Brian Daboll tries to cool down training camp hype surrounding Giants rookies
The New York Giants haven't been a good football team in quite a while, but fans have something to be excited about in this year's rookie class. New York drafted several big names this year in Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, and Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo, each of whom has been participating in Giants training camp over the last week.
However, one person who wants fans to temper their expectations and let things play out is none other than Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who recently got 100% real about the team's rookies during an interview with Kay Adams on the 'Up & Adams Show.'
'Well I mean we haven't had a padded practice yet. They haven't played in a game yet. So I certainly… they get coached pretty hard in the meetings, so they got a ways to go, but I'm happy with the guys we've got so far,' said Daboll.
Can the Giants turn a corner?
The Giants have been mired in ineptitude for several years, with 2022's playoff win ultimately turning out to be a flash in the pan.
Daboll has seen fans and pundits alike questioning his job security for the better part of the last year, and if the Giants don't show real improvement during the upcoming season, it's possible that his seat could grow too hot to sit on.
In addition to the infusion of youth that they acquired through the draft, the Giants also brought in some veteran talent this offseason, including most notably quarterback Russell Wilson. The future Hall of Famer figures to get the starting nod heading into the 2025-26 campaign, as Dart is viewed more so as a 'project' at this early stage of his career.
Competing in the NFC East, which featured last year's two NFC Championship Game contestants, certainly won't make life easy for the Giants, but for a fanbase as starved as this one, any improvement will be reason for optimism.
The Giants will take the field for the first time this regular season on September 7 against the Washington Commanders.
Related: Giants' Jameis Winston was forced to confess over stolen crab legs by FSU officials
Related: Giants' Jameis Winston raves about Jaxson Dart's aura
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
34 minutes ago
- USA Today
ESPN analyst ranks New York Giants' coaching staff dead last in NFL
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll was named the NFL's Coach of the Year in 2022, his first season on the job. The Giants finished at 9-7-1, their first winning season in six years, and qualified for a playoff berth. The Giants appeared to be on their way to a new era of prosperity. It was not meant to be. Injuries and poor play at quarterback led to two dismal seasons and a cumulative 9-25 record. Daboll went from promising coach of the future to almost getting fired. But Giants co-owner John Mara decided to display some patience and keep Daboll on. He had hired and fired three other coaches since 2015, trying to replace Tom Coughlin, and all had failed. The football world is well aware of the Giants' woes. Big Blue has not fared well in national polls, and rightfully so. In a recent ranking of NFL coaching staffs by ESPN's Ben Solak, the Giants finished dead last. While the offensive brain trust of Daboll and Kafka has yet to string together multiple seasons of above-average offense, there are pockets of innovation. It's not much to hang a hat on, but if and when we see Jaxson Dart this season at quarterback, I expect the team to have some smart, easy ways to get him into a rhythm and involved in the running game. I can at least see the visions in New York, even if the plane often struggles to get off the ground. I have a warmer appreciation for Bowen, who is always willing to get creative with alignment and coverages to solve personnel problems on the back end. The 2024 Giants' defense was definitely poor, but they have overhauled the secondary and added to the pass rush this offseason, so I'm happy reserving a stronger judgment for Year 2. As it is, the best defensive season for Bowen was with the 2022 Titans, which was just above a league-average unit. Of course, Daboll's best seasons came with the much-improved Josh Allen at the helm in Buffalo -- otherwise, his best work was the 2022 season with Daniel Jones, which was also a league-average unit. And again, critically, was not sustained, developed or iterated on. It's tough to believe in a high ceiling with the Giants' current staff. Daboll can be blamed for a lot here. Even though he's got five Super Bowl rings as an assistant and a college national championship to his credit, he's been an under-performing head coach. He knows it, too. He's been fine-tuning his staff and concentrating on being less of a micro-manager. The criticism of Kafka isn't really fair. He didn't have playcalling responsibilities last year, and injuries forced him to start four different players at quarterback. The offensive line was again a mess, and points were hard to come by. Bowen was in the first year on the job, and his approach was a big contrast to that of his predecessor, Wink Martindale. Injuries to his best two players (Dexter Lawrence, Bobby Okereke) didn't help.
USA Today
34 minutes ago
- USA Today
New York Giants' Jameis Winston explains his character transformation
Many didn't know what to expect when the New York Giants announced they were signing free agent quarterback Jameis Winston to a two-year, $8 million deal this past March. Winston, the former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, has had a rollercoaster of a career as a pro, first with Tampa Bay and then with New Orleans and Cleveland. He's had a load of highs, but he's had as many lows as well. The Giants were signing him as a backup to another veteran addition, 10-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson, after several years of uncertainty under center. General manager Joe Schoen wanted stability at the quarterback position. So, why was Schoen bringing in Winston of all people? He had a reputation for erratic behavior on and off the field. It turns out Winston is no longer the young derring-doer who plays and lives by the seat of his pants. He is a stable veteran who has learned a great deal of what to do and what not to do in this league. In a recent interview with Ryan Clark of The Pivot, Winston explains that he has changed over time and is now a much mature, intelligent, and responsible person. "I literally just changed through patience," said Winston. "Not being a person who reacts to certain situations but learning how to respond and letting things play out in front of me." Winston is the perfect bridge between Wilson and rookie Jaxson Dart. He knows why he's here and has embraced his role. He is ready to jump in and spell Wilson, and mentor Dart at the same time. "I tell him it's one day at a time. The NFL is the only league where yesterday and tomorrow literally don't matter," Winston told reporters this week at the Giants' training camp. "Even practices, like there have been times where you could be -- I feel like Week 1 is always the funniest week because in Week 1, you have so many people be like, 'This team is about to win a Super Bowl.' And then the next week they lose, 'Oh, that team sucks. That team is a pretender.' "Like all that different type of stuff and I tell him all of the time, 'Hey man, it's a new day. Be grateful for it. Be glad and rejoice in it.' Because literally, that's the NFL. One play at a time, one day at a time, and that's all you can focus on." Winston said that. He knows because he's made all of the mistakes. But he's learned from them and now the Giants and Dart are benefiting.
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
Pete Alonso snaps 0-fer slump with home run in Mets' loss
Access the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. Try it free Pete Alonso has been a part of the offensive malaise the Mets have been stuck in, with the first baseman having entered Friday's series opener against the Giants stuck in an 0-for-17 skid. But Alonso sparked the Mets lineup in the seventh inning of a 4-3, 10-inning loss at Citi Field. After striking out in each of his first two at-bats of the night against left-hander Robbie Ray, Alonso led off the bottom of the seventh. With the Mets trailing by three runs and having not scored since Tuesday, Alonso proceeded to belt his 23rd homer of the season. It cut the Mets' deficit to two runs and the shot to right-center was only the Mets' third hit of the night versus Ray. The homer was also just Alonso's second homer in his past 18 games. It left Alonso three home runs away from Darryl Strawberry's franchise record 252. Alonso followed it up an inning later with a game-tying sacrifice fly. Following Ray's departure after seven innings, the Mets got to San Francisco's bullpen. Pete Alonso belts a solo homer in the seventh inning of the Mets' 4-3, 10-inning loss to the Giants on Aug. 1, 2025. Robert Sabo / New York Post Brandon Nimmo walked and Francisco Lindor singled to set up Juan Soto's run-scoring hit that ended up in short left field to make it 3-2, with runners on the corners. Alonso's fly ball to center scored Lindor to tie the game at 3-3. But after Ronny Mauricio's pinch-hit walk, Brett Baty — hitting for Mark Vientos — grounded out to keep the game tied. Pete Alonso hits a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning of the Mets' loss to the Giants. Robert Sabo / New York Post Alonso also walked. 'There were some good signs from Pete today,' Carlos Mendoza said. 'When I get out of my plan, I chase off-speed [pitches],'' Alonso said. 'I chased some heaters tonight, but laid off the breaking stuff.' The Mets have to hope Alonso's 414-foot, 110-mph home run — and the 108-mph sac fly off ex-teammate José Buttó — help get him going given he was just 5-for-60 with 19 strikeouts entering the game, part of a heart of the lineup that has been struggling. Lindor entered just 9-for-63 with 19 strikeouts in his previous 14 games, while Soto was in a 4-for-37 rut before his RBI hit in the eighth. Delivering insights on all things Amazin's Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters Alonso, of course, helped carry the Mets offense for much of the first month of the season while Soto got his footing in Queens. Only the Phillies' Kyle Schwarber has driven in more runs in the National League this season than Alonso, who is looking to get the Mets going down the stretch. 'This is what you play for,'' Alonso said. 'This is what it's all about.'
