Giants.com is counting down the start of training camp with 20 questions in 20 days.

12) What is the biggest question for the 2026 Giants?

John Schmeelk: Even as the NFL continues to cycle back into more of a running league, nothing is more critical to scoring points than producing explosive plays. It is very hard to sustain 15-play drives with none going more than 15 yards and consistently walk away with touchdowns. Last year, the Giants finished 14^th in the NFL with 87 pass plays of 15+ yards (they also finished fifth in rushes of 10 or more yards), but the 2026 offense will be completely different than what they ran in 2025.

Everything starts with the quarterback, and the improvement and progress of a rookie quarterback is not always linear. C.J. Stroud is a perfect example of a young player who began his career firing on all cylinders before having some ups and downs in his second and third seasons. Even though Jaxson Dart is putting all the work in necessary to succeed, we have never seen him operate in whatever offense the Giants are going to run this season. He talked earlier in the offseason about improving his progressions in the pocket, and we'll see what the result looks like in September.

We also don't know how the offense is going to come together while joining the philosophies of offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, senior offensive assistant Greg Roman, and quarterbacks coach Brian Callahan. They are three coaches with long resumes of effective NFL offenses, but there's a chance it might take some time for them to figure out what works with Dart and the rest of the offensive personnel.

The biggest question with the passing game might be at wide receiver. Malik Nabers' health is at the forefront of that conversation, which we will not have any feel for until much later in the summer. When will he be on the field? When he is on the field? Will he look like himself? There's no way to know at this moment.

Aside from Nabers, veterans Darius Slayton and Isaiah Hodgins are returning. Veteran newcomers Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III will bring speed and explosiveness to the room. Rookie Malachi Fields and returning second-year player Beaux Collins bring some size to the group. Then the Giants added a trio of veterans late in the spring in Odell Beckham Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster and Braxton Berrios to the room. How do players like Jalin Hyatt, Ryan Miller, Dalen Cambre and special teams ace Xavier Gipson fit in? The makeup and effectiveness of this group will go a long way towards determining how explosive and consistent the passing game is in 2026.

The final aspect of the passing game is the protection in front of the quarterback. The Giants are bringing back many of the same offensive linemen from a group that provided good enough protection for the quarterbacks last seasons and gave them time to operate. The big swap will be Francis Mauigoa for veteran Greg Van Roten at right guard. There is a new offensive line coach in Mike Bloomgren. We have to see how the group picks up twists, stunts, and protects against a variety of blitzes.

If the passing game can come together and be a dangerous unit, the sky is the limit for the team this season.

Previous Questions

20) What was the biggest story of the offseason?

19) Who are the veteran additions to know?

18) Who are the rookies to know this season?

17) How tough is the Giants' schedule this season?

16) What will the new offense look like?

15) What will the new defense look like?

14) What is going on at kicker?

13) What are the injury statuses to know heading into camp?