Four reasons to be excited about the New York Giants this season

Things may look down for the G-Men, but there are plenty of reasons to watch them week in and week out

The New York Giants have a Week 1 matchup today against the Minnesota Vikings, and needless to say I’m pretty damn excited about this team. I have some bias as a lifelong Giants fan; however, there are definitely reasons for the not-so-dedicated fans to share this excitement. Do I think the Giants will return to the playoffs in 2024? No. That doesn’t mean they can’t be a fun type of bad, though. 

The NFL is notorious for producing some truly awful teams that, at the same time, are pretty fun to watch. Depending on how things go, the Giants could very well not fit into this description, though it seems more likely than not this is a pretty exciting team that gives some of the playoff squads on their schedule a run for their money. 

On paper, this is a rather talented Giants team. Sure, positions like corner and quarterback could be better, but it really seems like there are tons of big-time playmakers all over the field who could make a real difference in the team's final win total. Yeah, some could fail, and the Giants could suck again, but as of now it’s hard for me not to look at this roster and believe just a little bit that Brian Daboll can lead the team back to the promised land. 

So in order to make you guys as delusional optimistic as I am, I’ve compiled four reasons to be excited about this Giants team. Anything is subject to change, as the season is just getting started, and any of the on-paper talent could be just that. But that won’t stop me from supporting my favorite team and letting you all know why, in ascending order. 

4) The offensive line finally looks consistent for the first time in nearly a decade 

If you ask any Giants fan what the problem with the team has been the last 10 years, odds are they’ll say the offensive line. They’ve had solid players like Justin Pugh, Weston Richburg and more recently the All-Pro Andrew Thomas, but otherwise it’s been absolutely dreadful. From free agent busts like Geoff Schwartz and Nate Solder to horrible draft picks like Ereck Flowers and to this point Evan Neal, the Giants have consistently failed to find talent in the trenches. 

However, this offseason Giants general manager Joe Schoen took a different approach to bolstering the line compared to executives of years past. As opposed to swinging big on an aging free agent or spending big-time draft capital on a lineman, Schoen made several low-risk, high-reward moves that have a much better chance of paying off compared to previous ones. 

Signing Jermaine Eluemunor and Jon Runyan are decisions that could move mountains for the Giants this season. They may not be former Pro Bowlers, but they bring something the team desperately needs in the trenches: consistency. Both are in their prime, with Runyan 27 and Elumunor 29, and fit incredibly well with this Giants system. 

Throughout the offseason, we’ve heard several beat reporters speak highly of the offensive line, and in the lone preseason game in which most of the unit played together they looked great. This is without mentioning the signing of Greg Van Roten, another star – he may be 34, and entering his 12th season, but he will likely still be a positive for the Giants for a few reasons. 

For starters, Van Roten was not signed to come off the bench, so bringing him in solidified that Eluemunor will play right tackle, sending Neal to the bench. Personally, I still believe that Neal can be a good NFL offensive lineman. However, with the current trajectory of this Giants team, they cannot waste more time on hope. It makes much more sense to simply redshirt Neal this season and start veterans like Eluemunor and Van Roten. 

As of now, this is what the Giants offensive line looks like entering Week 1, compared to who started the most games last season:

This is an absurd level of improvement, and doesn’t even mention the downseason Thomas had in ‘23 due to injury, or the struggles Schmitz had as a rookie that will likely be mitigated as he enters his second season. Unless the injury bug strikes again, the Giants will finally have five starting-caliber players on their offensive line for the first time since their last Super Bowl win in 2012. Unlike years past, none of the projected starters on this offensive line has a worrisome injury history. While we can never predict health thanks to the horrid MetLife turf, it’s still a good sign that this unit could stick around for the majority of the season. 

This new and improved Giants offensive line brings a good mix of run blockers and pass protectors who will bring much-needed help on offense. It likely won’t be a top-10, but considering the Giants have consistently been bottom-three the past few seasons it’s a major step in the right direction. All three of their big free agent signings will provide much-needed stability – not to mention in the worst-case scenario where these signings don’t pan out, they’re all signed for two or fewer years, or at the very least have an out after their second season.

Heading into the season, this looks like a masterclass of offensive line improvement from Schoen. He tried addressing the position in his first two seasons, but realized he needed to take a new approach if he wanted to see real change. This is something Dave Gettleman failed to do throughout his entire tenure as the Giants’ GM. 

3) Daboll is taking over the offensive playcalling

Giants fans everywhere were given a pleasant shock this week when Daboll announced to the media that he would be taking over offensive playcalling for the upcoming season. This job was previously Mike Kafka’s; however, following a season in which the Giants ranked 31st in passing yards, 28th in passing touchdowns and 30th in total points scored, a change was needed. 

Daboll reportedly took over playcalling duties at times when the offense flustered last season, most notably the team's Week 2 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Down 28-7 in the third quarter, Daboll allegedly started calling plays on offense, and it was evident: the passing attack became more aggressive, taking more shots down the field, and overall the offense was much more efficient. 

This adds up: that was Daboll’s style of playcalling in Buffalo and what got him his job coaching the Giants. Honestly, it was a bit of a shock he wasn’t calling plays when he first took over the team. Kafka is an okay playcaller, but more often than not he has not gotten the job done, failing to produce an aggressive offensive game plan. While at times that’s fine – Daniel Jones is a mediocre quarterback, at best – there are times the offense has to ramp it up, yet never do. Keeping the offense simple for Jones is what works, but Kafka has to challenge his quarterback if he wants him to get any better. 

Both reporters and Giants players have stated that this offseason under Daboll the offense has been much more aggressive, opting to take more shots down the field than in prior seasons. As questionable as Jones can be as a deep-ball thrower, the Giants currently have the personnel to be more aggressive and cannot waste another season being overly passive. 

This will be Daboll’s first time as the full-time offensive playcaller since 2021, when he was still with Buffalo. The Giants' offense is very different than that of the Bills, but I’m confident Daboll can put together the best game plan possible for the team. Facing an opponent like the Vikings in Week 1 will be a good opportunity for Daboll to truly test this offense's limits: Minnesota has a piss-poor defense, with washed veterans and nobodies littered all over the field. Daboll has to take advantage of this and set the tone early by taking some deep shots to guys like Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton. 

2) The new Big 3 on defense will wreak havoc

One of the biggest stories this offseason was the Giants’ trade and subsequent extension for Pro Bowl edge rusher Brian Burns. This not only solidified their pass rush, it created one of if not the best pass-rushing trios in the NFL between Burns, Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux. While this definitely comes with risk — another big pass-rushing investment from Schoen — it’s one that will likely pay off big-time. 

If we combine those three players’ stats from last season, they racked up 148 pressures and 24 sacks, and that’s with Burns playing in a system that did not come close to utilizing his talents and Thibodeaux only a second-year player. These two will no doubt improve under defensive coordinator Shane Bowen; we already know what Lawrence can do, regardless of system. 

For example, under Al Holcomb and Phil Snow in 2022, Burns racked up 12.5 sacks and 68 pressures, making the Pro Bowl. A year later, with Ejiro Evero, Burns was used less aggressively as a pass rusher and managed just eight sacks and 40 pressures. Under Bowen, who utilizes his edge rushers incredibly well, Burns will more likely than not return to his 2022 form and dominate alongside Thibodeaux. 

Working under Bowen will likely do wonders for the trio’s careers. Prior to becoming the defensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans and then the Giants, Bowen was an outside linebacker coach the majority of his career and made a lot of not-so-great players look special. 

The addition of Burns and Bowen has to pan out, as the Giants cannot continue to invest in their pass rush with minimal success. Despite Lawrence and Thibodeaux playing as well as they did last season, the Giants ranked 29th in sacks and 20th in pressures. Adding Burns will help them move up in the rankings significantly, but they may need more than just these three. 

In addition to this, the Giants secondary is looking to be one of if not the worst units in the NFL. Getting to the quarterback will be crucial in order to help the secondary mitigate their lack of talent. There are few teams with a front seven as good as the Giants this season, but their secondary could lose them a game or two. 

Regardless, Burns, Thibodeaux and Lawrence will provide some incredibly fun-to-watch football, even if it doesn’t result in many wins. From a franchise perspective, the future hinges on the performances of these three in 2024. For the casual fan, there may not be a more entertaining pass-rushing troika in the NFL. 

1) Malik Nabers for Offensive Rookie of the Year

Finally, we have not just the most exciting player on the Giants but one of the most highly anticipated rookies in the league in Nabers. Whether it be his media mastery, loveable attitude or the fact that he already looks like an elite wide receiver, there really isn’t much to dislike about the sixth overall pick from this year's draft. Multiple beat reporters have stated over the offseason that Nabers is the best receiver they’ve ever seen practice with the Giants, even better than Odell Beckham Jr. 

Speaking as a fan, I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much hype surrounding a Giants rookie since Saquon Barkley, and even then it didn’t feel like the media was as obsessed with him as they have been with Nabers. Honestly, it’s not hard to blame them. Nabers has had no shortage of highlight plays throughout training camp. Unfortunately, we didn’t see a ton of Nabers in the preseason, and when we did he was subjected to poor quarterback play, but he still looked quite good when on the field, consistently getting open even if he wasn’t getting the ball. This is what you need to see out of a rookie wide receiver. 

Hopefully Jones or whoever plays quarterback for the Giants this season feeds Nabers the ball, as there will be little to stop him from breaking rookie records if they do. During his last season at LSU, Nabers caught 89 passes for 1,568 yards and 14 touchdowns. There are really no weaknesses to his game. He can go deep, kill you in the open field and work the middle as well. 

Nabers is a truly special talent, and depending on how the quarterbacks from this year's draft class play he could join the elite company of receivers who have won Offensive Rookie of the Year. 1,000+ yards feels like a lock, so if Jones can get his shit together there’s no telling what Nabers could do this season, especially with Daboll calling plays. 

There are more reasons for me to personally be excited about this team, but not everyone is the football nerd I am. So for those who are just looking for a few bright spots on this seemingly depressing Giants team, I hope I was able to point some out. Regardless of how many games they win, the Giants should at least keep us entertained this season.