Giants training camp: Three takeaways from the first three weeks
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones throws during training camp in East Rutherford, N.J., on Tuesday. Credit: Ed Murray
1. Daniel Jones has had some strong practices.
Jones probably had his best day of training camp on Tuesday.
The Giants celebrated by taking Wednesday off.
We kid.
The Giants were already scheduled to be off on hump day.
But Jones was particularly sharp before the one-day respite.
In team drills, he was accurate: 10-for-13 with two drops. That he needed some time to adjust to training camp mode was probably foreseeable for a player coming off a torn ACL suffered in Week 9 of last season.
Jones has had some other strong practices, but the most recent one stood out.
Even without rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, who is dealing with an ankle injury, the quarterback flourished.
Giants quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney, who has had offensive passing game coordinator added to his title, described Jones as having “a consistent camp.”
Jones is expected to start Saturday’s preseason game against the Texans in Houston.
“The best thing I’ve said consistently about Daniel is that he’s the same guy every day no matter what’s going on that day,” Tierney said this week. “He’s done a really good job, done everything we’ve asked him to do. So, it’s just been consistent.”
Coming back from injury can be as much, or more, of a mental battle than a physical one.
“I would say that’s one of Daniel’s best attributes,” Tierney said. “His mental toughness is very impressive. Just from talking to him about what he’s gone through, the injuries and all that, I would say his mental toughness is really, really good.”
2. Battle for cornerback spot.
One of the strongest battles in training camp has been between Cor’Dale Flott and Nick McCloud for the cornerback position opposite Deonte Banks, now in his second year. With Flott battling an injury, McCloud could get a chance to impress against the Texans.
“Definitely a huge opportunity,” McCloud said. “I don't think I'm just trying to take this opportunity to go win a job. Every time I step on the practice field, I'm trying to win a job. Whatever reps that I get, those are valuable reps. I went from last year, I didn't get any reps with the 'ones' and the 'twos,' really. Now I'm getting some reps. I just take every opportunity at practice, game, whatever it may be, just try to maximize that.”
3. "Wide-open competition" at running back spot.
Running backs coach Joel Thomas characterized his group as “wide-open competition right now.”
Projected starter Devin Singletary has never had more than 200 carries in a season. He played for Brian Daboll for four years in Buffalo before spending the 2023 season in Houston.
“He’s done nothing but prove that he can carry some of the load,” Thomas said.
A 24-year coaching veteran, Thomas is in his first season as the Giants' running backs coach. He spent the previous nine seasons as the Saints' running backs coach.
“We’re constantly trying to create a culture in the room,” Thomas said.
Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.
