Giants Mailbag: Playoff Ready, Kicking Competition and More

In our latest edition of the weekly New York Giants On SI mailbag, we cover questions about Jaxson Dart, the kicking competition, and just how close Big Blue is to finally getting back to the playoffs after a mostly decade-plus stretch of fruitless football.

If you ever have a question you’d like considered for a response, e-mail it to us, or post a “tweet” to us @Patricia_Traina with the hashtag #askPTrain so we see it.

Note: Some questions have been edited for brevity and/or clarity.

Throwing Darts

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart | John Jones-Imagn Images

From KOC4089 (@ctk7389): Do you think Jaxson Dart's skill set is a good fit for what Matt Nagy typically has his QB doing?

Yes and no, KOC. I think Dart’s mobility and background in the RPO game are a plus if Nagy is bringing over his quick-game offense.

On the flip side, Dart needs to show that he can get the ball out of his hands a LOT faster than he did last year, when he averaged 3.08 seconds to throw, the third-longest average among 25 qualifying quarterbacks with a minimum of 380 dropbacks.

He also needs to continue developing his post-snap processing, which I think, at times last year, led him to hold the ball a little too long.

Among 24 quarterbacks who faced a minimum of 128 pressures, Dart, whose 128 pressures faced were the lowest of the group, had the highest percentage of bearing some responsibility in the pressures he did face (39.1%).

Playoff Ready?

New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh | John Jones-Imagn Images

From Michael DeAngelis (@MDeAngelis8866): Think the Giants make the playoffs this season?

Michael, I tend to be an optimist for the most part until I see evidence to the contrary. I think if they can win their division, that will certainly help them earn a wild card berth, which is the most realistic level they can aim for.

However, there are still a number of questions that remain unanswered, and I don’t think I’d bet my mortgage on the team making the postseason just yet. Do they stay healthy?

Does Jaxson Dart take the next step in his development? Does the defense ball out, especially in shutting down the run? How does the offensive line look?

These are just some of the many questions that still need to be answered before anyone can say for sure what the immediate future holds for this Giants team.

From EricBledsoeFan (@FanBledsoe): Do the Giants have a shot at winning the NFC East?

EBF, never say never–who knows how the Eagles, Commanders and Cowboys will all stack up in terms of addressing their biggest roster questions?

Right now, everyone is 0-0, and there is no question that John Harbaugh has infused the team with a sense of excitement not just among the fan base but also among the players.

Now with that said, excitement alone isn’t enough to make any hardcore predictions. The Giants still have a bunch of questions to address.

O-line Competition

From NYFutbawlJintsFan (@ny_jints): If (Francis Mauigoa) shows out to be the better tackle during OTAs and pre-season, do you swap him with Jermaine Eluemunor?

JintsFan, head coach John Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen have both said that the plan for first-round draft pick Francis Mauigoa this summer is to work at right guard.

I’m not sure what that plan would have to do with Jermaine Eluemunor, who is the starting right tackle, since that means the two men aren’t competing directly.

Receiver Rumors

Oct 20, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) walks on the field before the start of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi's Stadium. | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

From Reid Sullivan (@ReidSullivan33): No truth to Brandon Aiyuk for a 5th or 6th round pick?

Reid, I had to Google what you were referring to because I hadn’t seen it anywhere. Having found it, the item you are referencing is one person’s opinion about what the Giants should do, not a rumor/report that warrants any further follow-up.

The Giants currently have five picks in next year’s draft: First, second, third, fifth and sixth. Does it really make sense to trade away another pick for what would likely be a stop-gap solution to fill a void until Malik Nabers is fully back to being his old self?

Kicking It

From Kris Kauffeld (@dublk52): Do you think Harbaugh will go with Dominic Zvada if the competition is close in training camp? Or would he want to stay with Sanders, assuming he is healthy? Trying to see how much you think Harbaugh weighs experience.

Kris, I think Harbaugh will go with whoever proves to be the most consistent and reliable kicker in camp and the preseason.

Sure, having someone experienced is typically preferred, so I would think that if Jason Sanders’s season-ending injury last year is truly behind him and he is consistent, he would get the nod in the competition.

But let’s not sell Dominic Zvada or, for that matter, Ben Sauls short just yet until they have proven otherwise.

Moonlighting

From SanchoBermuda (@SanchoBermuda11): Will you write for Lindy's magazine or Athlon Sports?

Yes, Sancho, I’ve been doing the Giants preview for Lindy’s for almost 20 years–maybe even longer, as I can’t remember exactly when I started. The magazine is available for preorder now on their website, with a release date of June 10.

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