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New York Times
an hour ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Giants camp takeaways: Jaxson Dart growing pains; Russell Wilson locked in on Malik Nabers
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — This is the time of the year when it's important to issue a disclaimer not to overreact to training camp practices. We follow that up, of course, by overanalyzing every rep from every practice. With that in mind, here's everything that happened in the New York Giants' first practice of camp: RB Eric Gray (knee), LT Andrew Thomas (foot) and OLB Victor Dimukeje (pec) were the only players not spotted at practice. Gray and Thomas landed on the physically unable to perform list, while Dimukeje is on the non-football injury list. Advertisement General manager Joe Schoen said Thomas 'should be ready for the opener,' but left some wiggle room. 'Again, things change,' Schoen said. 'You can never be 100%, but we're going to take it day by day with him.' The Giants appeared to make it through the first practice of camp unscathed. The only player on a noticeable pitch count was defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, who dislocated his elbow last November. Lawrence rotated in for a few reps in team periods after being limited to individual drills during the spring. Lawrence said his recovery will be a 'day-by-day' process. This section was a spotlight on all four quarterbacks during the spring, but it makes sense to shift the focus to the player who is going to be the center of attention this summer: First-round pick Jaxson Dart. Dart's development will be the most important development to monitor, although his timeline won't be rushed. Coach Brian Daboll reaffirmed that veteran Russell Wilson is the team's starting quarterback. There's no plan for an open competition to allow Dart to seize the job in camp. Instead, he'll be given time to learn and grow behind Wilson. There will surely be growing pains within that process, as Dart's first pass in team periods on Tuesday demonstrated. Jaxson Dart's first 11-on-11 pass was intercepted by Nic Jones. Jones took Dart to the house for six two plays later 😳 🎥 @ — The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) July 23, 2025 The quarterback dropped back and stared down tight end Greg Dulcich running a curl route on the left side of the field. Slot cornerback Nic Jones read Dart the whole way and jumped the pass, intercepting it and taking it the other way for a touchdown. Dart told The Athletic's Ian O'Connor after practice that he saw Jones but thought he could beat the corner with the throw. Advertisement 'Obviously, going back, you want to try to put it a little on the outside shoulder,' Dart said. '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.' Dart responded two plays later by fielding a low snap, taking a step to his right and quickly pivoting back to his left before flipping a pass to tight end Theo Johnson for a short touchdown. That was the lone highlight for Dart on the first day of camp. Rookie QB Jaxson Dart's first 11-on-11 TD of training camp went to TE Theo Johnson #giants — Charlotte Carroll (@charlottecrrll) July 23, 2025 The rookie completed 1-of-5 passes in 11-on-11 periods with the full team. He held the ball extensively on a few dropbacks, which is indicative of his indecisiveness as he learns the offense. Daboll instituted a period for young players late in the practice, which he's done sporadically in previous camps. Dart completed his lone attempt to undrafted rookie wide receiver Beaux Collins during that period. He also fumbled a snap from under center. Dart's comfort taking snaps from center will bear monitoring since he worked almost exclusively from the shotgun in college. Dart slipped in for Wilson on one first-team rep, throwing an incompletion intended for wide receiver Darius Slayton. Otherwise, Dart rotated with Jameis Winston as the No. 2 quarterback. • All team 11-on-11 periods were conducted in the red zone, which is by design to avoid any muscle strains from players sprinting long distances on the first day of camp. Wide receiver Malik Nabers was targeted on seven of Wilson's 15 attempts, although they only connected for three completions. Nabers made an excellent leaping catch over cornerback Deonte Banks on a fade for a touchdown. Banks had previously forced an incompletion with tight coverage on an underthrown end-zone fade to Nabers. Malik Nabers vs. Deonte Banks #giants — Charlotte Carroll (@charlottecrrll) July 23, 2025 Practice finished with Wilson hitting Nabers for a touchdown on a slant route with Cor'Dale Flott in coverage. That was a situational period with the offense trailing by four points and having a second-and-4 from the 7-yard line. After Wilson threw a pass away while targeting Nabers, he came back with the touchdown on the slant. Advertisement Nabers was a full participant in practice after spending the entire spring rehabilitating a nagging toe injury. Nabers said he expects to manage the toe during training camp and didn't rule out surgery at some point, but he said he feels good now. • It can be challenging to track the depth chart during team periods because players are shuffled so frequently. It's more telling when the units separate for walk-through install periods. These players were with the starting offense during an install period: QB Russell Wilson, RB Tyrone Tracy, RB Devin Singletary, RB Cam Skattebo, WR Malik Nabers, WR Darius Slayton, WR Wan'Dale Robinson, TE Theo Johnson, TE Chris Manhertz, TE Daniel Bellinger, LT James Hudson, LG Jon Runyan, C John Michael Schmitz, RG Greg Van Roten, RT Jermaine Eluemunor, OT Marcus Mbow and OG Jake Kubas. • Van Roten was the first-team right guard for the bulk of practice, with Kubas and Evan Neal each playing one period at right guard with the starters. Hudson served as the first-team left tackle in Thomas' place. Mbow worked at both tackle spots with the second-team offense. • Fourth-string quarterback Tommy DeVito was limited to just three reps in 11-on-11 periods. He took two additional reps in the period for young players. It's going to be hard to justify carrying a fourth quarterback throughout camp, especially when the three QBs ahead of DeVito are new to the system and need reps. • The competition for the No. 2 cornerback job appears legitimate. Flott was the starter opposite Paulson Adebo for the first 7-on-7 period of practice. Flott and Banks rotated throughout practice, with Flott on the field for the final situational period. It would be best for the Giants if the more talented Banks wins the job, but they likely feel the need to make him earn it after his performance and attitude were disappointing last season. Advertisement • Okereke, who suffered a season-ending back injury last year, participated in almost every period after missing the final four open practices of the spring. Darius Muasau was the next inside linebacker up alongside Micah McFadden when Okereke sat out on Tuesday. • Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka served as the play caller, as was the case all spring. Kafka's Kansas City roots were evident on a few play designs in the red zone. Dart learned a valuable lesson on the interception, while Jones turned heads with his good read and ability to finish the play with a takeaway. Jones broke into the open field after intercepting the pass, setting off a celebration with defensive teammates. 'Yesterday, I challenged the defense. They want to talk about our D-line and all this, but we haven't done anything yet. We have to come out here every day and improve and get better and challenge each other and just work and be critical and be coachable.' — DL Dexter Lawrence "As a leader, I try to challenge everybody to prove themselves every day. They want to talk about our D-Line, but we ain't done anything yet." – Dexter Lawrence — Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) July 23, 2025 The Giants will conduct their second training camp practice at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday. The session is open to fans. (Photo of Nabers: Julian Leshay Guadalupe / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
USA Today
6 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
New York Giants expect Andrew Thomas to be ready by Week 1
The New York Giants placed left tackle Andrew Thomas on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list to start training camp, and he may linger there for the next several weeks. Thomas continues to recover from a Lisfranc injury that limited him to just six games a season ago, but the Giants aren't overly concerned with his Week 1 status. While they intend to bring him along slowly, they are optimistic he'll be ready to start against the Washington Commanders. "Yeah, he should be ready for the opener," general manager Joe Schoen told reporters on Wednesday. "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." Although Schoen and the coaching staff are optimistic about Thomas' status, he made no promises about a Week 1 return. "I'm feeling good. Just taking my time with it. Don't really have a projection right now, but doing everything that the trainers are telling me and hopefully, I am ready to go," Thomas told the Giants Huddle podcast in the spring. "(Week 1) is the goal, but we try not to make any predictions. Just trying to get ready." Thomas still has two months to recover and rehab before the games count, and that would put him at roughly 11 months post-surgery.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Giants news, 7/23: Andrew Thomas starts on PUP list, Malik Nabers, K'Von Wallace, more headlines
Good morning, New York Giants fans! From Big Blue View Andrew Thomas placed on PUP list by New York Giants Malik Nabers debuts at No. 67 on the NFL's Top 100 list What to look for during Giants training camp, position-by-position New York Giants signing veteran safety K'Von Wallace Pre-training camp NFL power rankings: New York Giants still near the bottom Former Giant edge defender Lorenzo Carter is retiring Survey: Which camp battle are you looking forward to? Other Giant observations The Giants finished tied for eighth in sacks last season and were on pace for more – and possibly make history in the process – before injuries to Lawrence and Thibodeaux. They doubled and tripled down on the defensive front with drafting Carter third overall and Darius Alexander in the third round. That was after they had already signed veterans Chauncey Golston, Roy Robertson-Harris, and Jeremiah Ledbetter in free agency. Sacks alone don't lead to wins. That's why defensive coordinator Shane Bowen is emphasizing takeaways (see: turnover chest), where the Giants had the fifth-fewest in the league in 2024. That's where Paulson Adebo and Jevón Holland, newcomers in the secondary, come into play. If the defense can steal some possessions for the offense, which in turn capitalizes on them, then that is a tried-and-true formula to be in every game. By the end of his record-breaking rookie season, Malik Nabers practically had highlight-starved Giants fans chanting 'One. More. Catch.' And begging him to come back onto the field. The true encore performance begins Tuesday, when the Giants report for training camp and all eyes return to a burgeoning summer tradition of seeing what circus catches Nabers can make on the practice field. Keep an eye on: Mike Kafka reclaiming playcalling. It has kind of flown under the radar, but it will be interesting to see what the Giants' offense looks like with Kafka seemingly destined to call plays again. This comes after Daboll served as the offensive playcaller last year when New York finished 31st in points per game and owner John Mara suggested after the season it might be best for the head coach to give that up. Kafka, who had the responsibility the previous two seasons, called plays this spring. How much different will the offense look with him reinstalled as the playcaller? Will it last, or will Daboll call a last-minute audible and reclaim the reins? Something to keep an eye on throughout the summer. As for differences, I'm once again left questioning why more wasn't done to upgrade the offensive line, particularly in the draft. The significant departure from my plan and Schoen's actions was trading up for Dart late in the first round. That wasn't a strong consideration in February when trading for Stafford or taking Sanders with the No. 3 pick were viewed as more realistic outcomes. I would have liked the picks from the Dart trade to be used on the trenches. I would have been comfortable waiting until next year to go all in at quarterback. However, I understand why this regime took the plunge, given the current state of affairs. Schoen and coach Brian Daboll have confidence that Dart will save their jobs and turn the franchise around. Everything about the Giants' offseason plan hinges on how Dart pans out. Right guard: Greg Van Roten vs. Evan Neal If Evan Neal had any shot of being the next tackle-to-guard success story, the Giants would have moved him there two seasons ago. He's not winning the job over Van Roten, who started 17 games last season. 8. John Michael Schmitz, C. Schmitz has shown incremental progress over his first two seasons, so that's positive. But has the former second-round pick out of Minnesota done enough to cement his place as a foundational piece up front? That's certainly up for debate entering a pivotal third year. He's not a dominant physical presence, at least not consistently, and has had trouble with powerful interior defenders. At this point, Schmitz needs to establish himself as a player the Giants can count on to be a constant. He's not there yet, as neck and ankle injuries cut his 2024 campaign short in Week 15, and veteran Greg Van Roten looms as someone who could step in as a placeholder at center if Schmitz does not emerge as the linchpin Schoen and Daboll drafted him to be. Russell Wilson vs. Jameis Winston vs. Jaxson Dart. THE PICK: Wilson. I think Daboll sticks with the veteran to open the season, particularly given Big Blue's slate in the first month: at Commanders, at Cowboys, vs. Chiefs, vs. Chargers. But when things go sideways and the fan base starts clamoring for Dart, Daboll turns to the rookie in hopes he shows enough flashes to prolong the coach's tenure in New York. I get the impression that Giants head coach Brian Daboll has set up a Mortal Kombat–esque ladder for first-round pick Jaxson Dart to climb during training camp: If Dart can show that he's able to balance taking care of the ball with taking chances within the structure of Daboll's offense, he can pass Jameis Winston on the depth chart and become the backup. If Dart can navigate the pocket efficiently and solve problems with his playmaking, then perhaps there's a chance that he could take the starting job from Russell Wilson. Bet: RB Cam Skattebo — Over 3.5 rushing touchdowns (-115). Even though Skattebo will share the backfield with Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary, he will play a crucial role in the Giants' short-yardage offense. Tracy and Singletary struggled to score near the goal line last season. Conversely, Skattebo excelled in goal-to-go situations over the past two seasons in college, having converted 22 touchdowns, tied for the second most in the FBS. Around the league Micah Parsons at first Cowboys practice, but appears to be 'hold in' situation | Blogging The Boys Cowboys sign edge rusher James Houston | Pro Football Talk Terry McLaurin doesn't report to camp while waiting for a contract extension | Pro Football Talk Philadelphia Eagles 2025 training camp preview | Report: Eagles sign veteran edge rusher ahead of training camp | Bleeding Green Nation Matthew Stafford dealing with sore back at start of Rams training camp | Hendrickson won't report to Bengals camp amid contract stalemate | James Cook will reportedly attend Bills training camp amid contract negotiations, RB seeks lucrative extension | Stefon Diggs cleared to fully participate in Patriots training camp after ACL tear | The Athletic Bears CB Jaylon Johnson will miss 'a few weeks' due to offseason leg injury | Packers agree to 4-year, $88 million extension with OT Zach Tom | The Athletic Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu retiring after 12 seasons | Jets unveil renovated locker room that includes 92 new lockers, barbershop | BBV mailbag Have a Giants-related question? E-mail it to bigblueview@ and it might be featured in our weekly mailbag. BBV YouTube You can find and subscribe to Big Blue View YouTube from the show's home page BBV on X: Follow @BigBlueView | Ed Valentine: @Valentine_Ed | Threads: @ | Bluesky: @edvalentine BBV on Facebook: Click here to like the Big Blue View Facebook page BBV on YouTube: Subscribe to the Big Blue View YouTube channel BBV on Instagram: Click here to follow our Instagram page More from 'Things are looking up' for Darian Thompson — report Giants take LB Zach Cunningham in latest MTD mock draft 2017 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC NFL Draft: Is TE David Njoku right pick at 23 for the Giants? New York Giants news, 4/17: 2015 draft do-over, Odell Beckham, more Offseason workouts begin Tuesday for New York Giants Bill Belichick's draft rules: 'Smart, tough, dependable' players
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Andrew Thomas placed on PUP list by New York Giants
Star left tackle Andrew Thomas, recovering from Lisfranc surgery that limited his 2024 season to six games, has been placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list by the New York Giants on the eve of 2025 training camp. Running back Eric Gray, competing for a spot as a backup, will also begin training camp on PUP. He has a knee injury. Players on PUP to begin training camp count against the 90-man roster, but cannot practice until they are removed from the list. The Giants also made a pair of other moves. Edge defender Victor Dimukeje, who suffered a pectoral injury during the offseason, has been placed on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list. Safety Anthony Johnson (failed physical) was waived, making room on the roster for safety K'Von Wallace, signed earlier on Tuesday. The health of Thomas, who has missed 18 games with injuries the past two seasons, is critical for the Giants. Over the past two years, the Giants are 6-10 with Thomas in the lineup, 3-15 without him. The Giants signed James Hudson in free agency as depth for Thomas, and also selected offensive lineman Marcus Mbow in Round 5. There is, though, no way the Giants offensive line can be at its best without Thomas. We will see how long this lasts. More from 'Things are looking up' for Darian Thompson — report Giants take LB Zach Cunningham in latest MTD mock draft 2017 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC NFL Draft: Is TE David Njoku right pick at 23 for the Giants? New York Giants news, 4/17: 2015 draft do-over, Odell Beckham, more Offseason workouts begin Tuesday for New York Giants Bill Belichick's draft rules: 'Smart, tough, dependable' players
Toronto Star
a day ago
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Giants put tackle Andrew Thomas on PUP list, sign safety K'Von Wallace on eve of training camp
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Starting left tackle Andrew Thomas will open New York Giants training camp on the physically unable to perform list as he works back from surgery in October to repair a Lisfranc injury in his right foot. Thomas, 26, was not on the field during offseason workouts. Going on the PUP list, along with running back Eric Gray, means Thomas is not ready to practice but can be activated at any time before cutdown day in late August to be eligible to play this season.
