The New York Giants will open training camp in East Rutherford, NJ on July 28 and the battle for the 53-man roster will officially begin.

Leading up to the start of camp, we’ll run down a series of storylines beginning with a handful of players worth watching and then transition ourselves into more specific positional battles.

On Monday, we examined what newly acquired linebacker Kelvin Sheppard might offer the Giants at the linebacker position, but perhaps more importantly than that will be their depth at the defensive end position.

Cue second-year pro Owa Odighizuwa, whom defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo desperately needs to stay healthy and productive.

Defensive end, Owa Odighizuwa

One look at Owa Odighizuwa and you can’t help but to think “that’s a football player right there.” The man is built out of bricks and appears to have impressive natural athletic ability. Unfortunately, in his first season with the Giants, Owa, like so many others, got bitten by the injury bug and missed 12 total games.

Now in 2016, the Giants are hoping Owa can get his feet under him and develop some solid pass rushing skills that would ultimately earn him a rotational role behind Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon. It would also give Steve Spagnuolo additional options in pass rushing situations, allowing JPP to move inside in what was once known as the NASCAR package.

“That’s the game plan, that’s the game plan, we’ll see,” Spagnuolo told NFL Draft Bible in June.

Spags on whether he intends to bring back the NASCAR package: "That's the plan" https://t.co/7VpHhv4SZr — NFL Draft Bible (@NFLDraftBible) June 29, 2016

The missed time in 2015 will slow Odighizuwa’s development, however. And it’s for that reason what he does in training camp and the preseason will be paramount.

The Giants need the additional pass rush and that onus will fall onto Odighizuwa’s shoulders. The depth chart behind him consists of third-year pro Kerry Wynn, Romeo Okwara, Mike Rose, Stansly Maponga and Ishaq Williams, so there’s a lot riding on the former UCLA Bruin this summer.