For Giants rookies, all of the losing can take a toll

Malik Nabers of the Giants runs after making a catch... — Malik Nabers of the Giants runs after making a catch in the fourth quarter against the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Mike Stobe

By Laura Albaneselaura.albanese@newsday.com @AlbaneseLauraUpdated November 5, 2024 1:34 am

Malik Nabers and Jayden Daniels took similar enough routes to get to where they were Sunday afternoon: Both were standouts at LSU, and both went in the first round of the 2024 draft.

But as Daniels’ Commanders swept the season series from the Giants with a 27-22 win at MetLife Stadium, it was impossible not to note one of the biggest differences in their trajectories: Behind Daniels, the Commanders have life and a bright future. And despite an impressive rookie class, the Giants, now languishing at 2-7, don’t have all that much hope left for this season.

That sort of doom and gloom can be a challenge for rookie players — all of whom, by nature of their being in the NFL, have mostly known success. It’s something the Giants will have to continue to monitor, especially if they’re planning to go through with the type of overhaul that a failed season would require.

“We continue to have our rookie meetings, and the coaches continue to emphasize the things that we need to do to be in the right mindset, practice with the right habits, prepare with the right habits and ultimately go out there,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said on Monday in a Zoom meeting with reporters.

“There’s going to be some things that happen throughout a game, particularly for young guys, that you’re going to have to go ahead and coach up. And we need to do that. We need to continue to do that. They’ve had some good spots here in the last few weeks of improving. And then there’s things that happened with any young player that you’ve got to continue to correct and make sure that they’re in the right head space. I like our rookie class. I think they are mature.”

Nabers and Tyrone Tracy Jr. had solid games Sunday, with Tracy leading the rushing attack with 16 carries and 66 yards and Nabers serving as Daniel Jones’ favorite target (nine catches for 59 yards). Rookies Dru Phillips (cornerback), Tyler Nubin (safety) and Theo Johnson (tight end), who caught a 35-yard touchdown pass Sunday, also have seen good amounts of playing time.

“Obviously, you miss winning in general,” Tracy said on Monday. “I feel like winning and losing in the NFL, it comes down to the little details. It’s not necessarily something big that’s happening. It’s always something little. It might be, one person might’ve missed a block or one person may have been out of the gap defensively that allowed a first down or something like that.”

Nabers tried to look on the bright side Sunday, saying the Giants’ current struggles will allow this rookie class the opportunity to make an impact on the future of the franchise.

“It’s new,” Nabers said of losing. “I would rather want to be coming up and trying to win than going to somebody who’s just winning and not producing [myself]. You’ve got to get it from the ground up — I’d rather come from the mud like I did regularly. It feels better when you come from the mud and you start winning successfully.”

While there are no prizes for losing four in a row, it does help in one way: by improving the Giants’ draft position.

They also can continue to focus on development in hopes of making this a full youth movement.

“They have the right mindset,” Daboll said, specifically referencing Phillips and Nubin, who’ve done well but at times also have shown their youth. “They have the right DNA that we look for. And again, you’ve got to correct some of the things that happened throughout a game and be able to move on to the next play. But we have confidence in those young guys. We’ve got to keep developing them and keep growing them as the season goes on. When there’s good stuff happening and when there’s stuff that needs to be improved.”

Notes & quotes: Kick returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette was cleared of his concussion, but WR Darius Slayton remains in concussion protocol, Daboll said. Slayton will be allowed to travel with the Giants to Germany for their game against the Panthers on Sunday morning . . . K Graham Gano (groin) has “a chance” to return from IR this week . . . OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (wrist) is not expected to be activated . . . The Giants need to further evaluate P Jamie Gillan (hamstring) to see if he can return to action.