Does Trenton Thompson Have a Chance at a Roster Spot in Crowded Giants Safety Room?

Is safety Trenton Thompson finally ready to challenge for a place on the 53-man roster?

Author:
Gene Clemons
Publish date:
Jul 15, 2023 10:00 AM EDT

In this story:

Trenton Thompson, Safety

Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 196 pounds
2022 Stats: GP: 1 GS: 0 (Practice Squad)

The New York Giants signed safety Trenton Thompson as a rookie free agent in 2022. He played in 57 games with 31 starts in 5 seasons at San Diego State, totaling 191 tackles (125 solo), 12.0 tackles for loss, four interceptions, 23 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and 1.0 sack.

In 2021, he was selected to the All-Mountain West first team and was voted a team captain. He started all 14 games and collected 44 tackles (29 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, 15 pass breakups, and one forced fumble. He was active for the Giants' Week 12 matchup at Dallas last season and recorded 12 snaps on special teams.

Thompson has good length and speed to become a quality special teamer on this team. The Giants will hope that a full offseason has improved his physicality and feel for the game. The defensive back group is deeper after the off-season moves. But they are opportunities for those that stand out on special teams because they will be looking for better play from that unit. Thompson is a guy who will need to perform above the replacement on that unit.

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Best Case Scenario

Thompson will need to stand out early in training camp. There are just too many quality bodies at the position, and he might not be able to operate in as many positions as those other guys he would be competing with for a roster spot.

Even if he stands out, it is going to be extremely difficult to make the roster. He can, however, position himself for a spot on the practice squad or even a spot on another team.

Worst Case Scenario

Based on the depth of the position and the team's needs, some players will not make it to the end of training camp. Thompson could be one of those guys.

Being long and athletic is not enough anymore; you must bring elite-level skills and a bag of tricks that can be used in multiple areas. Thompson might not possess the same bag and, therefore, may never get to show what he can excel at.

What to Expect in 2023

Expect Thompson to better grasp the defense and special teams in his second season with the organization. You can also expect him to be more physical with a full off-season in the strength and conditioning program.

All of those improvements will eventually not change his fate with this organization. There are simply too many other options that the team has invested in more. Thompson must hope he impresses another team in the NFL or possibly a team in one of the other leagues.