The Giants begin their offseason program this week. It’s two-hand touch. Not real football. But it’s football-like things on a football field for the first time this year.
That builds hype, intrigue and excitement.
We figure it would be a good time to open the mailbag to address your concerns on the state of the Giants before they take the field this week.
Let’s get right to it.
At what point will Jaxson Dart start? - @SeanMaffia
In a perfect world, the Giants won’t turn to him until 2026. They genuinely believe Russell Wilson can play, play well, elevate those around him and make the Giants a competent club this year.
Seldom do things go according to plan. Considering that brutal stretch the Giants face the first nine weeks… it’s hard to imagine things not going haywire. Especially if New York sits at 1-8 or 2-7.
There isn’t a soft landing spot for Dart the first two months. The late bye doesn’t make things any easier, either. The Week 10 matchup with the Chicago Bears, whose season feels like it could go in two completely different directions, is the earliest I can see it happening. Week 15 versus Washington is likely where the Giants hope they can get to.
Uncertainty with head coach Brain Daboll and his job status clouds this. The play of Wilson and Jameis Winston won’t bring him back in 2026. What will: His hand-picked quarterback showing signs he can be a franchise signal-caller. I could see Daboll going to Dart even earlier than Week 10 if he feels his job is on the line.
Do you see any free agents available who could help the Giants? - @TG1156
It’s important to remember that any player available now is available for a reason. It’s highly unlikely the Giants find any game-changers. Gabe Davis is among the most intriguing because of his connections to both Daboll and GM Joe Schoen. He was in for a visit and the two sides remain in contact. Signing Davis would be interesting, though, considering how it could impact Darius Slayton (priority re-signing) and Jalin Hyatt.
Interior offensive line is another weakness, but the Giants seem to want to give Greg Van Roten and Evan Neal a chance to battle it out for the right guard spot.
Will Russell Wilson really have a positive impact on Jalin Hyatt’s production? - @SBerger77
Theoretically, yes. Wilson, while not the player he once was, is still very good at attacking the backend of a defense. His high-arching passes, married with Hyatt’s elite-level deep speed, should work. There’s no reason there should be two or three deep passes dialed up a game to take advantage of it.
A lot of this falls on Hyatt, though. He mentally checked out at points last season after clashing with the coaching staff and upper management. There was no reason he should have been as uninvolved as he was at points last season. He’s a player with a skillset that the Giants should be able to use. Some players simply can’t get out of the doghouse. That was the problem last year.
If Hyatt shows up with a re-commitment to the playbook, practice and games, and improves his route running, then yes, he should be more productive with Wilson than he was with Daniel Jones, Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito. The former and latter are equal parts here.