But as they enter their 100th season of existence, they are determined to change that perception. HBO’s “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants” features the new Giants’ hierarchy, led by youthful general Manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll, at work using 21st-century technology to build a winning roster.

The series, which debuts on Tuesday, July 2 on HBO and will stream on MAX, will show the Giants’ front office going through the offseason process of the NFL Combine and draft and the preparation that leads up to those events as well as free agency and the offseason workout program.

It is HBO and NFL Films’ first foray into a team’s winter schedule.

Charlotte Carroll, who covers the Giants for The Athletic, recently listed six reasons to watch the series which will include: the Saquon Barkley defection, the shakeup within the coaching ranks, the failed quest for a new quarterback, the Brian Burns trade, Shane Bowen’s defense and Daniel Jones’ rehab.

What will be most interesting is the fans will get to see inside the walls of 1925 Giants Drive and what all those people are doing on a daily basis.

As one who has been inside the building many times, I always wondered myself, but over time, I have learned that it truly takes a village to run an NFL organization.

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In a fantasy mock draft based on the PPR (Point Per Reception) scoring system, analyst Nathan Jahnke listed the top 400 offensive players in ranked order.

Nabers was ranked 42nd overall and No. 22 among wide receivers. Running back Devin Singletary — the 31st rated at his position — was ranked 98 overall.

Wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson came in at No. 171 overall and No. 72 among wideouts. Quarterback Daniel Jones got no love at all, ranked 202nd overall and 30th overall at his position.

Others placed on the list: rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (No. 199 overall, No. 62 running back); wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (No. 212, No. 81 wide receiver); wide receiver Darius Slayton (217, 84); tight end Daniel Bellinger (250, TE 31); rookie tight end Theo Johnson (301, 39); quarterback Drew Lock (347, QB 38), the Giants’ defense (349, DEF 26) and kicker Graham Gano (391, PK 31).

Former Giants star running back Saquon Barkley, now with the Philadelphia Eagles, placed 13th overall on the list and fifth among running backs.

There are few surprises on the list given the Giants’ performance in 2023.

There is little to no confidence in Jones as he is ranked near the bottom of the starting quarterback rung and plenty of confidence in Lock, who despite telling the media that he’s firmly the backup, is ranked right outside the starter’s category.

Three newcomers — Nabers, Singletary, and Tracy — were ranked relatively high considering the rookies have yet to play a live down in the NFL and Singletary is on his third team in as many years.

The post Fantasy football: Malik Nabers is Giants’ highest-ranked player in PFF’s PPR 400 first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

It was also established that Jones would be the starter when healthy and free agent Drew Lock would be the backup.

Lock himself told reporters that he was the backup to Jones and was here to “help Daniel.”

“You hope your team is playing good football, and you hope Daniel stays healthy,” Lock said this spring. “But do everything you can to be ready. When that time comes, just make the best of it.”

Head coach Brian Daboll settled the issue at the team’s minicamp this past week while not demising either player.

“He understands his role. I think he’s come a long way,” Daboll said of Lock. “There is a lot to learn playing that position. There is a lot of vocabulary, there’s new plays. One word means something to him in another system. He’s been to a few different places. He has been a true pro… He has definitely improved since he has gotten here.”

There’s really no controversy — yet — but national pundits are pushing the narrative that Jones’ status as the starter is vulnerable.

In a recent piece for Bleacher Report, Alex Ballentine listed Jones’ status as one of his 8 Biggest Distractions Facing NFL Teams in 2024.

Diana Russini told The Athletic Football Show (h/t Jared Durbin of CBS Sports) that trading up for a QB in the 2024 draft was a “tough sell to ownership” after giving Daniel Jones a four-year, $160 million contract last offseason.

That was after Rich Eisen noted after the combine that he was hearing the Giants had “buyer’s remorse” for giving the 27-year-old his new deal.

If Jones gets off to a slow start coming off his ACL injury, the potential push for Lock and a move for Daboll to stay off the hot seat could quickly become a distraction.

No arguments there. A distraction is possible but right now it’s pretty much cast in stone that Jones will have to either fall flat on his face or suffer a major injury to lose his job.

Lock is signed for one season and was brought in after Tyrod Taylor defected to the Jets in free agency this March.

The post Daniel Jones named biggest distraction facing Giants in 2024 first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

That is when the team will convene for the first time as a whole as the veterans will join the rookies and first-year players, who will report to camp on July 16.

The first training camp practice will be held on Wednesday, July 24.

The Giants completed their mandatory minicamp last week and have now dispersed for the next five weeks. Head coach Brian Daboll was asked what his message to the team would be in regards to their time off.

“I think when I first started in 2000, it’s not the exact same speech. You have to grow and learn. Obviously it’s different. Certainly you want to represent yourself, represent the organization the right way, be a pro both on and off the field, and let them know that we’re here for them if anything does come up,” he said.

“But they’re so used to structure right now. The players have been here since April. They have a routine and then you go away and I have kids that are some of those rookies ages and of course, you got to try to lead them, show them the right way.

“But we have a lot of good young men who do things the right way. That’s something we will address.”

The Giants will slap the pads on soon after going through non-contact drills in the offseason season program. Daboll called the offseason program and associated practices a “teaching camp.”

“There is good communication,” he said. “Those answers will all come as we get going in training camp. Got a little bit here before we start up here.  But the chemistry, the communication, those have been good. That’s what you’re looking for this time of year in an OTA without pads on. It’s important. Half of your offense is basically the offensive line, so the more communication, the more looks they can get, that’s where I told you one of the reasons I want to do so much team is for that reason. Team. Team reps.”

“Want to make sure we’re heading home healthy, ready to go,” he added.

They did that for the first time in years.

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Since Barkley defected to Philadelphia in free agency in March, the Giants have been gradually building up their running back room, creating a versatile and potentially electric group.

They signed veteran free agent Devin Singletary to pair with second-year back Eric Gray and then added Tyrone Tracy Jr. in the draft. They also signed former Columbia star Dante Miller and added UFL rushing leader Jacob Saylors this past week. They also still have Jashaun Corbin on the roster.

Are they done? It would seem so but there is always room for more. That aside, Dan Duggan of The Athletic believes there are only three locks for the final roster — Singletary, Gray, and Tracy.

Could Matt Breida be re-signed?

Miller is a great story who has generated buzz, but he has six collegiate carries since the 2021 season. The Giants should be able to get the 5-foot-9, 200-pounder safely to the practice squad barring a breakout preseason. The ticket to a roster spot for Miller would be as a returner, but the Giants have more experienced options for that role.

Five running backs aren’t enough to get through training camp, so a veteran addition is likely in the coming weeks. Re-signing Matt Breida seems like an obvious move to provide depth and experience to a young group.

This analysis was written before the Giants hopped on Saylors this week. Many agree that Miller is likely headed to the practice squad and there could be a reunion with Breida or another veteran if Saylors turns out to be fool’s gold.

The post Is re-signing Matt Breida an ‘obvious move’ for Giants? first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

Eluemunor had just come off a solid season at right tackle for the Las Vegas Raiders under line coach Carmen Bricillo, who the Giants hired this offseason to run their mosh-mosh of an offensive line.

The thought was that the oft-injured Neal would likely have to beat Eluemunor out this summer at camp.

Not so. The Giants are standing firm on their plans to develop Neal into an NFL tackle. The loquacious veteran Eluemunor will start off at guard, which is fine with him.

“I just want to start. I just want to be out there,” Eluemunor told reporters this week a the team’s mandatory minicamp.

Before signing with the Giants, there were discussions about where he would play in New York. That must have gone well because Eluemunor is here and willing to do whatever the team needs

“For the first five years of my career, if you look back, I was in and out of the starting lineup trying to figure out how to be an NFL player. Now that I’ve had a taste of being a starter, I just want to be out there — I don’t care where it is,” he said.

“Just one of the openings they needed, and me being as flexible as I’ve been over my career, I just fell into it. I started as a left guard when I was in Baltimore before I got traded to New England. I was training to start as a left guard in Baltimore the entire off-season. So it’s nothing I’m not familiar with. If you watch my career over the last seven years you’ve seen I started left guard, left tackle, and right guard and right tackle. I can do it all. I just want to be out there.”

Does that mean he’ll play the whole season at guard? If all goes well, yes, but he’s ready for whatever his new team is going to throw at him.

“I played right tackle mainly for the last two years, so I was able to hone in on that and really craft my technique to get it where I wanted to be and where I was comfortable. So now that I’m moving to left guard, I’d rather just stay there and really hone on that position and perfect that,” he said.

“Just what I’ve learned and what I’ve been through in the NFL at right tackle shouldn’t be hard if I have to go out there. I trust the guys in the O-line room, the tackles. I believe in them and know what they’re capable of. That’s why I’ve been able to stay left guard and let them ball out over there.”

Neal is still rehabbing his surgically repaired ankle and won’t be pushed until training camp. Eluemunor is looking forward to playing on a line with some talented players.

“It’s a fun group,” he said. “I don’t count teams; this is my fourth team. I’ve been blessed to be in a lot of great offensive line rooms, and this one falls right into that.

“We have so many great guys in that room and a bunch of different personalities. I feel like the offensive line room is the best room in the NFL just because it doesn’t matter who you are or where you’ve been; as soon as you get in that offensive line room, you’re one big family. Everyone is goofy and funny. I have so been having a lot of fun with it.”

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