The New York Giants made a surprise playoff appearance in 2022 and, after reinforcing their roster, will be gunning for another postseason berth next season. While the Giants have solidified starters at a number of positions, they’ll still have several spots to sort out via training camp battles.

Let’s run through the top competitions New York will stage in late July, beginning with a wide receiver depth chart that appears to be wide open.

New York Giants Training Camp Battles To Watch in 2023

Wide Receiver

Last season, the Giants were consistently scrounging to find wide receiver options. Running back Saquon Barkley led New York in targets, while Darius Slayton — oft-mentioned for trade or release heading into 2022 — was the most-targeted WR on Big Blue’s roster.

Slayton is back after re-signing on a two-year deal, while Isaiah Hodgins, Sterling Shepard, and Wan’Dale Robinson will also return. Shepard and Robinson are both recovering from ACL tears. New additions to the Giants’ receiving corps include former Colt Parris Campbell, longtime slot man Jamison Crowder, and third-round draft pick Jalin Hyatt.

New York will likely deploy something of a rotation at wide receiver, but Slayton, Hodgins, and Campbell look like the early favorites for starting reps in Week 1. Slayton was the Giants’ most consistent pass catcher last season, while Hodgins came on strong as he received more chances down the stretch run (including an 8-105-1 game against the Vikings in the Divisional Round).

Meanwhile, Campbell saw work at running back during minicamp with Barkley absent. Per the New York Daily News, Campbell received handoffs on delays and sweeps and served as the pitch on an option play. Campbell probably won’t spend much time in the backfield if and when Barkley returns from his holdout, but the former second-rounder’s versatility can only work in his favor.

Interior Offensive Line | Ben Bredeson vs. John Michael Schmitz vs. Joshua Ezeudu

Giants head coach Brian Daboll’s enthusiasm about drafting John Michael Schmitz was evident in a behind-the-scenes video when Daboll said the second-round choice “could start at center.”

Whether or not Schmitz is New York’s Week 1 pivot is still undecided, but the rookie appears to be trending toward a significant role. While veteran Ben Bredeson has also seen time at center, Schmitz worked as the Giants’ top option on the final day of mandatory minicamp, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic.

Assuming Schmitz wins the starting job in the middle of NY’s line, Bredeson will compete for left guard duties with 2022 third-round selection Joshua Ezeudu. The Giants would probably like for Ezeudu to win the starting role after deploying the 67th overall pick to grab him in the draft, but he struggled over 290 snaps in his rookie campaign.

Safety | Jason Pinnock vs. Bobby McCain vs. Dane Belton vs. Nick McCloud

Xavier McKinney missed seven games in the second half of the 2022 season after breaking his hand in an ATV accident, but he returned in time to start in Week 16 and play in both of the Giants’ playoff games. He’s a surefire starter at one safety spot, but New York still has a vacancy in the back end.

This looks like a four-way competition. Bobby McCain is — by far — the most experienced safety battle participant, with 121 games and 87 career starts under his belt.

However, 2023 will mark his first season in the Giants’ defensive system, so Jason Pinnock, Dane Belton, and Nick McCloud — all of whom made starts for New York last year — could have a leg up.

Pinnock and Belton were injured during spring practices, leaving McCain and McCloud (converting from cornerback to safety) to soak up reps. However, both Pinnock and Belton are set to be ready for training camp when the Giants will likely make their decision on roles.

Most of New York’s safety candidates are more suited to playing deep than in the box, but with McKinney lining up at free safety, the Giants need someone capable of playing near the line of scrimmage after losing Julian Love to free agency. That could rule out McCain, who stands at just 5’9″ and has spent most of his NFL career in the slot or deep.