With the open dates announced, the Giants.com crew discusses the first thing to look for at training camp:
John Schmeelk: Offensive line vs. defensive line 1-on-1 drills. I realize I am cheating a little bit here because we won't see the players in pads until nearly a week into camp, but I don't care. We saw more than enough practice without contact during OTAs for me to have any level of excitement for more of that. Once the pads come on and more contact is encouraged, practice starts looking a lot more like real football.
Real football starts up front. If anything meaningful is going to change, it has to start there. The Giants have a new offensive line coach and two new starters at guard in Jon Runyan and Jermaine Eluemunor, but my attention will be on two younger players: Evan Neal and John Michael Schmitz.
Both players were premium draft picks, with Neal being selected seventh overall and Schmitz going in the second round. Neal has dealt with leg injuries his first two seasons and knows that how he plays in camp and preseason games will go a long way in determining how the team will use him this year. Schmitz had growing pains as a rookie center with instability at the two guard positions around him. He looks stronger after a full offseason in a professional weight program, and the team needs him to be sturdier in the middle of the line.
What will make 1-on-1s up front even more exciting is the skill level of defenders this group will have to block on a daily basis. Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns are elite athletes with large pass rush repertoires that should test both Schmitz and Burns daily. Kayvon Thibodeaux had double-digit sacks last year, and when healthy, Azeez Ojulari has pure rusher ability to challenge the edge. Neal will have a chance to show what he can do against some very good football players, while Schmitz will have to block the best nose tackle in football in Lawrence. Watching good-on-good with Andrew Thomas against the Giants' edge rushers should also be a treat. I can't wait to see it.
Get excited for the 2024 season with photos from Media Day at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
DL Dexter Lawrence II (97), ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
T Andrew Thomas (78)
WR Malik Nabers (9)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58), CB Deonte Banks (3)
QB Daniel Jones (8)
DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)
RB Devin Singletary (26)
WR Darius Slayton (86)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
S Jason Pinnock (27)
S Dane Belton (24)
S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)
S Jason Pinnock (27)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
WR Darius Slayton (86)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)
DL D.J. Davidson (98)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
CB Tre Hawkins III (37)
CB Tre Hawkins III (37)
QB Tommy DeVito (15)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
QB Tommy DeVito (15)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
TE Lawrence Cager (83)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
QB Tommy DeVito (15)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
QB Tommy DeVito (15)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58), CB Deonte Banks (3)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58), CB Deonte Banks (3)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
T Andrew Thomas (78)
S Dane Belton (24)
T Andrew Thomas (78)
T Andrew Thomas (78)
S Dane Belton (24)
WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)
WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)
WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)
WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)
DB Jalen Mills (21)
DL Dexter Lawrence II (97), ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
DL Dexter Lawrence II (97), ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
DL Dexter Lawrence II (97), ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
T Evan Neal (73)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)
DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)
DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)
RB Devin Singletary (26)
RB Devin Singletary (26)
RB Devin Singletary (26)
RB Devin Singletary (26)
RB Devin Singletary (26)
RB Devin Singletary (26)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
RB Devin Singletary (26)
OLB Azeez Ojulari (51)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)
QB Drew Lock (2)
CB Darnay Holmes (30)
QB Daniel Jones (8)
T Evan Neal (73)
QB Daniel Jones (8)
QB Daniel Jones (8)
T Evan Neal (73)
S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)
DB Jalen Mills (21)
DB Jalen Mills (21)
S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)
S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
DT Jordon Riley (95)
ILB Darius Muasau (53)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
WR Malik Nabers (9)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
WR Malik Nabers (9)
WR Malik Nabers (9)
WR Malik Nabers (9)
WR Malik Nabers (9)
TE Theo Johnson (47)
ILB Darius Muasau (53)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
OL Jermaine Eluemunor (72)
S Tyler Nubin (31)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
S Tyler Nubin (31)
S Tyler Nubin (31)
S Tyler Nubin (31)
S Tyler Nubin (31)
S Tyler Nubin (31)
DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches (93)
DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches (93)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
QB Daniel Jones (8)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)
OLB Boogie Basham (55)
QB Daniel Jones (8)
CB Cor'Dale Flott (28)
QB Drew Lock (2)
DB Jalen Mills (21)
QB Drew Lock (2)
CB Cor'Dale Flott (28)
DB Jalen Mills (21)
S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)
S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)
S Jason Pinnock (27)
S Jason Pinnock (27)
S Jason Pinnock (27)
OLB Boogie Basham (55)
S Jason Pinnock (27)
OLB Boogie Basham (55)
OLB Boogie Basham (55)
WR Darius Slayton (86)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
OLB Boogie Basham (55)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
OLB Boogie Basham (55)
WR Darius Slayton (86)
WR Darius Slayton (86)
WR Darius Slayton (86)
CB Tre Hawkins III (37)
WR Darius Slayton (86)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
CB Dru Phillips (22)
Jimmy Morrissey (67)
WR Dennis Houston (88)
DL D.J. Davidson (98)
ILB Micah McFadden (41)
P Jamie Gillan (6)
P Jamie Gillan (6)
T Andrew Thomas (78)
DL Ryder Anderson (90)
DL D.J. Davidson (98)
T Andrew Thomas (78)
G Aaron Stinnie (64)
C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)
G/C Austin Schlottmann (65)
ILB Carter Coughlin (52)
DT Jordon Riley (95)
ILB Darrian Beavers (43)
DT Jordon Riley (95)
C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)
ILB Carter Coughlin (52)
ILB Darrian Beavers (43)
WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton (6)
ILB Darrian Beavers (43)
T Andrew Thomas (78)
S Dane Belton (24)
RB Eric Gray (20)
TE Lawrence Cager (83)
TE Daniel Bellinger (82)
DB Kaleb Hayes (38)
DB Kaleb Hayes (38)
WR Dennis Houston (88)
TE Lawrence Cager (83)
RB Eric Gray (20)
WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton (6)
RB Eric Gray (20)
LS Casey Kreiter (59)
WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)
ILB Micah McFadden (41)
CB Nick McCloud (44)
S Dane Belton (24)
WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)
OLB Boogie Basham (55)
TE Daniel Bellinger (82)
Nathan Rourke (3)
G Aaron Stinnie (64)
K Graham Gano (9)
OLB Boogie Basham (55)
S Jason Pinnock (27)
WR Miles Boykin (81)
Elijah Riley (34)
OL Marcus McKethan (60)
TE Chris Manhertz (85)
WR John Jiles (0)
WR Malik Nabers (9)
CB Dru Phillips (22)
RB Devin Singletary (26)
T Evan Neal (73)
TE Theo Johnson (47)
S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)
CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver III (36)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
G Jon Runyan (76)
WR Darius Slayton (86)
WR Ayir Asante (19)
WR Ayir Asante (19)
DT Casey Rogers (91)
OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)
Elijah Chatman (94)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
RB Dante Miller (25)
Jake Kubas (63)
DB Jalen Mills (21)
RB Dante Miller (25)
DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)
DB Jalen Mills (21)
QB Drew Lock (2)
Marcellus Johnson
WR Allen Robinson II (15)
CB Cor'Dale Flott (28)
CB Tre Hawkins III (37)
WR Allen Robinson II (15)
OLB Azeez Ojulari (51)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
OLB Azeez Ojulari (51)
LB Matthew Adams (49)
DL Timmy Horne (96)
DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches (93)
DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches (93)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
OLB Benton Whitley (48)
S Gervarrius Owens (39)
TE Chris Manhertz (85)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
CB Deonte Banks (3)
TE Jack Stoll (89)
QB Nathan Rourke (3)
Daniel Bellinger (82)
Lawrence Cager (83)
John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)
John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)
Darrian Beavers (43)
Darrian Beavers (43)
Lawrence Cager (83)
Lawrence Cager (83)
Dane Belton (24)
Darrian Beavers (43)
Dane Belton (24)
Darrian Beavers (43)
Dane Belton (24)
Dane Belton (24)
Daniel Bellinger (82)
Daniel Bellinger (82)
WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)
LS Casey Kreiter (59)
QB Tommy DeVito (15)
QB Tommy DeVito (15)
LS Casey Kreiter (59)
QB Tommy DeVito (15)
LS Casey Kreiter (59)
RB Eric Gray (20)
LS Casey Kreiter (59)
RB Eric Gray (20)
Micah McFadden (41)
Micah McFadden (41)
RB Eric Gray (20)
Micah McFadden (41)
Micah McFadden (41)
Micah McFadden (41)
Micah McFadden (41)
WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)
WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)
Dennis Houston (88)
WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)