The Giants returned to the practice field Thursday following a scheduled off day.

After two consecutive padded practices earlier in the week, the team was in shells today for a nearly two-hour session.

Head coach Brian Daboll spoke to reporters before practice, followed by tight end Daniel Bellinger, cornerback Dru Phillips, and wide receiver Beaux Collins after.

A familiar face donned the sideline for the second straight practice, as two-time Super Bowl champion head coach Tom Coughlin returned to watch the team train.

Here is what we learned.

Bellinger: Giants TE legends 'set the standard'

The Giants have had some talented players line up at tight end over the franchise's first 100 seasons. From Mark Bavaro to Jeremy Shockey, when fans think of Giants tight ends, a certain level of grit tends to rise to the top of the mind.

When it comes to the Giants' 2025 tight ends room, the unit is looking to honor those legends that came before them. Not only that, but the group aims to turn back the clock and remind fans of that smash-mouth type of tight end play that many across the NFL have moved away from.

"There's definitely a history," Bellinger told reporters about tight ends in New York. "Shockey, Bavaro, even Kevin Boss, these guys that were here before us. They set the standard of what a tight end is. A lot of it is gritty, hand in the dirt, getting it out of the mud, gritty tight ends. And the new NFL, I guess, for tight ends is a little bit different nowadays. But at the same time, we have to bring that style to the New York Giants, to New York, and show them that we are a gritty tight end group, but we can also make plays, big plays, too, in the pass game."

Heading into Year 4, Bellinger is now one of the more senior members of the tight ends room. The 24-year-old has made some plays over the first week of training camp, including a touchdown catch from Russell Wilson on Tuesday. The veteran has liked what he's seen from his room over the first week of camp, but knows the group still has a ways to go.

"We're doing a lot better," said Bellinger. "There's a lot of things that we need to work on as a whole group. I think we've taken a lot of lengthy strides and taken big steps in both the pass game and run game. Russ and the offense is being tied in, so we're getting some more opportunities and we're taking advantage of them."

Phillips has 'made a big jump' in Year 2

One of the reasons why the Giants' 2024 draft class has garnered plenty of praise over the last year is because of the play of cornerback Dru Phillips. The third-round pick played in 14 games with six starts last season and totaled 71 tackles (46 solo), including seven tackles for loss, along with one interception, one sack and two forced fumbles. At the end of the season, Pro Football Focus ranked Phillips among the top 10 cornerbacks in the NFL. We may still be just over a month away from the start of the regular season, but Daboll has already seen improvements from the young slot corner.

"He's made a big jump from year one to year two, just the overall communication in that area in particular," his head coach said. "I think he's got a lot of confidence right now. He's a good football player. He's got a lot of physical traits that help him play that spot that he plays. It's the nickel position and you're part defensive back and at times part linebacker. He's tough but I would say his communication and his process of how he does things and he's taken a good step and we need him to. He's a good football player for us and I think the addition of (safety Jevon) Holland back there along with (safety Tyler) Nubin, and the communication with those three guys who – you have to communicate a lot in those three positions, but he's done a nice job with that, improving that area of his game."

As Daboll mentioned, one area in which the 23-year-old has shown significant growth in is his communication. A big factor in that improvement from Phillips is some of the new guys around him in the defensive backs room.

Phillips credited the veteran additions of Holland and cornerback Paulson Adebo for helping to raise the football IQ of everyone in the DB room, especially him and Nubin.

"These past two weeks, (we) got a more comfortable, especially bringing in Von and Adebo. They already know half the checks that are going to happen pre snap so you kind of just play along and it's flowing a lot better right now..." Phillips said. "It's helped out a lot. You bring in a veteran presence in both of them and they're really impressive in the classroom as well as out here. For guys like me and Nub that are going into year two, we need those types of guys still around us and to help guide us."

Daboll: 'I'm excited to see' Collins grow

With Malik Nabers not participating in team drills during the spring, the team's young wideouts were given expanded opportunities to show the coaching staff what they can do. One player that took the opportunity and ran with it was Beaux Collins, who has carried his strong spring performance over to the start of training camp. We're only a week into camp, but it is clear the former Notre Dame receiver has impressed his head coach.

"Young professional," Daboll said about Collins. "That's the first thing. Handles his business the right way. I'm talking about outside the building too, all the things that you're trying to teach young players to do, take care of your body, eat right, do all those things. And then, he's smart, he's picked up our system really well and he's shown toughness, and I talked about this after the draft – we kind of placed a high premium on bringing guys that have some toughness to them and I'd say he fits right in with those young guys that we picked.

"He's got good size, he's got speed, he's got the ability to change direction for a bigger man, he's going to have to – special teams will be important too for him. He'll have some opportunities there. We've thrown him in with a variety of groups, the first team, the second team, the third team, and we've played him at some different spots. He's progressing. He's an interesting guy to coach because of his size and speed but his intelligence and his toughness too. I'm excited to see him continue to grow but he's done well for himself here."

The 22-year-old has found himself on the receiving end of several big passes over the last week. But Collins has done more than just perform well in the passing game; he's also stood out in the run game. Collins was throwing his body around the line of scrimmage during Tuesday's practice and came up with several key blocks that led to big runs. This is nothing new for the 6-foot-3 wideout, who expressed his love for run blocking with the media after practice Thursday.

"I'd just say my love for the game," Collins said on why he enjoys being a part of the run game. "I grew up playing running back and linebacker so I had a physical background just to start off and I kind of got away from it once I switched to receiver a little bit but I love to go in there and hit a little bit. It keeps me on my toes and keeps my eyes up and things like that. I love to do it."

Injury updates; Nabers 'good'

Giants fans held their breath during Tuesday's practice after star wide receiver Malik Nabers was slow to get up after a play in which he was blocking on a running play. To no one's surprise, Daboll's press conference led off with a couple of questions about the young wideout, to which the head coach reassured the media that Nabers would be out there practicing.

"He'll practice," Daboll said Thursday morning. "We'll put him on the plan that we think is best but he'll be out there."

It didn't take long for Nabers to show everyone that he's good to go as he was on the receiving end of a Russell Wilson moon ball for a 50+ yard gain. This was yet another example of the growing chemistry between the starting quarterback and his No. 1 receiver.

Joining Nabers at practice were fellow wide receivers Wan'Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt. The two young wideouts dealt with their own respective minor injuries over the last few days, but both were out there during team drills on Thursday.

Additionally, defensive lineman D.J. Davidson and offensive lineman Greg Van Roten were absent from practice due to personal reasons, with Van Roten missing the session because of the birth of his second child.