The New York Giants opened training camp this week at their headquarters in East Rutherford to high expectations.
Thankfully, the team was able to tie up some loose ends before arriving on Tuesday, with the most important one being the contract agreement with running back Saquon Barkley.
Barkley’s deal and arrival is just one of the seven early takeaways from Giants training camp so far.
Saquon Barkley returns without a hitch
Star running back Saquon Barkley signed a one-year deal with the team for a sliver over the franchise tag tender price (when you include incentives) of $10.091 million and reported to camp on time.
He basically agreed to play under the franchise tag but with two provisions: $2 million of the deal would be converted to a signing bonus and an additional $910k was tacked on in achievable incentives.
Barkley, although disappointed in how things transpired, said he “followed his heart”, saw the bigger picture and decided to report.
As a result, Barkley saved the Giants from a distraction they didn’t need and solidified himself as a core player and team-first guy.
Camp opened with a crowd on PUP
The Giants placed six players on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List at the outset of camp.
All six are rehabbing from knee injuries/surgeries: wide receivers Sterling Shepard and Wan’Dale Robinson, defensive linemen D.J. Davidson and A’Shawn Robinson, offensive lineman Marcus McKethan and defensive back Aaron Robinson.
Wide receiver Jamison Crowder (calf) was placed on the active/non-football injury (NFI) list. Veteran defensive lineman Vernon Butler was placed on the reserve/did not report list.
Darren Waller drops jaws early on
Darren Waller, the former Pro Bowl tight end the Giants obtained from the Las Vegas Raiders in a trade this offseason, is literally and physically standing out in camp.
The 6-foot-6 Waller is a “freak” who has been practically uncoverable in drills, both in the red zone and in the open field. He possesses a rare combination of size and speed that has his teammates and onlookers steeped in awe.
Wide receiver Darius Slayton described Waller as “a locomotive rolling real fast… ain’t nobody tackling that.’”
Safety Xavier McKinney said Waller has “great hands, can run routes like a regular wideout, can run all the routes. Pretty much can do everything.”
“Being as big as he is, you don’t see guys that big that can move like that,” McKinney said. “So, it makes him real special. It makes him a tough cover every time. When I am on him, it puts me on high alert. I have to be because I know that every play, he can get the ball.’’
@Rackkwall83 doing Waller things pic.twitter.com/4DJ3WWkYFp
— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) July 29, 2023
“I guess it’s for my size and my weight and I guess the way that I run and the multitude of routes I try to be able to be able to be comfortable running,’’ Waller said. “And a lot of guys don’t necessarily do that.’’
Daniel Jones has officially arrived
There’s been a lot of debate over whether or not the Giants made the right move by hitching their wagon to Jones with a four-year, $160 million deal.
So far in camp, Jones is showing why the Giants decided to reward their faith in him. He’s been outstanding in the practices, spreading the football around, moving well in the pocket, and yes, displaying accuracy on the deep ball.
The Daniel Jones deep pass to Darius Slayton pic.twitter.com/iCNXRlmQyz
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) July 28, 2023
Jones appears to be in fantastic physical condition and in complete control of the Giants’ offense as he enters Year 2 of the Brian Daboll/Mike Kafka era.
A deeper offensive line
The Giants are hoping nail down a solid five along the offensive line this summer and have more depth than in recent years to cull from.
The two starting tackle spots are spoken for — Andrew Thomas on the left and Evan Neal on the right — and the right guard job is Mark Glowinski’s until further notice.
That leaves two spots up for grabs: center and left guard.
Rookie John Michael Schmitz is expected to the be the eventual starter at center but he’s been sharing time with veterans Ben Bredeson and Shane Lemieux until he can get acclimated.
The guard spot has Bredeson and Lemieux in the mix, with second-year player Joshua Ezeudu. No matter who it turns out to be, they all have experience in the system which will add to the continuity of the line.
Defensive battles
Let the games begin, especially in the back seven.
At inside linebacker, the Giants are set with Bobby Okereke, but who will play next to him is wide open after the season-ending injury to Jarrad Davis.
Two second-year players, Micah McFadden and Darrian Beavers, are the frontrunners for the job. It should be interesting to see how this unfolds as the team is high on both.
It looks as if veteran Bobby McCain is the frontrunner to replace Julian Love at safety next to Xavier McKinney, but Jason Pinnock opened camp as the starter. Dane Belton is also getting a long look.
The corners are busy, too — Adoree’ Jackson will be a starter on the outside and the Giants hope that first-round pick, Deonte Banks, develops quickly enough to be the other starter come September.
Until then, we expect to see a heavy rotation on the outside and in the slot, and those competitors will include around six to eight players to see who emerges.
Time to win
The Giants were one of the worst teams in the NFL before Joe Schoen took over as general manager in January of 2022 and hired Brian Daboll as head coach. Big Blue had lost ten or more games in seven of the previous eight seasons.
Last season, the Giants finally broke through, finishing 9-7-1 and qualifying for the NFC Playoffs. They want to continue to be a winner, and eventually, champions.
“I don’t want to talk about building,” Pro Bowl defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence said this week.
“It’s more about doing at this point. Going into my fifth season, and I hate losing. I don’t really want to talk about building. I want to talk about what we are doing today to get better for tomorrow, and then that day leads into the season. You all can talk about building but our mindset is winning.”
