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WHILE YOU WAIT FOR CAMP TO BEGIN,
By Aaron Klein So while we glide through these summer days, it seems valid enough to consider the most indispensable players on the current roster. Here are six, along with a few more who just miss the cut. INDISPENSABLE Eli Manning: Do you really need an explanation? While Manning may not be a Top Five quarterback (depending on the year), he's certainly in the Top 10. You can argue that if you like, but there is no arguing that without him the Giants' offense, and therefore the whole team, would collapse. We have no reason to think that Ryan Nassib would be able to fill in as well as, say, Jeff Hostetler ever did. Or even Scott Brunner. Manning is the franchise. Odell Beckham Jr.: Too soon? Not at all. Even if he manages to achieve 75 percent of what he did last year, OBJ is still the No. 1 receiver. And considering Cruz' ongoing rehab (torn patella tendon), Beckham Jr. is absolutely indispensable. Reuben Randle, you say? Yes, he came alive late last season, but that was mostly a product of the presence of OBJ and the structure of the offense. Randle has not proven to be a No. 1 and without Odell Beckham Jr. out there, it's hard to imagine Randle carrying the load. If Cruz is healthy and somewhat close to his pre-injury abilities, this could be the best receiving trio in the league. But if you take Beckham Jr. out of the picture ... just above ordinary. Jonathan Hankins: The starting defensive tackle broke out last season with 51 tackles (29 solo) and seven sacks, a total that fell second only to Pierre-Paul's 12.5. Hankins quickly became indispensable last year and one cannot imagine the defensive line functioning at all without him. Yes, there are several other defensive tackles on the roster but none have shown the dominance against the run or the ability to create inside pressure on passing downs. He may be the best defensive tackle the Giants have had since Barry Cofield, maybe better. Josh Brown: Sure, there's always another kicker ... but one as good as Brown? If he disappeared, the Giants would lose a kicker who made 92.3 percent of his field goals (fifth in the NFL; one attempt was blocked and not his fault) with a 53-yard long. Brown was also perfect on all 44 Point-After-Kick attempts and averaged 62 yards on kickoffs with 46 touchbacks (10th in NFL). If he lacks in any area, it may be that he's not a boomer on kickoffs yet he is accurate and knows how to place the ball away from the most threatening kick returners. Rashad Jennings: Stop the chuckling. Jennings has plenty to prove this season and, if you didn't notice, when he missed time with injuries last year, the running game was painfully one-dimensional and hard to watch. Yes, second-year pro Andre Williams is improving, but he hasn't shown that he can carry the load and add the multiple dimensions that Jennings can. Shane Vereen, you say? Yes, he was a powerhouse in the Super Bowl but is a product of perfect implementation. He, like Williams, has a role to play, but has never been a workhorse. Orleans Darkwa? Come on. Jennings averaged just under four yards per carry on just 167 attempts, but also averaged nearly 16 carries per game in only nine starts, proving just how valuable he was to the team. Now healthy, Jennings figures to be the key running back on the squad and ahead of the complementary backs like Williams and Vereen. Jon Beason: While Beason has not proven to be able to stay healthy in the last five years of his career, he's also the heart of the defense in terms of leadership in the locker room and run-stopping on the field. He had 11 tackles in four games last year, but in 2013 notched 93 tackles and an interception in 12 games played. Beason's injury problems are part of the reason the Giants went out and signed two free agent linebackers -- the team has more versatility to make changes - but the team wants him healthy and back on the field. The linebacker corps suffered greatly without him last year. More importantly, the team needs a leader on and off the field as the defense has now become a melting pot of rookies, veterans and free agents with little cohesion. ALMOST
INDISPENSABLE Amukamara is the second-best defensive back coming off his best season (finally) though he's also coming off a torn biceps and is in a contract year. Collins? Well, while it's hard to imagine a rookie being indispensable (ditto for offensive tackle Ereck Flowers), Collins has already shown professional skills and first-round-caliber ability. If he busts, the future of the Giants' secondary could be at stake. Have
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