From Arvell Reese’s Debut to the Harbaugh-led Practices: A Fan’s Guide to the Giants' 2026 Offseason Calendar

Here is every key date and emerging storyline to watch as the Giants' offseason program rolls into the OTAs and minicamps.

The New York Giants offseason program picks up the pace starting in May . | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The New York Giants quietly held a voluntary veterans minicamp the week leading up to the draft, an extra camp granted under the CBA to all teams with new head coaches.

While that camp was closed to the media, there will be plenty of other opportunities for the media to get eyes on the new-look Giants team assembled by general manager Joe Schoen and head coach John Harbaugh.

Here’s a look at the key dates Big Blue fans will want to circle on their calendars, along with the media's scheduled access dates (subject to change at the team’s discretion).

Rookie Minicamp: May 8-10

The Giants will get their eyes on their Class of 2026–draft picks and undrafted free agents, as well as several dozen players invited for a tryout–for the first time in team-issued gear.

Of particular interest for this camp will be first-round pick Arvell Reese, for clues on how defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson plans to deploy him.

On the offensive side of the ball, much has been made of third-round pick Malachi Fields’s impressive catch radius, something that undoubtedly will be put on display as he works with new quarterbacks in drills.

Typically, the rookie minicamp is a multi-day orientation that introduces incoming rookies to how practices and meetings are structured, where the locker room, treatment rooms, lounge, and cafeteria are, and who the key team personnel are who will interact with them daily.

There will, of course, be some football activities, with a heavy slant most likely toward drill work and individual unit instruction. And there will be lots of material thrown at the attendees in the classroom to test how well they retain higher-level information.

While this will be a padless, non-contact camp, head coach John Harbaugh and his staff will be able to see these guys up close as they move around. And who knows? Perhaps new ideas will be born over the weekend and find their way into the playbook.

OTAs: May 19-21, May 27-29, June 1-4

East Rutherford, NJ -- June 5, 2025 -- Quarterback Jaxson Dart as the New York Giants players participate in their 2025 OTAs at the Quest Diagnostic Giants Training Center in East Rutherford. | Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This is the third and final phase of the offseason program, during which the offense and defense can go against each other in 11-on-11 drills.

While practices must remain non-contact and padless, these sessions offer a first look at how the rookies, new faces, and returning veterans all come together on one practice field.

Of note will be the offensive line configurations. We know, for instance, that first-round pick Francis Mauigoa projects at right guard. But what about the rest of the interior?

Will Evan Neal see snaps at left guard? Will second-year man Marcus Mbow get any work at guard? And who among the interior will see snaps at center besides incumbent John Michael Schmitz and Lucas Patrick?

And what about second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart? Has his deep ball accuracy improved? What kind of connection does he have with new tight end Isaiah Likely and new receivers Malachi Fields, Calvin Austin, and Darnell Mooney?

These sessions will also be a good opportunity to find out how far along some of the injured players are in their respective rehabs, as well as to pick up on any new injuries that might have popped up.

That was the case last year when it was discovered that then-rookie defensive lineman Darius Alexander was sidelined for the entire spring due to an undisclosed ailment.

His being sidelined put him behind the eight ball as he crammed as much as he could to catch up in time for training camp, only to fall short and see his early-season contributions limited.

Mandatory Minicamp: June 8-10

Jun 18, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants huddle during minicamp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | John Jones-Imagn Images

This is a big event on the offseason calendar because  it brings the entire team together, unlike the OTAs, which remain voluntary and are not always fully attended.

Again, the practices will not be in pads and will be non-contact, but this is about as close to a real practice as they’ll come. The sessions are typically on par with the mandatory acclimation period that starts at the beginning of training camp.

Among the things to watch for is the team's progress from the first OTA to the final day of minicamp. How is on-field chemistry developing? What young players are forging ahead in a positive way? And what will training camp practices be like once the heat gets turned up and the pads go on?

Guide to Enjoying the Offseason Workouts

When reading practice reports or watching videos, it’s imperative that any opinions formed be taken with a grain of salt. There is bound to be some rust, and there will almost certainly be rough edges as teammates start to build a feel for one another on the field.

Therefore, if it looks like one player is really struggling, that might not necessarily be the case; just as if another player looks like he’s shining brightly, that too must be tempered.

Also, any impressions of the offensive and defensive linemen in 11-on-11 drills must be tabled until padded practices are allowed.

The important thing regarding all the offseason activity is to come out of it healthy and for the players to have the basics of the various installs down so that when they reconvene for training camp in late July, they can hit the ground running.

The other storyline of note will be how Harbaugh runs these camps. It’s long been anticipated that the “softer” practices in which players are eased into the grind will be tightened up a lot more under Harbaugh, though not to the degree where the players will be spent by the time it’s over.

Instead, it's going to be about finding a level of competitiveness that the head coach wants, which, at the end of the day, will make all the players better and ready for the 2026 season.

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