The Giants will ramp up their offseason work on Tuesday with their first of 10 voluntary OTA practices in East Rutherford, N.J.
That will culminate with mandatory minicamp scheduled for June 17-18 before the club breaks and resets for training camp in late July.
Here is what the Daily News is watching from this new Giants team as it prepares for a brutal 2025 schedule coming off last year’s 3-14 embarrassment:
HOW DO WILSON AND DART LOOK?
Brian Daboll verbally handed Russell Wilson the No. 1 quarterback job early this spring, but Wilson has to prove he still has the physical talent and intangible leadership to lead this poor Giants offense out of the gutter. No. 2 quarterback Jameis Winston is a known commodity of highs and lows. But rookie first-round pick Jaxson Dart’s ability to perform against veterans — starting as the No. 3 QB and expected to see select reps with other units — could push Wilson as the starter and Winston as a necessary backup on the roster.
HOW WILL THEY USE CARTER?
No. 3 overall draft pick Abdul Carter played off-ball linebacker his first two seasons at Penn State and then moved to the edge and rushed the passer in his final, junior season with the Nittany Lions. The Giants started him in the outside linebackers room with the likes of Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, but Carter has position versatility that could add a different dimension to Shane Bowen’s defense. So it will be interesting to see how much the Giants cross-train Carter at both spots or if they focus primarily on Carter’s role at the line of scrimmage. That will also shed light on which players might come off the field if Carter earns a prominent early role.
IS THE O-LINE ACTUALLY FIXED?
Guard Jon Runyan has been present at recent spring workouts and appears to be healing well from whatever undisclosed procedure he underwent early in the offseason. Evan Neal is transitioning from tackle to guard, where he will battle for playing time and hopefully can help create more depth for a Giants franchise that annually disappoints on the O-line. The name of this year’s game appears to be consistency from 2024, with tackles Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor, guards Runyan and Greg Van Roten and Neal and center John Michael Schmitz. This position group will be under the microscope more this season, however, because Wilson and Winston are much less mobile than Daniel Jones was — and if Dart plays, he’s still a rookie learning the ropes.
WILL DABOLL GO DEEP TO HYATT?
The Giants’ lack of explosive plays on offense has been a common theme under Daboll. Joe Schoen hosted former Bills and Jaguars receiver Gabe Davis on a free agent visit recently as he recovers from a meniscus tear. The Giants still have 2022 third-round pick Jalin Hyatt on their roster, though, and Hyatt showed flashes his rookie season of being a dangerous and productive deep threat. Before the Giants add another receiver, Hyatt deserves the spring to get meaningful reps with Wilson and Winston and earn a spot that Daboll didn’t trust him with a season ago.
HOW MUCH BETTER IS THE SECONDARY?
The expensive signings of safety Jevon Holland and corner Paulson Adebo improve the Giants’ secondary on paper, but that’s not where they play the games. Holland and Adebo need to gel with corners Deonte Banks and Dru Phillips and safety Tyler Nubin to be ready for Jayden Daniels and that Washington Commanders offense come Week 1 in the fall. That starts now in the spring.
