The Giants are heading into camp with a few big themes already taking shape: Malik Nabers’ health, a rookie defender worth watching, and a new coach trying to steer a young roster through bigger expectations.
The most encouraging update is on Nabers. The wide receiver is still rehabbing his right knee, and the Giants are hopeful he can be back for the season opener against the Cowboys.
Even so, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reported that Nabers is expected to avoid the active/physically unable to perform list when camp opens. There is still no firm answer on exactly when he’ll be ready, but that’s a better starting point than a stint on PUP.
Nabers’ status matters because so much of the offense is tied to him. The Ringer noted that there’s no guarantee he’ll be cleared to practice without restrictions when camp begins, and the bigger concern is what the passing game looks like if he’s not available.
In that scenario, New York would be piecing things together with receivers like Darius Slayton, Calvin Austin III, Darnell Mooney, and Odell Beckham Jr. The concern there isn’t subtle: without Nabers, explosive passing may be hard to find, and Jaxson Dart’s development could take a hit.
That’s why the rookie watch list also points straight at the Giants’ young talent. Arvell Reese stands out on the defensive side.
Yahoo Sports called him a surprise pick, but not because of his ability. Reese played a hybrid role at Ohio State, splitting time between edge rusher and off-ball linebacker, and the Giants appear set to use him in a similar way.
He’ll be working on a front that includes Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter, with Tremaine Edmunds added at linebacker in free agency.
The intrigue with Reese is how much the Giants ask him to do right away. The comparison to Carter is obvious, since the team eased Carter into things as a rookie and didn’t really see him hit his stride until later in the season. Reese has the tools to become a star, but his instincts will be tested immediately, and the preseason should give a first real look at how that role is going to work.
There’s also a bigger organizational question hanging over camp. ESPN framed it around how the Giants will handle the jump in expectations under John Harbaugh, the Super Bowl-winning coach brought in to work with Jaxson Dart.
New York has won just seven games over the past two seasons combined, but the combination of Harbaugh, Dart and two top-10 draft picks has some people expecting a fast turnaround. The catch is that the Giants are also installing new systems on both sides of the ball, and that may not click instantly.
That’s where the workload comes in. Harbaugh is known for running a hard camp, and that old-school approach will be part of the story as the Giants try to balance development, conditioning and a lot of new moving parts.
The roster-building side of the conversation is still lingering too. The Athletic revisited the Giants’ 10-step plan and pointed to some clear matches between that blueprint and what the team actually did: cutting Okereke, keeping Thibodeaux, re-signing Eluemunor, letting Robinson walk and taking the best player available with the fifth pick. The biggest difference was the lack of trench investment in free agency, though the Mauigoa pick helped soften that a bit, even if the Giants couldn’t have planned on having that pick while making those offseason decisions.
The other major divide was Lawrence. The Athletic said it was impossible at the time to fully understand the interpersonal issues that damaged the relationship. It also raised the question of whether the Giants could have avoided the standoff if they had proactively made the extension offer, but ultimately said the team made the best of a difficult situation by landing the 10th pick in the trade.
Bleacher Report’s division rankings also put the Giants in the middle of a larger NFC East picture that could look better in 2026. The Giants are being built around Nabers, Cam Skattebo and Dart, with Harbaugh now part of the equation. If Harbaugh gets the most out of the roster and Nabers, Dart and Skattebo stay healthy, New York could make some noise in the regular season.
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