There are interesting things to watch at every position as the Giants begin practicing
New York Giants veteran players reported to training camp on Tuesday, with the first practice set for Wednesday morning at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, N.J. Below is a position-by-position look at some of the key things to watch for during the next few weeks as the Giants prepare for the 2025 NFL season.
Quarterback
So much to watch. How does the Russell Wilson-Malik Nabers combination look? We didn’t see it in the spring. Does Wilson’s summer give the Giants any reason to crack the door open for first-round pick Jaxson Dart? How do the Giants apportion the practice reps? Does Tommy DeVito get more than an occasional courtesy rep, which is what he got in the spring? After a promising, but far from perfect spring, does Dart continue to take steps forward in his eventual ascension to QB1?
Running back
There are expectations that there will be some form of time share between Tyrone Tracy and rookie Cam Skattebo. Will we get some hints what that might look like? Can Eric Gray or Dante Miller push veteran Devin Singletary off the roster?
Tight end
Fans watching practices will likely be interested in watching Theo Johnson as he returns from Lisfranc surgery. Johnson, though, practiced all spring and looked fine. The biggest thing I will be watching is the reps allotted to rookie seventh-round pick Thomas Fidone. After drawing praise during Tight End University recently, can Fidone earn a roster spot? Can he do it by knocking Daniel Bellinger off the roster?
Wide receiver
Will Malik Nabers be a full participant after missing spring practices with a toe issue, or will the Giants be careful with him? And, what might that mean if they are? Jalin Hyatt had a good spring, and what Wilson’s ability to throw the deep ball can do for his game was apparent. Can Hyatt earn a bigger role than the mostly non-existent one he had last season? How will the competition for the final few roster spots shake out?
Offensive line
The most important thing I will be watching is how well Andrew Thomas moves around, and how heavy his workload is. We did not see him on the field during the spring, and we rarely saw him even come out to watch practice. At his best, Thomas is one of the best left tackles in football. Can he stay healthy and return to that form?
Can Evan Neal take a starting guard spot away from Greg Van Roten? Who looks like they might be taking steps forward in the competition for the final couple of backup spots? The Giants have several options.
Defensive line
Do the Giants, with a deep and talented front seven, spend most of their time aligned with two true down defensive linemen or three? How does the depth chart play out? At least a couple of experienced players are going to be left off the roster. Who will they be?
Beyond Dexter Lawrence, I feel like the only locks to make the roster are rookie Darius Alexander and veteran Roy Robertson-Harris. There are arguments to be made for and against keeping several other players.
Edge
The big story, of course, will be watching how defensive coordinator Shane Bowen employs the troika of Abdul Carter, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Carter’s versatility will be a key to that. This will undoubtedly be a work in progress. I would expect to see Bowen be as creative as he can throughout the summer in an effort to figure out what alignments and personnel packages work best. Where does Chauncey Golston fit in the front seven?
Inside linebacker
What is the deal with Bobby Okereke? He finished last season on IR due to a herniated disc in his back, though he did avoid surgery. He looked healthy at the beginning of the spring, but we did not see him on the field for the final few practices media had access to. Did the back injury flare up? Did something else happen? It has to raise a red flag when a player begins spring workouts, then gets shut down. Will Okereke be on the field when practices begin?
Cornerback
Is there a real battle for a starting cornerback spot between Deonte Banks and Cor’Dale Flott, or are the Giants just saying there is in an effort to push Banks? As for depth, I have draftees Tre Hawkins and Korie Black earning the last two cornerback rosters spots, but I wouldn’t lay money on that. Art Green, Nic Jones and Dee Williams all have NFL experience.
Safety
Can Dane Belton force Bowen to consider increased usage of three-safety packages to get him on the field more often? If the Giants keep a fourth safety, who will it be? I can see any of Anthony Johnson, Raheem Layne, or undrafted rookie Makari Paige earning that spot.
Special teams
How healthy and reliable does 37-year-old placekicker Graham Gano look? He doesn’t have the range he once had, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a good kicker. Can anyone challenge Ihmir Smith-Marsette for the kickoff and punt return jobs? Can Bryce Ford-Wheaton hold off challenges from undrafted rookie Dalen Cambre and veteran Zach Pascal for a role as a primary player on coverage units?