Talent is almost always the deciding factor in who stays and who goes on a football team, but leadership intangibles also play a part in the roster makeup. Best-case scenario: players who have plenty of both.
That’s what the Giants were hoping for in signing veteran players like running back Jonathan Stewart, cornerback William Gay and pass rusher Connor Barwin. All have been extremely productive players throughout their careers, and all have been terrific at imparting the lessons of the NFL on their younger teammates.
But as cutdown day approaches and the Giants need to make the hard decisions about their final 53, these three thirtysomething players may have trouble convincing the coaching staff and management that their football talent is good enough to keep their leadership skills on the roster.