5 Biggest Surprises From Giants Training Camp

The New York Giants’ training camp is winding down this week, and it’s been quite the showing.

John Harbaugh’s first camp as Giants head coach has been pretty much everything that was expected: competitive, detailed, intense, and focused. In short, this year's camp hasn’t been like any other in quite some time.

Along those lines, there have been several pleasant developments that those following the team haven’t seen in quite some time. And so with training camp winding down to a close, here are our picks for the five most pleasant surprising developments and the one remaining concern to come from the summer.

Malik Nabers’ Rapid Recovery Path

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Giants always said they had a plan regarding Malik Nabers’s return from an ACL injury. Still, when word came out that the receiver underwent a “clean-up” on his surgically repaired knee, that cast his readiness for the start of training camp into question.

It turned out that the Giants’ hopes that Nabers would continue taking steps forward without setbacks came to fruition. The receiver not only avoided starting camp on the PUP list, but, aside from a few planned days off here and there, he didn’t miss a single practice due to swelling or knee-related physical issues.

That Nabers is also out of the red jersey and able to participate in contact, which bodes extremely well for his availability in Week 1, with the Giants needing a fast start out of the gate.

Deonte Banks’s Resurgence

New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Giants' cornerback room was among the units that did not play well last year. While injuries were a part of that, the disappointment in 2023 first-round draft pick Deonte Banks was one of, if not the biggest, storylines of the unit.

Banks, who has all the physical tools and talent necessary to play the position in the NFL, had seen his confidence drop to the point that his struggles in an ill-fitting defensive system led to his being removed from defensive duties and reduced to a kickoff return role.

But thanks to a more aggressive and better-fitting system and a position coach in Addison Lynch who has done what two other coaches before him had trouble accomplishing, which is to connect with Banks, the former Maryland Terp has seen his NFL career steadily move off life support.

While it’s still unknown if Banks has won a starting job, all spring and summer long he’s begun to show signs of being the cornerback that the Giants thought he could be when they drafted him. That’s a plus because continued steady progress by Banks will go a long way toward assuaging concerns over the cornerback room.

The Pass Rush

New York Giants outside linebacker Abdul Carter (3), linebacker Brian Burns (0) and linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What do you get when you take an aggressive defensive scheme that combines exotic blitz designs, trickery, and the talents of guys like Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Arvell Reese and Abdul Carter?

A ferocious pass rush.

The Giants’ pass rush currently ranks 13th in the league this preseason, with opposing quarterbacks completing 57.1% of their passes, and the defense has registered three sacks and 17 pressures per PFF data.

That might not seem like a lot, but remember, Burns, Thibodeaux, and Carter have not seen many, if any snaps this preseason.

Imagine what the numbers will look like once game planning and the full-time return of the “Formula One” (named in honor of their first-round draft pick statuses) to the lineup are in place.

Trades of Faalele and Ezeudu

New York Giants guard Joshua Ezeudu | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

There’s an adage that “one man’s trash is another’s treasure,” and that applies to some of the business-savvy moves made by the Giants as the cutdown date drew closer.

The Giants, realizing that offensive linemen Daniel Faalele and Joshua Ezeudu were not a fit for their plans moving forward, managed to swing a trade with the Jaguars and Chiefs, respectively, for Day 3 draft picks: a 2027 sixth for Faalele and a 2028 seventh for Ezeudu.

To be clear, those are locked-in picks, not conditional ones contingent on the players making the rosters.

That the Giants were able to swing those trades is a testament to the depth they built (see the next section). But more importantly, given how infrequently they were able to swing similar trades in past summers, clearly something has changed, and the Giants are being a lot more proactive in trying to play matchmaker between themselves and the rest of the league.

The O-line Depth

New York Giants offensive linemen | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Giants have a solid starting offensive line with tackles Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor, center John Michael Schmitz, and guards Francis Mauigoa and Jon Runyan. Still, it’s their depth that has especially been impressive this summer.

That depth — did we mention most of it is young? — looks like it will be Marcus Mbow, J.C. Davis, Bryan Hudson, and Aaron Stinnie.

Even more impressive is that with Schmitz and Runyan both in the final year of their respective contracts, the Giants appear to have talent waiting in the wings to step in should those two players move on.

That’s a far cry from the old days when the Giants had to overspend on free agents that didn’t always work out.

The Concern: The Defensive Line

New York Giants defensive tackle DJ Reader | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For as good as the Giants’ summer was on the whole, the biggest concern remains the defensive line.

Before the cuts, the average age of the Giants’ defensive line was 28, making it the second-oldest unit on the team (the quarterbacks were first, with an average age of 29).

But if we take the average age of those members who are anticipated to make the initial 53-man roster—Shelby Harris, D.J. Reader, Darius Alexander, Chauncey Golston, and Leki Fotu—the average age jumps to 30.1, making it the unquestioned oldest unit on the team.

The point, aside from the unit having had its issues this summer, is that, as of right now, there isn’t enough young depth beyond Bobby Jamison-Travis, who is not necessarily a lock for the initial 53-man roster.

It’s fair to say the defensive line will be a top priority in next year’s draft, but don’t be surprised if the Giants prioritize the position during the upcoming waiver period after teams make all their cuts.

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