sportsnaut.com

Five Critical Questions as New York Giants Enter Make-or-Break Training Camp

NFL: New York Giants Minicamp

NFL: New York Giants Minicamp

We’re just days away from the New York Giants reporting to training camp to prepare for the 2025 NFL season.

This will be the fourth season of the Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll regime, and there’s tremendous pressure on the duo after finishing 3-14 a season ago and setting a franchise record for losses in a season.

On paper, Big Blue should be significantly better with the upgrades made this offseason. However, some believe they’ll finish last in the NFC East, while others think the Giants could be one of this season’s surprise teams.

Numerous questions surround the franchise ahead of training camp, and here’s our list of the top five.

Will Russell Wilson still play at a high level?

Credit: Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The biggest addition this offseason was signing 10-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson to a one-year deal.

Wilson has the fourth-best touchdown-to-interception ratio in NFL history, and many believe he’s Hall of Fame-bound. But some question whether, at age 36 and playing on his third team in three seasons, he can still perform at an elite level.

We’ll have to see how much he plays in the preseason, but if Wilson is still performing at a high level and maintains his three-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio, New York may have a winning season.

Is Andrew Thomas’ foot fully healed?

Jan 21, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78) against Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat (94) during an NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Jan 21, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78) against Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat (94) during an NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Andrew Thomas is one of the best left tackles in the league, but has only played in 16 games over the last two seasons. A foot injury put an abrupt end to his season last year after just six games.

He’s coming off foot surgery and recently, there’s been speculation that he may not be ready for the start of the season.

But the 6-foot-5, 315-pound tackle seemed to put fans at ease when he threw out the first pitch at a recent New York Yankees game and wasn’t favoring his foot. Now the question is: will he be an active participant when training camp begins? A healthy Thomas will give Wilson more time to find Malik Nabers and pick apart opposing defenses, making the offense more explosive.

Can Abdul Carter make Giants’ front seven best in league?

Credit: Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Giants took Abdul Carter with the third pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and immediately speculation began on how dominant the front seven could be this year. Carter was widely considered the best pass rusher in college, and now he’ll play alongside Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Brian Burns.

Last season, the Giants had 45 sacks despite Lawrence and Thibodeaux missing significant time with injuries, and Burns playing through various ailments. Now with everyone entering camp healthy, New York has the potential to field the best front seven in the league — a recipe for success.

How will the team manage Jaxson Dart?

NFL: New York Giants Rookie Minicamp

Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

The Giants loved what they saw from Jaxson Dart in college, which is why they traded back into the first round to take him with the 25th overall pick. He’s without question the franchise’s future and will be the starter in 2026, but how he’ll be used this year remains a huge question.

He’ll certainly see significant playing time in the preseason, but it’s uncertain if he’ll get a chance to supplant Jameis Winston as the number two on the depth chart. Additionally, if the season starts to spiral downward, how long will the organization wait before giving Dart his first NFL start?

Aside from wins and losses, the most important objective this season is developing their rookie quarterback and putting Dart in the best position to succeed.

What will ownership deem as a successful season?

Credit: Kevin R. Wexler / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We won’t know the answer to this question until after the season, but it will be hovering over the franchise all year. After two consecutive double-digit loss seasons, both Schoen and Daboll are firmly on the hot seat, and the Giants have the toughest strength of schedule in the league.

Most believe that for the Schoen/Daboll regime to last beyond this season, the Giants will need to be playing in meaningful games late in the year. Or Dart will need to show steady progress as the season unfolds, proving that Schoen was right to trade up for him.

Read full news in source page