Giants news, 7/4: Key year upcoming for John Michael Schmitz, Malik Nabers, Lawrence Taylor, more headlines

NFL: New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers — Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

New York Giants headlines for July 4th

Good morning, New York Giants fans! Happy Fourth of July! As Ed always says on his podcast, “stay safe out there.”

From Big Blue View

Other Giant observations

Safety-Blanket WRs: Highest target rates when QB is under pressure | PFF

6. Malik Nabers, New York Giants: 19.1% Threat Rate. Last year’s sixth-overall draft pick saw 41 targets with his quarterback under duress last season, the most for a rookie receiver since 2020. Nabers and Ladd McConkey were the only rookies to be targeted more than 25 times in such situations, and Nabers also tied McConkey with 24 catches. He finished with 311 receiving yards, 16 first downs and four touchdown catches. Nabers also ranked eighth in yards after the catch (79) and yards after contact (35) and generated the fourth-best deep target rate (31.7%) in pressure situations.

Malik Nabers takes a spin with NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Malik Nabers trying to stay cool in a corvette with Dale Earnhardt Jr going 130mph

Via Bleacher Report pic.twitter.com/LTZJ6xpHM3

— Talkin’ Giants (@TalkinGiants) July 2, 2025

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New Stat Underscores Key Area for NY Giants’ Offense to Improve | SI.com

Gridiron Intelligence data showed that the Giants ranked in the bottom five league-wide in both passing to their tight ends and converting on third down. Of the Giants’ 232 third-down conversion attempts last year, 180 were pass attempts. The Giants’ tight ends were targeted just 19 times on third down, catching 12 such passes. Theo Johnson and Daniel Bellinger both converted just two third-down pass conversions apiece. Bellinger’s two conversions came on plays needing three or fewer yards, whereas Johnson’s two came on third-downs needing 6+ yards.

25 Questions in 25 Days: Draft picks to watch past Round 1 | Giants.com

Thomas Fidone II, the young tight end that displayed great athleticism throughout the spring. Fidone was the top tight end recruit coming out of high school, ahead of Brock Bowers, before back-to-back ACL injures derailed the start of his collegiate career. Now fully healthy, Fidone showed some flashes of that potential with some impressive grabs during the spring.

The best NFL draft pick ever at every slot from No. 1 to 262 | ESPN.com

2. Lawrence Taylor, OLB (1981). The best defensive player of all time is also the best second overall pick of all time. Taylor is one of two defensive players to ever win league MVP (in 1986, joining defensive tackle Alan Page in 1971), and that rarefied air all but cements him over contenders such as Marshall Faulk, Julius Peppers and Calvin Johnson. Modern contenders such as Von Miller, Saquon Barkley and Nick Bosa are excellent in their time but don’t hold a candle to L.T., who finished his 13-year career with 142 sacks.

40. Michael Strahan, DE (1993). I really wanted to pick Thurman Thomas here — an MVP winner at running back whose number is retired in Buffalo. But Strahan’s 22.5-sack season in 2001, his final-season performance in the Giants’ magical Super Bowl XLII run … it’s just too tough to argue against.

56. Osi Umenyiora, DE (2003). Umenyiora wasn’t consistently dominant, but his peaks made him the pick at No. 56. In the 2007 Super Bowl season, Umenyiora was quieter in the postseason but excellent in the regular season, with 13 sacks and a Pro Bowl. In the 2011 Super Bowl season, he was quieter in the regular season but dominant in the playoffs — 3.5 sacks over four games. Key roles in big seasons can make the difference in this exercise.

Outside the top 100: 105. Harry Carson, LB (1976), 160. David Diehl, G (2003), 207. Jessie Armstead, LB (1993), 211. David Tyree, WR (2003), and 221. Billy Ard, G (1981)

“If you have good players, it helps everybody…And that is what Abdul is”

OLB Coach Charlie Bullen is excited to add Abdul Carter to the squad

The Drive : https://t.co/A9klfMxCUU pic.twitter.com/okZu9wgOyh

— New York Giants (@Giants) July 3, 2025

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2025 NFL Offensive Line Rankings, All 32 Teams | Sharp Football Analysis

29. New York Giants. Along the offensive line, the Giants have moved out of the last spot in our rankings up to 29. LT Andrew Thomas was limited to just six games in 2024 and has yet to follow up on his outstanding 2022 season.

Ranking Each of the 25 Super Bowl Winners From the 21st Century | Bleacher Report

25. 2011 New York Giants Pros: Behind a legendary pass rush, they dethroned the Patriots for the second time in a four-year span.

Cons: They are the only team on this list with just nine regular-season wins and a negative scoring margin (minus-6). Despite that pass rush, only the 2018 Patriots gave up more yards per play (5.62), and Jason Pierre-Paul was their only first-team All-Pro.

24. 2007 New York Giants Pros: They slayed the then-18-0 Patriots in one of the biggest upsets in NFL history.

Cons: They were only one win better than the 2011 team at 10-6, and their plus-22 regular-season scoring margin ranks second-last among the 25 teams on this list. They were also a horrendous 1-5 against teams with winning records, and they outscored their four playoff opponents by just 20 total points. They had just one Pro Bowler (Osi Umenyiora) and no first-team All-Pros.Around the league