Giants Starting Lineup Change ‘Seems Inevitable’ Before Week 1

New York Giants second-round rookie Tyler Nubin got off to a slow start at training camp due to a calf injury. That left the starting safety job to veteran Dane Belton — who performed well during practices at the time to earn the role early on.

Now, with Nubin fully healthy again, the tides appear to be shifting.

“Rookie safety Tyler Nubin replaced Dane Belton alongside Jason Pinnock on the defense’s second series,” The Athletic’s Dan Duggan recapped after the second preseason outing versus the Houston Texans.

“Nubin blitzed and drew the holding penalty that negated the 23-yard completion to [Texans wide receiver Tank] Dell,” the NYG beat reporter went on. Adding: “It seems inevitable the second-round pick will unseat Belton as the second starting safety before Week 1.”

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Giants Safeties Tyler Nubin & Dane Belton Listed on NYG Stock Report After Texans Outing

Duggan wasn’t alone in noticing this change. Big Blue View media member Ed Valentine named both Nubin and Belton on his updated Giants stock report on August 18. And you can take a guess which list each player ended up on.

“The second-round pick received a considerable number of first-team reps during the practice week,” Valentine said of Nubin, identifying him on the “stock up” side of the discussion.

“That continued against the Texans,” he explained. “There is a chance he could be one of the starting safeties when the regular season opens.”

As for Belton, his placement on the “stock down” list was more of a corresponding move than a critical one.

“If Nubin’s stock is rising, that means Belton’s hold on a starting safety spot is slipping,” Valentine noted.

Either way, the safety room seems set heading into Week 1. Behind the trio of Pinnock, Nubin and Belton is 2023 seventh rounder Gervarrius Owens — who has shown much more in year two despite injuring his knee.

Big Blue signaled Owens is most likely safe when they cut veteran signing Jalen Mills on August 15.

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Giants Cornerbacks Struggled Against Texans

With projected starting nickel Dru Phillips sidelined, the Giants secondary struggled against quarterback C.J. Stroud and the Texans wide receivers.

“Stroud effortlessly carved up the Giants’ defense on Houston’s first drive until reaching the 7-yard line,” Duggan wrote within his postgame comments. “The Giants stiffened there, with the Texans turning the ball over on downs after defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence batted a Stroud pass on fourth-and-goal from the 6-yard line.”

Having said that, Duggan — and many within the NYG fanbase — could not ignore the “questions” in the secondary that were on full display against a quality passing offense.

“No. 1 cornerback Deonte Banks was bullied by Texans wide receiver Nico Collins for a 24-yard gain on a curl route,” the reporter detailed. “Tight end Dalton Schultz got wide open for a 26-yard gain in a void in the middle of the zone defense. Cornerback Nick McCloud was beaten by wide receiver Tank Dell for a 23-yard gain on an out route that was negated by a holding penalty.”

Linebacker/defensive back Isaiah Simmons also lost a mismatch with wide receiver John Metchie while guarding the slot in place of Phillips.

“The Giants are going to need their pass rush to dominate to hide some of the deficiencies in the secondary,” Duggan concluded. A fair assessment, but also a worrisome one.

Star pass rushers Brian Burns, Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux were each credited with one quarterback pressure in Houston according to Pro Football Focus. All three were classified as “QB hurries,” as opposed to QB hits or sacks.

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