The Giants’ summer keeps tilting in new directions, and Tuesday brought another notable one: New York signed running back Najee Harris and released wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.
That move drops into a week already packed with Giants storylines, from the team’s upcoming scrimmage with the Miami Dolphins to a pile of preseason buzz around the rookies and the defense. Harris arrives as a player with a strong résumé, even while coming off a torn Achilles. He was a first-round pick and put together four straight 1,000-yard seasons without missing a game in his four years with the Steelers.
The Giants’ rookie class has been a major source of optimism, and the numbers back it up. Jaxson Dart posted a 68.1 PFF grade, which ranked second among rookie quarterbacks.
His 5.2% big-time throw rate led all rookies with at least 100 dropbacks and checked in ninth among all quarterbacks. Cam Skattebo made his own mark, finishing with an 80.5 PFF grade that led all rookie running backs.
He averaged 4.1 yards per carry, with 3.04 of those yards coming after contact.
On defense, Abdul Carter wasted no time making noise. His 84.5 PFF pass-rush grade ranked 10th among all edge defenders, and his 66 pressures placed 11th at the position during the regular season.
Brian Burns also earned national attention. FOX Sports slotted him seventh on its 2026 NFL Top-10 Pass Rushers list, pointing to a career-high 16.5 sacks and a pass rush win-rate of 16% that put him just outside the top 10.
The piece noted that Burns did it in a tough situation, with Dexter Lawrence managing only a half sack and Kayvon Thibodeaux limited to 10 games. Burns is expected to share the load this season with Thibodeaux, Abdul Carter and Arvell Reese, and FOX Sports described him as a possible centerpiece of new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson’s scheme.
Thibodeaux, meanwhile, is facing a big year of his own. CBS Sports included him in its NFL hot seat rundown for all 32 teams, noting that the Giants have both drafted Abdul Carter and traded for Brian Burns over him. Thibodeaux had just 2.5 sacks in 10 games last season after an 11.5-sack 2023, and he’s now entering the fifth-year option of his rookie contract.
There’s been plenty of attention on the offense, too, especially Malik Nabers. The New York Daily News reported that his first day back in live team reps on Monday wasn’t clean. He stumbled on his first release while planting on his surgically repaired right knee, limped through his first 11-on-11 route, ran only about 10 total routes, and showed some restless emotion after an awkward half-jump to make one of his three catches in 7-on-7.
Jaxson Dart remains part of the conversation after his preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings. The NFL said his trip to the blue medical tent was a “standard medical timeout.”
The league said the check involved multiple independent neurologists and medical trainers reviewing replay for signs of impact or injury behavior. Dart was sent to the tent late in the first quarter after safety Jay Ward delivered a crushing hit to the torso.
That game also produced the lasting image of the afternoon, with Ward coming in unblocked on Dart on the final play of the first quarter. The Giants fell 13-10, but as always in preseason, the bigger takeaway was how the roster battles and young players looked under the lights.
And there’s more rookie momentum beyond Dart and Carter. The Athletic highlighted first-round linebacker Arvell Reese as an instant-star type of presence, while third-round receiver Malachi Fields earned praise after catching all three of his targets for 34 yards and a touchdown. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Fields was described as a Tee Higgins-like threat opposite Malik Nabers and a player who should be the Giants’ WR2 before long.
One more practice note came from ESPN.com’s training camp report, where rookie cornerback Colton Hood drew a flag after cutting off Odell Beckham Jr. in the end zone. Hood argued the call, coach John Harbaugh stepped in, and Harbaugh later explained, “I wasn’t angry.
I just wanted to make the point that, you know, what are you arguing about?” Harbaugh added, “The ball was in the air and you pushed the receiver and redirected him.
It was a restriction. That’s going to be pass interference.
But he’s competitive. He’s competitive.
He wants to win every snap. And I think [that’s] part of the journey for the young corners.”
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Jaxson Darts Girlfriend Responds After Giants Camp Backlash Spreads
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Ayers addressed the online backlash around her camp presence, making it clear she saw the visit as part of the teams family-centered setup rather than a distraction. The reaction added a bit of noise around Dart at a time when he is trying to keep the focus where the Giants want it, on football and on building from the momentum he flashed as a rookie. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Rookie Jack Kelly Is Forcing A Real Roster Debate
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Kelly already has an active roster spot, but the real question is whether he has done enough to stick once the Giants sort through their veteran options and set the 53-man roster. For a player who came in with developmental expectations, the fact that he is forcing the team to weigh him against more established names says plenty about how quickly he has earned attention. [Read more 🡒]