Gano (9)

TE Darren Waller (12)

DB Leonard Johnson (35)

DB Leonard Johnson (35)

DB Leonard Johnson (35)

TE Darren Waller (12)

DE Ryder Anderson (90)

DE Ryder Anderson (90)

DE Ryder Anderson (90)

DE Ryder Anderson (90)

TE Darren Waller (12)

TE Darren Waller (12)

DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)

TE Darren Waller (12)

DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)

DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)

DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)

DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)

LB Troy Brown (46)

LB Jarrad Davis (57)

LB Jarrad Davis (57)

LB Jarrad Davis (57)

LB Jarrad Davis (57)

DB Darnay Holmes (30)

WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)

DB Darnay Holmes (30)

DB Darnay Holmes (30)

WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)

LB Jihad Ward (55)

LB Jihad Ward (55)

WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)

WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)

LB Jihad Ward (55)

LB Jihad Ward (55)

LB Jihad Ward (55)

LB Jihad Ward (55)

OL J.C. Hassenaauer (63)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

OL J.C. Hassenaauer (63)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

OL J.C. Hassenaauer (63)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

LB Bobby Okereke (58)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

LB Bobby Okereke (58)

LB Bobby Okereke (58)

LB Bobby Okereke (58)

WR Jaydon Mickens (88)

LB Bobby Okereke (58)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

WR Jaydon Mickens (88)

OL Evan Neal (73)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

OL Mark Glowinski (64)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

OL Mark Glowinski (64)

OL Evan Neal (73)

OL Mark Glowinski (64)

WR Makai Polk (87)

OL Evan Neal (73)

RB Matt Breida (31)

RB Matt Breida (31)

RB Matt Breida (31)

RB Matt Breida (31)

LB Carter Coughlin (52)

LB Carter Coughlin (52)

LB Carter Coughlin (52)

WR Jamison Crowder (80)

WR Jamison Crowder (80)

WR Jamison Crowder (80)

TE Tommy Sweeney (89)

TE Tommy Sweeney (89)

WR Makai Polk (87)

LB Cam Brown (47)

TE Lawrence Cager (83)

LS Casey Kreiter (59)

LB Cam Brown (47)

TE Lawrence Cager (83)

TE Lawrence Cager (83)

LS Casey Kreiter (59)

LB Elerson Smith (94)

OLB Tomon Fox (49)

WR Jeff Smith II (19)

LS Casey Kreiter (59)

OLB Tomon Fox (49)

LB Elerson Smith (94)

OLB Tomon Fox (49)

WR Jeff Smith II (19)

LB Azeez Ojulari (51)

LB Azeez Ojulari (51)

LB Azeez Ojulari (51)

LB Azeez Ojulari (51)

LB Azeez Ojulari (51)

DB Nick McCloud (44)

DB Nick McCloud (44)

DB Nick McCloud (44)

TE Daniel Bellinger (82)

DB Nick McCloud (44)

OT Andrew Thomas (78)

TE Daniel Bellinger (82)

TE Daniel Bellinger (82)

TE Daniel Bellinger (82)

OL Ben Bredeson (68)

OL Ben Bredeson (68)

OL Ben Bredeson (68)

RB Gary Brightwell (23)

RB Gary Brightwell (23)

RB Gary Brightwell (23)

DT DJ Davidson (98)

LB Micah McFadden (41)

DT DJ Davidson (98)

LB Micah McFadden (41)

DL Vernon Butler (96)

LB Micah McFadden (41)

LB Oshane Ximines (53)

LB Oshane Ximines (53)

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)

DB Aaron Robinson (33)

OL Tyre Phillips (79)

OL Tyre Phillips (79)

OL Matt Peart (74)

OL Tyre Phillips (79)

S Dane Belton (24)

OL Matt Peart (74)

OL Corey Cunningham (70)

S Dane Belton (24)

OL Corey Cunningham (70)


DB Cor'dale Flott (28)

DB Cor'dale Flott (28)

LB Darrian Beavers (43)

LB Darrian Beavers (43)

LB Darrian Beavers (43)

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LB Darrian Beavers (43)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

DB Adoree' Jackson (22)

OL Shane Lemieux (66)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18), WR Darius Slayton (86)

OL Shane Lemieux (66)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

WR Kalil Pimpleton (81)

DB Adoree' Jackson (22)

DB Adoree' Jackson (22)

DB Adoree' Jackson (22)

WR Collin Johnson (15)

OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)

OL Jack Anderson (77)

OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)

OL Jack Anderson (77)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

WR David Sills V (13)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

WR Collin Johnson (15)

QB Tyrod Taylor (2)

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TE Chris Myarick (85)

TE Chris Myarick (85)

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

QB Tyrod Taylor (2)

QB Tyrod Taylor (2)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

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QB Daniel Jones (8)

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WR Sterling Shepard (3)

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WR Sterling Shepard (3)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

DB Deonte Banks (36)

DB Deonte Banks (36)

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)

DB Leonard Johnson (35)

OLB Habakkuk Baldonado (45)

OLB Habakkuk Baldonado (45)

OL John Michael Schmitz Jr (61)

OLB Habakkuk Baldonado (45)

OL John Michael Schmitz Jr (61)

OL John Michael Schmitz Jr (61)

DB Jason Pinnock (27)

LS Casey Kreiter (59)

DB Jason Pinnock (27)

WR Makai Polk (87)

LB Elerson Smith (94)

LB Elerson Smith (94)

LB Elerson Smith (94)

TE Lawrence Cager (83)

LS Casey Kreiter (59)

TE Lawrence Cager (83)

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)

LB Jihad Ward (55)

DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)

DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

TE Darren Waller (12)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

TE Darren Waller (12)