The New York Giants will report to training camp on Tuesday as they begin their quest to make their 100th season in the NFL a successful one.
This is a crucial season for Brian Daboll/Joe Schoen regime as they look to rebound from a disappointing 6-11 record last season. The duo made decisions during the offseason that will significantly impact the 2024 season and beyond.
With the attention the team has received during the airing of Hard Knocks, they will be one of the most intriguing teams in the NFL with many questions to answer.
Here are the top 10 storylines for the New York Giants heading into training camp.
The health of Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones was held out of team drills during mandatory minicamp, raising questions about his recovery after tearing his ACL in November. But a recent video surfaced that showed the 27-year-old quarterback throwing and running without showing any lingering effects. All signs show that Jones will be ready to practice without any limitations, but we won’t know for sure until the New York Giants have their first practice on Wednesday.
How will the New York Giants revamped offensive line perform?
The offensive line has been an area of concern for many years which is why Jo Schoen made it his top priority to fix this offseason. The addition of Jon Runyan Jr, and Jermaine Eluemunor will certainly help, but we’ll have to see how long it takes for them to build cohesiveness. The team is also hoping that new offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo can bring out the best in right tackle Evan Neal.
Who will be the starting corner on the opposite side of Deonte Banks?
The Giants are thin at corner and one of the biggest position battles for the team this summer is to find out who will be the starting corner on the opposite side of Deonte Banks. Cor’Dale Flott, Tre Hawkins III, Aaron Robinson, and rookie third-round pick Dru Phillips will all be vying to be the starter. Choosing the starter will be one of the toughest decisions for new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.
Can Malik Nabers continue to shine for the New York Giants?
There’s a ton of hope and optimism surrounding rookie Malik Nabers, as he has all the tools to become one of the best receivers in the league. He’s fast, explosive, a precise route runner, and makes contested receptions.
He’s poised to become the first Giants receiver since 2018 to have 1,000 receiving yards and should be one of the favorites to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. He performed well in the spring during OTAs, but now as the practice sessions intensify, will he continue to shine as he did in the spring?
Related: 10 NFL veterans who could lose their jobs during training camp
Will the New York Giants’ front seven be elite?
The New York Giants front seven has the potential to be the best in the league. Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Bobby Okereke, and newly acquired Brian Burns are some of the best at their respective positions and will impose their will and skill on opponents. Even when the team practices in pads it won’t be full contact as it is in a game, but they should get the better of the offensive line in practice, which will be a processor for how dominant they can be when the regular season starts. If the front seven is dominant, it bodes well for the team’s chances of having a winning season.
How will the backfield operate without Saquon Barkley?
New York has big shoes to fill with the departure of Saquon Barkley. Devin Singletary will be the starter, but it’s unknown at this time if he’ll get the bulk of the carries, or a running back by committee which will include Eric Gray and rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. Will get a glimpse of how New York’s backfield will function this season at the start of training camp, and find out who will be the second running back on the depth chart.
Related: New York Giants standing in Sportsnaut’s NFL power rankings
Will Tyler Nubin be the ballhawk the secondary desperately needs?
One of the areas the Giants defense needs to improve upon is their ability to come away with interceptions. The team has just 24 interceptions over the last two seasons, and Xavier McKinney who led the team in interceptions a season ago is now a Green Bay Packer.
Second-round pick Tyler Nubin is expected to be the new starting safety on the defense from day one of training camp. The team is hopeful that the ball-hawking skills that he showed in college where he had 13 interceptions, will continue in his pro career.
How serious is Theo Johnson’s injury?
With Darren Waller’s retirement, rookie Theo Johnson was supposed to be one of the players vying to be the team’s starting tight end. But Johnson was put on the PUP list prior to rookie training camp last week with a hip injury. The severity of the injury was not disclosed, but we should get some clarity this week on when Johnson is expected to be on the practice field.
Related: 10 NFL head coaches under the most pressure in 2024
What new wrinkles will we see from Brian Daboll’s offense?
All signs point toward Brian Daboll being the team’s playcaller this season. Daboll’s innovative offensive mind was the reason he was hired to be head coach, and it will be interesting to see which new wrinkles we’ll see from the offense.
How quickly will the defense get acclimated to the new defensive scheme?
Any time there’s a change at coordinator, there can be a learning curve for the team to grasp the new scheme. Shane Bowen likes to play zone more than his predecessor Wink Martindale did. Bowen must get all of his players on the same page as it pertains to his scheme, particularly in the secondary.
It’s unlikely the starters see significant playing time in the preseason, so they’ll need to get accustomed to his scheme during training camp.