We are just days away until the New York Giants report to training camp under new head coach Brian Daboll.
There are many questions heading into training camp for Big Blue as they look to turn the franchise around after going 22-59 over the last five seasons.
Here are the top five questions surrounding the team heading into training camp.
1. How much of an upgrade is Brian Daboll over Joe Judge?
One of the reasons there’s optimism surrounding the New York Giants is due to the innovative offensive mindset of head coach Brian Daboll. During his tenure as the Buffalo Bills’ offensive coordinator, he helped Josh Allen become one of the best quarterbacks in the league and turned the Bills into a high-powered offense.
But being a good coordinator doesn’t always translate into being a good head coach. We’ll have to see how Daboll does with his in-game adjustments, clock management, and how he’s able to lead his team.
He could be the next bright head coach, or he could be the same caliber coach that his predecessor Joe Judge was. Time will tell.
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2. How much better is the offensive line?
As everyone knows, New York has had one of the worst offensive lines for many years. To his credit, new general manager Joe Schoen spent this offseason rebuilding the offensive line with limited resources.
He signed free agents such as Mark Glowinski, Jon Feliciano, and Jamil Douglas. Then Schoen used the seventh overall pick to draft Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal, and then took North Carolina offensive guard Joshua Ezeudu in round three (67th overall).
It will be interesting to see how the new pieces to the line are able to gel together. On paper, this is the best offensive line the Giants have had in years. But we won’t know how much of an upgrade the line is until the season starts.
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3. Can Daboll and Mike Kafka bring out the best in Daniel Jones?
This is a make-or-break season for Daniel Jones. The team already declined to exercise his fifth-year option, and they brought in a capable backup quarterback in Tyrod Taylor. On top of that, there have been rumors that the Giants are interested in trading for 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
However, Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka have expressed their confidence in Jones and want him to play without restrictions.
In the new Giants offense, expect to see more pre-snap movement and a scoring attack that plays with more tempo. This will make New York’s offense less predictable than in years past, and more explosive. This should maximize Jones’ potential as an NFL quarterback.
But Jones must improve on the two things that have plagued him the most in his three seasons, and that’s turnovers and injuries.
Related: NFL insider thinks Tyrod Taylor could surpass Daniel Jones as New York Giants QB in 2022
4. Can Adoree’ Jackson be a solid number one corner?
The biggest loss Big Blue encountered this offseason was having to cut Pro Bowl cornerback James Bradberry in a salary cap-saving move. With the departure of Bradberry, sixth-year cornerback Adoree’ Jackson is now inserted as the team’s number one corner.
In defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale’s scheme, the Giants will play man-to-man defense often. With New York thin at cornerback, Jackson must not only hold his own against opposing teams’ number one receiver, but they’ll need him to do something he hasn’t done since 2018 and which is to play a full season.
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5. Is Kayvon Thibodeaux the next great young defensive player?
Some felt that Kayvon Thibodeaux was the best pass rusher in this year’s draft. Now the expectation is for him to perform like some of the talented rookies that have come into the league in recent years such as Nick Bosa and Chase Young and be a candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
An elite pass rusher can make an immediate impact and change a team’s identity. One thing that bodes well into Thibodeaux having a good season is that teams will seldom be able to double team him thanks to second-year linebacker Azeez Ojulari.
If Thibodeaux is in the discussion for Defensive Rookie of the Year, New York’s defense will be vastly improved.
Related: Top 2022-23 NFL Rookie of the Year candidates: Looking at Kayvon Thibodeaux’s chances