New York Giants Mailbag: Looking Ahead, the Quarterback, and More

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How do you think the Giants will approach training camp and pre season to ensure they actually resemble an NFL team in week one ..and I hope someone in the media will address this with Daboll. …week one blow out cant happen!-- Andrew Bogdan

Great question, Andrew. The challenge with training camp is that a coach needs to balance getting the starters and key reserves ready while also evaluating the long shots for the roster.

I hope that Brian Daboll decided to play his starters and key reserves in Weeks 1 and 3 of the preseason. I say that because if my reasoning is correct, I suspect, based on scheduling and Daboll’s nodding of the head when he was asked about a joint practice, that they might be working on doing something with the Jets, whom they face in Week 2 of the preseason.

Given that the Patriots (Week 3) game is four days after the Jets, there is no need to play the starters and key reserves in Weeks 2 and 3. However, I would not sit everyone down for Week 3, as you would then be looking at about 17 days until the next game. Even if the starters and key reserves get half of the play, that’s better than nothing.

This team is coming off a 3-14 record, has a new quarterback, and features a number of new pieces on defense. If they were to sit them down for Week 3 and just play them in Week 2 of the preseason, you’re now looking at three weeks between games.

Considering they have two road games against division opponents, those two games, in my opinion, are going to set the tone for what’s to come to where they cannot afford to come out of the gate sluggish as they have the last two seasons.

What's up with the reports about Hyatt clashing with the coaching staff? -- David Healey

David, I don’t think I have to tell you that last year’s 3-14 campaign was rough on everyone, none more so than those inside the building. When things are going the way they were, sometimes an athlete who is not being deployed as much thinks, “Well, put me in there because I can help.” That’s normal frustration.

I also suspect, based on Hyatt’s year-end presser, that he was baffled as to why he hadn’t gotten more of a chance. That’s kind of normal. That said, he has a fresh slate this year to show the staff that his route running is better, his attention to detail is better, and that he’s just an overall better player worthy of being WR4.

Considering the success LSU and the Commanders have had using VR to train Jayden Daniels, how much do the Giants use VR in training young QBs, or how much does Dart use it?--Big Blue Huddle

What’s up, guys? So I put that question to Daboll back at the rookie camp–not specifically about using virtual training but more so about “different ways” they might use to get Dart up to speed as opposed to how they got Josh Allen up to speed.

He gave me a non-answer, and quite frankly, had I correctly phrased the question to include virtual training as I should have, I suspect he still would have given me a non-answer.

That said, I do intend to ask the question again because I think it’s a valid one (and I cannot see how disclosing the answer would give away any state secrets).

Who might be a surprise cut prior to training camp? -- Ed Helinski

My first inclination was to say Rakeem Nunez-Roches, but I know they like him for his leadership. So, I’m going to go a little outside the box here but stay within the same position group.

I think Elijah Chatman, who was something of a Cinderella story last year, could be among the cuts because they brought in a lot of defensive line help.

Right now, if I had to guess who makes the team at that unit, I think Dexter Lawerence, Chauncey Golston, Darius Alexander, Nunez-Roches, Roy Robertson-Harris, and Jeremiah Ledbetter are the early favorites.

Pat, what is your take on the legends coming to speak to the team? Was this team lacking in the pride department? Or is this the push to re-establish Giant Pride? -- Bill Frantz

I like it, Bill. I like it a lot. If we can’t learn from history, then what good is it? I recall years ago, one of the Giants' legacy players telling me how Ben McAdoo was dead set against bringing in legends to be around the team because he was insistent on having his teams create their own history.

I always thought that was a mistake because when you have a group of young guys, and you don’t have a precedent for using as a basis, then I’m not sure that’s a good thing. You can create your history even if you’re exposed to history in the past.

So I like that Brian Daboll has brought in franchise legends and Super Bowl winners. These guys know what it takes to be great, and well, remember how, when we were younger, we thought we had all the answers to life, only to find out we didn’t and that the lessons of our elders proved valuable? Same idea here.

Given that Giants fans are desperate for a long term answer at a dynasty QB reminisce of Eli, should Giants fans be rooting for Russell Wilson in any capacity? --Zack Cuzo

Well, do Giants fans want another 3-14 season? Look, Russell Wilson is only going to be here for one season, regardless of what happens. That’s how his contract is set up, and that’s the intention.

Do Giants fans REALLY want to root against him and, hence, the team all for the sake of getting the Jaxson Dart era underway even if Dart isn’t ready? Didn’t we learn our lesson with the rather bumpy transition from Eli Manning to Daniel Jones?

Bill Parcells famously said he was going to do it his way after almost getting fired in the 1984 season. Do you see a little bit of that in Daboll’s approach this year?--Kris Kauffeld

Kris, I think it's been the opposite, quite honestly. For instance, when Daboll was named head coach, everyone knew it was a matter of time before he took on the playcalling, despite some questioning how wise it was for him to do so. And as a result of what happened last year, well, you saw John Mara's comments about the wisdom of Daboll calling the plays.

I also suspect they haven't been on the same page regarding preseason snap distribution, so I am curious to see if that changes this summer. The bottom line, as I see it, is Schoen did his part in fixing the roster.

It's now up to Daboll and his staff to refine it, and I think that some of the processes Daboll has held so near and dear to his heart have proven not to be as effective and need to change. I'm very much looking forward to seeing how he's grown from the previous season as a head coach.

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