The Giants left Day 11 of training camp with two injury notes worth watching: Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart are both dealing with minor issues.
That was part of a busy morning around camp, where the bigger picture remains the same - the offense is still being installed, the cornerback competition is still unsettled, and Malik Nabers’ return keeps looming as the piece that could change the entire feel of this group.
Dart, meanwhile, is still deep in the learning phase of a new offense. The Giants are putting together a system that blends Harbaugh’s influence from Baltimore, Matt Nagy’s work from Kansas City and Andy Reid, Greg Roman’s detailed run game, and Brian Callahan’s modern West Coast ideas. That means Dart is being asked to do more under center than he ever has before, while also adjusting his footwork and getting comfortable with a heavy daily install.
“You’re getting a big install each and every day,” Dart said. “So, you just continue to learn, continue to get reps at things and have a lot of really valuable communication.”
That process is still ongoing, but the sense from camp is that the offense has made progress as the summer has gone on, especially when it comes to corrections. The staff is also learning what Dart and the rest of the offense do best. The offensive line, at least for now, has looked good.
On the defensive side, the cornerback picture remains fluid. Four players have been taking first-team reps, with Greg Newsome II leading the way in the unofficial count, followed by Deonte Banks, Paulson Adebo and Colton Hood. Newsome has been steady on the outside and has also spent time in the slot while Dru Phillips has been out with a sprained knee.
Banks has been better than he was during his first three seasons, and that matters in a room where the Giants are still trying to sort out who they can trust. Adebo’s position has become the biggest question mark. His place in the pecking order suggests the coaching staff hasn’t liked what it has seen, and camp has featured too many completions allowed for a corner expected to be the top option.
Hood, for his part, does not look ready to be a Day 1 starter, which lines up with the reality of what the Giants are facing early. Their opening stretch includes the Cowboys and Rams, two passing attacks that can make life miserable for a young corner. Phillips remains the starting slot corner, though he has been sharing reps with Ar’Darius Washington depending on the situation.
One other name to keep in mind is Jalin Hyatt. He was identified as the Giants player who should be put on the 2026 trade block this preseason, with the basic logic being that there’s no realistic way all of the receivers on the roster bubble can survive cutdown day. Hyatt, who caught 23 passes for 373 yards as a rookie in 2023 and averaged 16.2 yards per catch, still carries some value because of his 4.4 speed and his former third-round status.
And then there’s Nabers, who remains the most impressive story of camp so far. The next step comes when the Giants get back on the practice fields at home, where the team will get a closer look at how much he can reshape the offense the moment he’s back in the huddle.
In Other News...
Giants Camp Is Already Turning Up Pressure On Several Roster Names
Training camp is still in its early stretch, but there are already a handful of Giants roster names under a brighter spotlight than they probably wanted. Jaxson Dart has been working through the usual rookie growing pains while trying to get comfortable in the offense, Evan Neal has seen his reps trimmed, and Paulson Adebo has already lost his hold on a starting cornerback job. Ben Sauls is also in the middle of a kicking battle that figures to get tighter as camp moves forward.
None of it has reached the point of a move being made yet, which is what makes this part of camp so interesting. The Giants are still sorting through competition rather than making cuts, but these are the kinds of roles that can shift quickly once the preseason games start and the pressure stops being limited to practice fields. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Could Complicate Cam Skattebos Role Sooner Than Expected
Cam Skattebo is still expected to have a meaningful role in the Giants backfield, but the roster picture around him may not stay settled for long. According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, New York is exploring the possibility of adding another running back, a move that would give the team more options as it tries to shape the position group heading into the season.
The intriguing part is what kind of player the Giants have in mind. The current setup points to Skattebo being a central piece, but the front office appears interested in pairing him with a runner who brings a different element to the offense. Whether that addition comes quickly or at all is still unclear, but it is enough to suggest the backfield could look more crowded than expected before long. [Read more 🡒]