The Giants paid $25 million to Michael Boley this offseason to be their starting weak-side linebacker. They’ll have to wait at least until mid-August to see the real fruits of their purchase. Boley is recovering from hip surgery and will be sidelined a total of 8-10 weeks in the aftermath. His speed and playmaking ability were what the Giants most coveted in Boley. But they’ll open training camp with someone else working the first team, and because of their rare depth they can choose from three men — Gerris Wilkinson, Bryan Kehl and Chase Blackburn — who played the position last season. But Wilkinson hasn’t panned out, and the most consistent of the three has been Blackburn, who makes up for his lack of speed with great instincts and intellect. Don’t be shocked if he is the placeholder for Boley to start camp and could hold the spot through much of the preseason. Blackburn has stepped in at all three LB spots before and generally has done a respectable job.