In about a month, the NY Giants will make their way to East Rutherford for the start of training camp. It’s amazing how fast time is flying, but before you know it, the preseason and regular season will get here too. General manager Joe Schoen has worked overtime to try and get this team back to a competitive level.
With OTAs and minicamp wrapped up too, we’re starting to get a clearer look at how this team might be able to perform in 2024. With that said, there are four things in particular that have stood out about this squad with Week 1 sneaking up on us:
4. This is going to be the Daniel Jones show in 2024
Some of you aren’t going to like this, but Daniel Jones is going to be the starter for this team against the Vikings to open the year, and hopefully for the rest of the campaign. Early on this offseason, people were waiting for the Giants to replace Jones. With Drew Lock signed, the assumption was he could push for the QB1 job – that’s not going to happen.
Then in late April, the assumption was that Schoen would trade up into the Top 3 to grab Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye. The NFL Draft passed by and no QB was taken. Schoen wanted to go after Maye, but things didn’t fall into place for him. Because of this, the Giants have to go all-in on Danny Dimes for 2024 and hope he can finally put everything together.
It’s not the situation that most fans wanted, but you’ve got to move forward with the cards you’ve been dealt. Jones has an improved offensive line and arguably the best wideout from the 2024 class (more on that later in this piece) now ready to make plays for him. Jones is going to be put in a position to succeed. Only time will tell if he does or not.
3. Malik Nabers is going to be a stud for the Giants offense
It’s hard to contain your excitment when it comes to wide receiver Malik Nabers. For what seems like forever, the Giants have needed a WR1 for this offense and Jones. Nabers was taken with the No. 6 overall pick and he has been impressing with some pretty great grabs this offseason. Yes, there’s a difference between practice and games, but Nabers is still looking sharp:
Malik Nabers 👀 pic.twitter.com/RpXXQxr282
— 32BeatWriters (@32BeatWriters) June 6, 2024
Come Week 1, everyone is going to be keeping a close eye on this kid. In order for this offense to start humming, Daboll will need Nabers to play beyond his years. With the LSU connection, it’s easy for people to compare him to Odell Beckham Jr., who will go down as one of the best NY wideouts of all time.
So, how did OBJ do for the Giants during his rookie season? Back in 2014, Beckham was a Pro Bowler after catching 91 balls for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns. Are we expecting those same kind of numbers from Nabers? Absolutely not, but if he can top 1,000 yards and be a downfield threat for Jones, we’ll gladly sign up for that.
2. Analysts think the Giants are in for another nightmare season
We’re trying to stay positive about the Giants’ chances of impressing in 2024, but not a lot of other people are in the same boat. If you take a look at a wide range of season projections, plenty of analysts think the G-Men are going to be in for another long season. Some believe a fourth-place finish in the division will be on the way.
Plenty of early mock drafts have the Giants earning another Top 10 pick, with Pro Football Network’s latest mock having NY with the No. 2 spot – they then have the Giants sending a package to the Panthers for the No. 1 pick. We’re not saying an NFC East title is on the way, but could the Giants somehow sneak into the playoffs?
That’s what a lot of people want to see out of Daboll’s men. Throughout the fall and winter, though, countless folks are going to keep doubting the Giants. The addition of Brian Burns for the pass-rush should make a massive difference, while the changes for the offensive line should make people forget about the 85 sacks allowed in ’23. Despite that, the picture has been painted that the Giants are going to look awful for the second consecutive campaign. That’s rough.
1. The new-look offensive line could make or break the season
Speaking of the offensive line, position coach Carmen Bricillo might be the most important member of Daboll’s staff this campaign. Bobby Johnson was fired the day after the regular season came to a close, a move that people had been calling for. Johnson wasn’t getting the job done for Daboll, plain and simple.
Now, Bricillo has made his way over from Las Vegas and he’s going to be tasked with getting his guys up front to play at a strong level. It’s going to make a huge difference on whether or not Jones can bounce back. The additions of Jon Runyan Jr. and Jermaine Eluemunor should make a huge difference on the inside. On the outside, what can we expect from Evan Neal?
The play of the third-year right tackle is easily going to be one of the biggest concerns this season. Neal, who didn’t play well during his rookie year, took a step back in ’23. This feels like his last chance to prove he’s the guy on the other side of the line from Andrew Thomas. He was banged up (ankle) during offseason work, but the hope is he can be at 100 percent for camp. His health is going to be something to monitor over the next couple of months.
