The Giants.com crew members discuss the biggest question for the team heading into training camp, which begins in three weeks.
John Schmeelk: I thought about doing something basic for this one like "who will be the Giants' second starting outside cornerback" or "will someone play well enough in training camp and preseason to unseat one of the starters on the offensive line" – but I decided against it. While those questions are certainly important and I'm interested in seeing how they are resolved, neither is the biggest question I still have about this team. The same goes for questions about how they will deploy the running backs and edge rushers. Those potential answers might impact wins and losses, but they are not big enough for me.
My thoughts still go back to the quarterback position, but not in the way some fans might be thinking about it. Russell Wilson is the team's starting quarterback. The team needs the stability that he brings to the position in terms of leadership, organizing the offense, and getting the team into the right plays. The confidence the team has in him was palpable throughout the spring. Physically, his arm and deep ball are still more than good enough to succeed in the NFL.
I need to see if Wilson, coupled with the Giants' scheme and offensive line, can get his sack rate down a bit. Last year, Wilson had an 8.9% sack rate, which was fifth-highest in the league, only better than Jalen Hurts and three young quarterbacks (Will Levis, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye). He was virtually tied with two playoff quarterbacks: Jayden Daniels and C.J. Stroud. He was less than a percent worse than two other quarterbacks that had good seasons: Geno Smith and Sam Darnold. Over the past five seasons, Wilson's 8.7% sack rate is tied for eight-highest.
If the Giants can get Wilson's sack rate down to the 7% range, which would put him towards the middle of the league in the neighborhood of Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow, and Dak Prescott, the offense will have a real chance to be excellent. The reason this is still a big question for me is we haven't seen it yet with pads. Without contact in spring practices, you can't see anything regarding the offensive line, pass rush, or how the quarterback will handle it.
There did seem to be a concerted effort with the offense to get the ball out quickly. If the deep pass down the field was not there, Wilson was quickly getting to his checkdown early. Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka know that sacks can short-circuit drives, and they will do everything in their power to help Wilson bring down his sack rate.
Getting consistent play from a healthy offensive line will also go a long way towards achieving that goal. We haven't seen the starting unit out there together yet, and there's no way to know when Andrew Thomas will be healthy enough to join his teammates on the field. We may be waiting in the summer before we can see that group together and get a feel for how well they play as a unit. If they can match what they showed in the first six games last year, the team will have a chance to solve their sack problem.
The Giants need more consistent and efficient quarterback play if they want to have a successful season. That's why it is my biggest question.