New York Giants training camp: 9 takeaways from Day 1
The New York Giants wrapped up their very first practice of training camp on Wednesday -- a 90-minute session that focused primarily on red zone situations.
Over the next two days, the Giants will ramp up practices, increasing them by 15 minutes apiece before settling in at two hours per session. That's also when temperatures in East Rutherford are expected to rise, so tempers may flare as well.
Here are nine takeaways from the first day of Giants training camp.
No QB controversy
Jaxson Dart will not start for the Giants in Week 1 barring an unforeseen barrage of injuries. Daboll made that abundantly clear before the start of practice.
"These guys will be out here competing, but Russ is our starter," Daboll said matter-of-factly.
Schoen also appeared to support the idea of redshirting Dart, but said things could change later in the season.
"Going through the process, we have Mike Kafka on the staff as our offensive coordinator. He was in Kansas City with Patrick Mahomes, (who) I think played one game at the end of (his rookie) year," Schoen said. "Our plan in Buffalo was for Josh (Allen) to probably not play much his first year.
"I think there are some real benefits from sitting and learning, specifically from some of the guys in the room who have the experience they have. But if the coaching staff at some point feels it's right and he's ready, I'll leave that up to them."
Daboll said nothing specific about the backup job, potentially leaving the door open to Dart stepping into that role. However, as it relates to him starting, it's a long way off.
Malik Nabers is back, but...
After missing spring workouts due to a lingering toe issue, wide receiver Malik Nabers was back on the field Wednesday and made his presence felt. He hauled in three touchdowns, including an impressive juggling catch in the corner of the endzone.
However, his toe issue is not a thing of the past. Nabers admitted he may have his summer reps limited with surgery being an option somewhere down the line, possibly next season or the season after.
"That's up in the air, but decisions will be made when the time is right. But right now I'm just focusing on locking in and getting ready for the season. Being out there with my guys, it felt good to be out there and run around," he said.
"There's been talk about it, I just never really came to a complete thought for me to do it. But I've been managing it well, I've been running around, feeling pretty good. Everything's been going well with the rehab, so the toe is feeling better, and I'm just happy to be out there with my guys now."
Nabers' injury dates back to college and is something to keep an eye on this season.
Expectations for Andrew Thomas
Veteran left tackle Andrew Thomas was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list as he works his way back from a Lisfranc injury, and while he's noncommittal over his Week 1 availability, the Giants are optimistic.
"Yeah, he should be ready for the opener," Schoen said. "Again, things change, and you can never be 100 percent (certain). We're going to take it day by day with him, and when he's ready, he'll be out there. But we anticipate he'll be ready for the opener."
Thomas was limited to just six games in 2024.
Ugly day for Jaxson Dart
All eyes were on Dart and understandably so, but he'd like most of his throws on Wednesday back.
It was a less-than-stellar day for the rookie, who snuck in a single first-team rep but did little else of note. His first pass of 11-on-11s was undercut by cornerback Nic Jones and returned for a touchdown. He finished 3-of-7 in live drills with one touchdown (to Theo Johnson) and the aforementioned pick-6.
"I just felt like I could beat him with the throw," Dart said of the pick-6, via The Athletic. "Obviously, going back, you want to try to put it a little on the outside shoulder. That's just the closing speed of the NFL. You do your best to try to get used to it because there are a lot of really, really good athletes out here. It's definitely something to learn from, but we'll get better from it and move forward."
The Giants primarily worked red zone throughout the day, and it was the first summer practice, so the offense was a little sloppy.
Wilson's timing
Wilson was much more successful on the day than Dart, finishing 10-of-17 with four touchdowns in live drills. That's to be expected, but after years of Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVito, something else stood out on Wednesday: Timing.
Wilson got rid of the ball quickly and delivered it on time, which is something that has rarely happened in recent years.
Timing is crucial, and if Wilson can keep everything on schedule, the offense should take a big step forward in 2025.
QB1 to WR1
After their limited work together this spring, Wilson and Nabers appeared a little off to start Wednesday's practice. That quickly changed as the two got in sync and connected for a trio of touchdowns.
Start of something dangerous 😈 pic.twitter.com/AWxsY22Y7F
This duo should be fun to watch, and they could, potentially, put up some record-setting numbers.
Disruptive front 7
Expectations are understandably high for the Giants' front 7, especially following the addition of rookie edge rusher Abdul Carter. And on the first day in camp, the group lived up to that billing.
Carter, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux were relentlessly disruptive, with Burns spending most of the morning in the backfield.
"Defensive line as advertised," veteran beat writer Art Stapleton said after practice. "Brian Burns in the backfield seemingly every play. The Giants really struggled to get much rhythm offensively because of that pressure upfront."
And that's without nose tackle Dexter Lawrence taking a full slate of reps.
Evan Neal movement
After spending much of the spring practicing at left guard in place of the injured Jon Runyan Jr., Evan Neal shifted over to right guard on Wednesday, rotating starting reps with veteran Greg Van Roten.
There was also a series or two where Neal took snaps at left guard with the second team.
The Giants are obviously trying to extract as much value out of Neal as possible, adding to his resume and giving him a shot to earn his way back into the lineup. It's unlikely that it happens, but being able to fill in at three positions is the type of versatility the team seeks.
Deonte Banks vs. Cor'Dale Flott
The battle for the CB2 role rages on as Cor'Dale Flott was given the starting nod on Wednesday, although it was somewhat short-lived.
Both Flott and Deonte Banks exchanged first-team reps, and while Flott getting the first look seems notable, none of it will matter until late August when final roster decisions have to be made.
Banks was a bit handsy at times during the team's first full practice, but he did get in the way of a potential touchdown pass to Nabers.
Deonte Banks knocks a Russell Wilson fade to Malik Nabers incomplete at Giants camp pic.twitter.com/FSO32allU7
It seems inevitable that Banks ultimately wins the starting job, but after an ugly sophomore campaign, it's clear the Giants want him to feel the pressure and earn the role.
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Preseason schemes are typically vanilla, so he wasn't being challenged to read a complex NFL defense. After a punt on his one drive against the Bills' starters, Dart's three scoring drives came against backups (of course, he was playing with the Giants' backups). And most importantly, preseason performance isn't predictive. If it were, Jones would still be the team's quarterback because his rookie preseason was immaculate — 29 of 34 for 416 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in four games. This is not meant to pour cold water on the enthusiasm generated by Dart's debut. It's intended only to add perspective. Perhaps Dart's debut will prove to be a precursor to a brilliant career that reverses the franchise's fortunes. Or maybe it will be long forgotten if he fails to develop into a franchise quarterback. It's too soon to know that answer. So all the Giants and their fans can do is appreciate the strong first impression and hope it's a first step toward a brighter future. 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