Building blocks or building obstacles?
How many current Giants will be on the roster the next time they are in a playoff game?
If the answer is one (and just Sterling Shepard remains from their last playoff game, in 2016), then the Giants are just cycling through spare parts. If it’s dozens, then the Giants are laying building blocks and secondary developmental goals are being accomplished despite the losing.
“I believe we’re fully on track,” coach Joe Judge said. “There is always a bigpicture perspective you’ve got to keep in mind. When I look down the road and I have my vision for what this team needs to be, how we need to work to be there, how we have to play for each other collectively and the foundation we have to lay, there are a lot of things that are getting accomplished.”
The Giants (1-6) are 1-4 in games decided in the final minute, including two losses on the last play.
“We’re still playing for wins,” Judge said. “We’re not asking the fans to go ahead and be happy with mediocre results. When you look at the players we’re building with, I see a lot of progress and I see us moving in the right direction.”
Putting aside often-examined cornerstones Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley, here is The Post’s midseason assessment of 14 second-, third- and fourth-year players (mostly draft picks) who needed to develop for this season to be productive. Stats and rankings from Pro Football Focus:
PROGRESSING
DT Dexter Lawrence: The prize return in the Odell Beckham Jr. trade ranks No. 17 among NFL interior defensive linemen. Two sacks on 13 quarterback pressures, plus 14 run stops, despite drawing the most attention from opposing offensive lines.
WR Dar ius Slay ton: The only Giant with a touchdown catch (three) in any of the first six games and clearly Jones’ go-to target. Eleven scores on 76 career touches speaks to an elite level of explosiveness.
DT Dalvin Tomlinson: Set to earn a big raise in upcoming free agency as the No. 12-ranked interior defensive lineman, with 18 run stops and one sack.
TO BE DECIDED
OLB Lorenzo Carter: Responded to an expanded role with f ive quarterback hits, one sack and steady run defense in five games. Development into a bona fide athletic pass rusher halted by a torn Achilles.
OLB Oshane Ximines: Struggled setting the edge against the run and performed more like a situation al pass rush er. Had three quarterback hits before going on injured reserve, but still will be looking to add to his 4.5 sacks as a rookie.
C Nick Gates: Rewarded with a twoyear, $8.6 million contract in the offseason after three career starts, but slowly adjusting to a new position. Embodies the nastiness the Giants want to portray up front, but is the No. 33-ranked center.
LEVELED OFF
LG Will Hernandez: Picture of reliability hasn’t missed any of the Giants’ 2,523 offensive snaps since 2018. Oncepromising rookie has allowed one sack on 21 pressures and ranks No. 45 among guards in run-blocking.
DT B.J. Hill: Stuck at fourth in the interior defensive line rotation since the middle of last season and has one quarterback hit (sack). If he doesn’t step up, how can the Giants be confident losing either Tomlinson or Leonard Williams in free agency?
SS Jabrill Peppers: Expectation of a coverage upgrade over Landon Collins hasn’t panned out. No. 60-ranked safety is at his best playing in the box and has allowed 14 catches on 18 targets, including the Eagles’ game-winning touchdown.
REGRESSING
TE Evan Engram: Finally healthy, but the Giants can’t seem to get him the ball unless it’s on an end-around run. Too many curls and not enough seam routes in this scheme. Killer drop against the Eagles was his fourth against 26 catches for 223 yards, and old blocking struggles returned.
CB Corey Ballentine: Went from starting the f irst two games out of necessity (allowed seven receptions and a touchdown on nine targets) to playing zero total defensive snaps in the next four. Judgment seems off on kick returns, too.
DT R.J. McIntosh: Zero games active after showing signs of life with two sacks last season.
DB Julian Love: Lost snaps to latecamp addition Logan Ryan (understandable) and waiver pickup Adrian Colbert (warning sign) and will be further minimized when Xavier McKinney returns from IR. Blew an assignment on the late touchdown by the Rams in Week 4.
TE Kaden Smith: Flourished with Engram sidelined (31 catches for 268 yards and three touchdown) last season. Levine Toilolo is a better blocker, so Smith hasn’t found his place, with 10 catches behind a healthy Engram.