Giants news, 9/6:  Malik Nabers, Brian Daboll, Andrew Thomas, more headlines

New York Giants news for Friday

Good morning, New York Giants fans!

From Big Blue View

• Giants’ WR Malik Nabers can’t wait to hear fans chant ‘Leeeeeeek’
• Giants’ DC Shane Bowen on Adoree’ Jackson’s role, and his defensive philosophy
• Giants-Vikings 5 questions: Sam Darnold, much more about Minnesota
• New York Giants unofficial depth chart for Week 1
• Giants-Vikings: What to expect when the Giants have the football
• Giants-Vikings 2024, Week 1: Everything you need to know
• Fantasy Football ‘24: Week 1 Fantasy preview — start/sit, and more

Other Giant observations

‘Mad scientist’ Brian Daboll betting on his play-calling ‘magic’ to revitalize Giants | The Athletic

“He’s brilliant,” said quarterback Matt Barkley, who spent three years with Daboll in Buffalo before reuniting for part of last season with the Giants. “He fits his offense to work with whoever he’s got. He’s really incredible in that regard. I can’t overstate how much he just gets ball. He’s all ball, all day.”

The past is the past for AT

Andrew Thomas hopes to prove reliability, rewrite narrative about Giants’ O-line this season | NJ.com

As rookie sensation Malik Nabers steals headlines from his teammates in the days leading up to the Giants’ first game, it’s easy to forget about the team’s other top-five pick on offense who will be a foundational piece for years to come.

All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas — arguably the Giants’ best player on either side of the ball — is back with a vengeance in 2024 after powering through what he called a “tough” yet “relaxing” offseason training regimen.

Giants’ Andrew Thomas on Brian Daboll: ‘He calls it, we haul it’ | USAToday.com

All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas was asked his take on what is different with the head coach calling the plays this year instead of offensive coordinator Mike Kafka.

“It’s not different. It’s the same scheme,” Thomas said. “We have a saying, ‘he calls it, we haul it.’ Whatever’s going on, we try to execute that play.”

Giants’ offensive line overhaul banking on Raiders Way | New York Post
The left side of the line — stud tackle Andrew Thomas and dependable, durable newcomer Jon Runyan (50 starts the past three seasons for the Packers) — should not be an issue and could be a strength. The center, second-year John Michael Schmitz, must prove he can stay healthy and play much better than he did as a rookie. It is on the right side of the line where this grand experiment will be enacted. If Eluemunor, 29, and Van Roten, 34, can do for the Giants in 2024 what they did for the Raiders in 2023 — they played nearly 800 snaps alongside each other — it is not difficult to envision this offensive line as a smart, capable unit.

Biggest need for each NFL team ahead of Week 1 | CBSSports.com

Giants: Offensive line. The construction of the offensive line remains a mystery. Jermaine Eluemunor is slated to start at right tackle ahead of former first-round pick Evan Neal. What comes of the battery that includes John Michael Schmitz, Greg Van Roten and Jon Runyan Jr.? Depth behind that unit is relatively limited as well. Cornerback concerns were alleviated a bit with the return of Adoree’ Jackson. Linebacker is another position to consider.

Dabs’ Digest: 1-on-1 with Coach Brian Daboll before 100th season opener | Giants.com

Q: As a coach, do you have a sense of how your team is going to play, or is it a mystery entering the first game?

Daboll: “I’d say that’s the early part of the season. Some of my mentors, they always said that it takes, I’d say, the first month of the season to really figure out exactly what you are and what other teams are. There are constant adjustments, but you have to play the right way in terms of effort and toughness, and you have to rely on your fundamentals, and you have to communicate well, and you have to solve problems, whether it be the first quarter, the third quarter, to make sure that everybody’s on the same page and you give yourself the best chance.”

Mike Kafka, Team Beard

Daniel Jones: How many prove-it seasons can NY Giants QB survive? | The Record

“I’ve always approached every season like I have to prove something, and it’s certainly no different this year,” Jones told NorthJersey.com in a quiet moment at his locker, clutching a tablet as he reviewed practice Tuesday. “To myself, I know I can play at a high level in this league. I mean, I’ve done that, so I’m confident. I know I can play. I know I can put this team in position to win games. It’s not necessarily to prove it in that respect. I think it’s just about working and being driven to be the best you can in every situation and be the best for teammates and win as many games as possible.”

Questions for all 32 NFL teams ahead of Week 1 | PFF

Can Daniel Jones Prove The Extension Was Worth It?

If you look at Jones’ PFF grading profile, nothing suggests that he should have been given a four-year, $160 million contract extension after leading the Giants to the divisional round in 2022. His highest graded season came in 2020 (78.4) when he delivered 24 big-time throws. He has had 18 total big-time throws in the three seasons since then, and in his 2022 season that earned him the big extension, Jones threw just seven big-time throws to 19 turnover-worthy passes. The team had success, and Jones was rewarded for it. Now it’s time for Jones to become Danny Dimes.

Simms: Daniel Jones knows what this season means for him | WFAN.com
Simms pointed to the preseason game in Houston where Jones threw an early Pick-Six as a pivotal moment, because it was a learning opportunity on multiple levels.

“You learn when you’re backed up as a quarterback, if they’re not open, throw it away, don’t even try to make a play in those situations, which he did and it backfired,” Simms said. “But I thought after that he was very aggressive through the football really well, and that’s what you gotta do. When you make mistakes, and you’re gonna make them, you just gotta be tough enough to mentally just go, ‘I don’t care,’ and you come to the sideline and when your offensive linemen say it’s okay, tell ‘em ‘I know, be ready to make some tackles because I might throw five today.’”

The 2024 Quarterback Commitment Index: Preseason Edition | The Ringer

Waiting Until the Lease Is Up: New York Giants and Daniel Jones

Everyone knows the Giants are going to dump Jones. Even GM Joe Schoen’s kids were shown on Hard Knocks wanting the Giants to trade up for a quarterback. But they’re waiting a few more months until the lease is up. If they keep Jones until March, they can walk away for just a penalty of $11 million while saving $30 million on their salary cap. That means just one awkward season of living together while both know where this is heading. That is what happens when you marry someone just because they reminded you of your ex.

New York Giants’ Bobby Okereke ‘excited’ to see what new NFL season holds | ESPN.com

“There’s a statement that complacency kills, so I’m always trying to stay hungry. I’m always telling myself that last season wasn’t good enough. I still have to improve; I still have to get better,” Okereke told ESPN.

“I’m not satisfied. I have a lot of goals in this league. Obviously, my number one goal is to win a Super Bowl eventually in my career, go to the playoffs, team goals, but I have personal goals as well. I want to make the Pro Bowl, I want to go All-Pro, so I still have a lot of work left to do and I’m very inspired to do that work.”

Shout out to El Jefe

NFL execs rank NFC teams: 49ers still reign, but could the Packers overtake the Lions? | The Athletic

15. New York Giants.

“Their best chance with Daniel Jones is to do what they did a couple years ago: Go heavy play-action, simple boots with simple reads, and scheme those guys to be open,” an exec who considers Jones to be a low Tier 3 quarterback said. “There is definitely a ceiling there. Unless they know something we all don’t, they are kind of existing.”

10 bold predictions for 2024 NFL season, including Garrett Wilson’s monster year and Daniel Jones’ resurgence | SNY.tv

Nabers’ debut in the Giants’ receiving corps is highly-anticipated and, if he lives up to his billing as the No. 6 overall pick, he could transform Big Blue’s offense. Only five times in Giants history has a receiver nabbed 90-plus catches, and there are only 25 seasons where one pass catcher has rung up 1,000 yards receiving. Add one to each category, thanks to Nabers’ big-play chops and apparent desire to be great. Could he even threaten the team’s single-season TD receptions mark of 13, shared by Odell Beckham Jr. (2015) and Homer Jones (1967)?

This week’s opponent

Justin Jefferson: Sam Darnold’s plays in practice will definitely transition to Sundays | Pro Football Talk

“I just try to give the quarterbacks confidence to throw me those 50-50 jump balls,” Jefferson added. “Sometimes, it’s a little bit difficult for them to really just give me a chance, knowing I’m going to come down with it. It’s difficult trying to read the different schemes and their normal reads. But when I have that matchup or they see it’s that type of game, I always try to give them that word in the back of their head, that they have me as an option if things get ugly.”

Vikings Vs. Giants Week 1 Injury Report | Vikings.com

Jordan Addison suffered an ankle injury during the first of two joint practices at Cleveland. Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell said Wednesday that Addison “is doing better.”

“He was limited on Monday and moved around quite well. He’ll do a little more today, and then we’d like to progress him hopefully to full by the end of the week.”

Around the league

Why has Eagles’ Saquon Barkley embraced Nick Sirianni? ‘Stuff like that goes a long way’ | NJ.com

Eagles star backtracks after saying he doesn’t want to go Sao Paulo for opener against Packers | CBSSports.com

Former Giants Saquon Barkley, Xavier McKinney Set to Face Each Other in Brazil | SI.com

Report: Cowboys, Dak Prescott have made progress on a contract extension | Pro Football Talk

Cowboys WR Brandin Cooks: Amount of criticism cast on Dak Prescott ‘blasphemy’ | NFL.com

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy sees ‘opportunity’ in lame-duck season | ESPN.com

Dallas Cowboys Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott need to turn back the clock | Blogging The Boys

Commanders fire VP for comments on players, Jones, Goodell | ESPN.com

Antonio Pierce on what Christian Wilkins brings to Raiders: ‘It’s Maxx Crosby inside’ | NFL.com

Raiders’ Davante Adams pushes back on claim he’s unhappy in Las Vegas | ESPN.com

Justin Herbert added to injury report as full participant | Pro Football Talk

Steelers QB Russell Wilson (calf) limited in practice ahead of season opener vs. Falcons | NFL.com

Aaron Rodgers: When I take the field, I expect greatness | Pro Football Talk

NFL targeting seven international games for 2025 season | CBSSports.com

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