Arvell Reese wasted no time showing why his first Giants preseason snaps turned heads. In his debut film, the rookie linebacker looked anything but tentative, and the physicality was obvious from the jump.
Minnesota Vikings fullback Max Bredeson, left guard Donovan Jackson and tight end T.J. Hockenson all felt it at MetLife Stadium on Saturday.
Reese blew up one Jordan Mason run after diagnosing it quickly, working past Jackson on the move and finishing the tackle. Later, he met Bredeson squarely on an Aaron Jones carry, sending the fullback to the turf on his knees.
On another Jones run, Reese drove Hockenson back a couple yards. For a rookie, the impact was immediate.
Jaxson Dart’s preseason moment also kept drawing attention, though not for the reasons he probably wanted. Domonique Foxworth, the former NFL Players Association president, called it “insane” and “stupid” that the Giants quarterback was frustrated by going to the blue medical tent for a concussion evaluation during Saturday’s preseason game against the Vikings.
“All quarterbacks have to change something about the way that they play,” Foxworth said Monday on ESPN’s “Get Up.” “I think Jaxson Dart’s personality is a thing that I find a little bit more unique and interesting, that he puts this kind of linebacker mentality to the game.
And I think it’s insane that he’s bothered by going to the blue tent in a preseason game when he got blasted and stayed on the ground for extra seconds. If that’s what he’s pushing back on, that’s just stupid.”
Dart’s adjustment inside the Giants’ offense is still in its early stages, and that’s part of the process. He spent last year in a system designed to make the jump to the NFL easier, so there was always going to be some learning curve once he got to New York. Even so, Dart has embraced the new voices around him and says he’s absorbing plenty from the staff.
“You get to hear their perspectives. You get to hear, obviously, their coaching each and every day,” Dart said.
“That alone gives this staff a really good edge for us as a team. … As players, we have all the confidence in the world in them being able to put us in the best spots to succeed.”
Malachi Fields has already found ways to matter beyond just the box score. He was smiling when asked about one play, but the rookie receiver was just as interested in the other kind of contribution he made in Saturday’s exhibition loss to Minnesota. The biggest catch came on a scramble drill touchdown from Dart, but that wasn’t the only play Fields took pride in.
PFF’s Rookie Team of the Week reflected that kind of all-around impact. Fields, listed as a wide receiver, earned a 90.4 grade after running only 11 routes and moving the chains three times. That included the contested touchdown grab on the scramble drill, a play the outlet said he handled with the awareness of an established veteran.
There’s plenty of early optimism around the Giants’ rookie class, and that’s easy to see in August. The tricky part, as always, is separating first impressions from what holds up once the games count. For now, though, the early returns are giving the Giants something to work with as they head toward a scrimmage with the Miami Dolphins this week.
In Other News...
Giants Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Right Guard Battle
The Giants right guard competition has already taken on a sharper edge, and one of the names in the mix is now out of the picture. New York moved Daniel Faalele to Jacksonville, a move that comes after a rough preseason opener and leaves the Giants with one less body in a battle that was always going to be closely watched.
For the Jaguars, the trade is about patching a depth hole after Patrick Mekari went down with an injury, while the Giants get a future draft asset and a clearer look at the linemen still standing in camp. It also sends a pretty direct message about how quickly roster spots can shift in August, especially for a position group where every rep is being evaluated under a microscope. [Read more 🡒]
Jaxson Darts Girlfriend Responds After Giants Camp Backlash Spreads
Marissa Ayers, the girlfriend of Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, drew attention this week after publicly confirming their relationship and showing up at the teams 2026 training camp for a designated family visit. The appearance came as Dart heads into his second NFL season in New York, following a promising rookie year that still carried some injury concern, and it quickly became another small spotlight on a player the Giants are expected to lean on.
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
Jack Kelly has done enough in camp and preseason games to make himself part of the conversation, which is not usually where a sixth-round pick starts in late August. The Giants rookie has shown up in the open field, piled up five tackles in the opener and carried that same activity into practices, where his speed and coverage work have stood out.
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 🡒]