5 major concerns for Daniel Jones' Giants heading into training camp
Daniel Jones and the Giants head into training camp after a disappointing season last time around, when they failed to make it to the playoffs after making it all the way to the Divisional Round in the year prior.
The training camp is the first chance to put things right and encourage some optimism for their fans. But there are some major concerns that they must address first if they are to enter the 2024 season in a positive frame of mind.
Giants' concerns entering 2024 training camp with Daniel Jones top of list
#1 - Daniel Jones needs to show his worth
Daniel Jones went down injured and did not return for the rest of the season in 2023. He is recovering and is expected back in training camp. He signed a new deal last offseason that put him as the designated franchise quarterback for the Giants. But Daniel Jones' play last season, even before getting hurt, did not reach the levels you would expect from New York's starter.
The Giants backed him even further this season when they refused to draft a quarterback and instead went with wide receiver Malik Nabers, giving him an offensive weapon. Now, it is up to Daniel Jones to prove that he is the right person for the job and the training camp will be the best place to start.
#2 - Who replaces Saquon Barkley?
Talking about Daniel Jones, one reason his contract at the time was fiercely debated is because it did not leave enough money for Saquon Barkley. The running back was widely acknowledged as the offensive lynchpin and has now joined the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason.
Devin Singletary is his supposed replacement and he will have to put through the paces during training camp to ensure that the Giants are not lacking in the run game. Daniel Jones has shown his propensity to struggle without a strong ground game behind him, which is also true for many other quarterbacks. Brian Daboll will have to ensure that he gets that in order before the season starts.
#3 - Will this be the season that the O-Line finally gels?
Talking about Daniel Jones' injury, we cannot really ignore one glaring problem that has dogged the Giants for every season since the quarterback has been in New York. Their offensive line, despite spending multiple drafts trying to fix it, has not functioned as a coherent unit.
This time, therefore, they went a different way and got a bunch of veterans in free agency. They added the likes of Jon Runyan Jr., Jermaine Eluemunor, Aaron Stinnie, Austin Schlottmann, and Matt Nelson, hoping to fix the problem. The Giants also have a new offensive line coach in Carmen Bricillo.
All of this should improve the team on that front. But getting players is not the same as working together as a unit, which is what the offensive line has to do. Training camp will be the time to ensure that everyone buys into the system and that they do a better job of protecting Daniel Jones.
#4 - New coordinator on defense
Wink Martindale left the Giants a popular man and has been replaced by Shane Bowen. Coming from the Tennessee Titans, he will bring a different kind of defense to his predecessor, who was known for his penchant for blitzing.
The defensive players will have to get used to it and make sure that they are able to unlearn and relearn, which is not always easy for veterans. It might also affect the offense as they will have to observe a different game flow based on how the defense works. Such minutiae will need to be hammered out during the training camp.
#5 - Who gets the play-calling duties: Brian Daboll or Mike Kafka?
The only coordinator returning to the Giants for training camp this year is Mike Kafka as the offensive coordinator. While that might be good news for any other team in terms of continuity, he interviewed a couple of other jobs and is said to not have the best working relationship with head coach Brian Daboll.
The offensive coordinator has been calling plays for Daniel Jones for the past two seasons, but there have been reports that Brian Daboll wants to assume that role after the Giants offense struggled last year. While that will not be the primary thing to be decided during training camp, it still matters.
One can always change play-callers in between seasons or even offensive coordinators. The Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers did so in 2023 and made the playoffs. But it is never ideal. Hammering out who will have that duty during training camp will make things clearer for the players on the field and preserve a degree of familiarity when the games begin.