The New York Giants wrapped up their offseason program with an organization-wide cookout Thursday. Players and coaches will take the next six weeks to recharge before the grind of training camp begins when they report on July 23.
Here’s a review of what stood out from the offseason program:
New beginnings
The coaching staff upheaval was the biggest story at the start of the offseason (hopefully we get some behind-the-scenes insight from Hard Knocks!). But once the smoke cleared from defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’s explosive departure, it was on coach Brian Daboll to reassemble a functional staff as he enters a pivotal third season. Daboll hired nine new assistants this offseason, including coordinators on defense and special teams.
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The discord between Daboll and Martindale drew most of the attention, but the brash defensive coordinator wasn’t the only assistant who didn’t appreciate Daboll’s constant outbursts. Daboll’s sideline demeanor was a talking point this offseason, with co-owner John Mara noting in March that “there are times where I wish he would tone it down a little bit.”
Daboll didn’t vow to make any major changes because he acknowledged he’s “a very passionate person,” but he conceded, “There are times where I wish I handled things a little bit differently, certainly.”
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There was a noticeable change in Daboll’s conduct during practices this offseason. In this same offseason program recap a year ago, it was noted that “Daboll had one of his patented red-faced explosions at almost every open practice this spring.”
There were no such eruptions, which were typically aimed at assistants for personnel miscues last year, during the five practices open to the media this spring. Daboll wouldn’t say if the calmer approach was a concerted effort, but he offered an interesting explanation for why he was less inclined to blow a gasket during practices.
“I’ve been obviously calling some of the plays, there’s an element of that,” Daboll said.
Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka remain intent on continuing the charade of ambiguity over who will call offensive plays this season. But it’s obvious Daboll will handle that duty, as he did during every open practice this spring.
Handling play-calling responsibilities could have the added benefit of allowing Daboll to keep his composure. Whereas last season he would unload on assistants on the headsets during games — “On game day, he’s a madman. It’s just brutal,” said one team source last season — Daboll will now need to remain focused on the next play call.
Time will tell if Daboll’s new outlook endures. Like every coach, he surely will still lose his temper during games. But his calmer demeanor this spring was a departure from the past. That change could foster more harmony with his assistants.
One big, happy family?
Staff harmony has been an emphasis from Daboll, general manager Joe Schoen and other assistants throughout the offseason. Though Daboll and Schoen have never addressed the ugly fallout with Martindale in detail, it’s obvious and understandable there are bad feelings on both sides of the divorce.
The way Daboll and Schoen have repeatedly lauded how new members of the staff are “good teammates” and “collaborative” are clear allusions to qualities they believe were lacking from Martindale, who has been painted as an independent contractor.
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It seems obvious Daboll has imparted the importance of collaboration to the new members of the staff.
“It’s not the Shane Bowen way,” new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said Wednesday. “There (are) no egos involved here. We are going to be a very collaborative group as a coaching staff.”
Some of the examples of increased collaboration are overstated. Every offensive line coach has the tackles and tight ends work together on combination blocks in practice as new O-line coach Carmen Bricillo did this spring. But there’s a notable change with defensive line coach Andre Patterson now working with the outside linebackers.
It makes sense for the defensive linemen and outside linebackers to work together since the pass rush needs to be coordinated. That’s especially important in Bowen’s defense, which will rely heavily on the front four to generate pressure and will use more stunts to achieve that objective.
Martindale’s top lieutenant was outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins. They worked together to devise the pass-rush plan each week, and that may have created friction with assistants who didn’t have the same level of input in the defense.
Patterson is renowned for his technique work, particularly hand usage. So it should only benefit Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and the rest of the edge rushers to work with Patterson in addition to new outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen.
But like with Daboll’s calmer demeanor, the staff harmony won’t really be put to the test until the season starts. The friction between Daboll and Martindale was masked by the team’s success in 2022. Things didn’t boil over until the losses started to pile up last season.
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Depth chart debrief
Tracking the offensive depth chart during practices can be challenging because players rotate frequently at running back, wide receiver and tight end. The best way to gauge the pecking order is during the walk-through install periods when the offense is split into two groups. The starters and top backups are positioned on one section of the field, and the rest of the backups are in a separate spot.
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So with that in mind, these players were with the starting offense during install periods this spring:
• RB: Devin Singletary, Eric Gray, Tyrone Tracy
• WR: Malik Nabers, Jalin Hyatt, Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins
• TE: Daniel Bellinger, Theo Johnson, Chris Manhertz, Lawrence Cager
This was the first-team offensive line throughout the spring with right tackle Evan Neal sidelined as he recovers from ankle surgery: LT Andrew Thomas, LG Jermaine Eluemunor, C John Michael Schmitz, RG Jon Runyan, RT Josh Ezeudu.
It wasn’t as easy to track the defense during install periods because the unit was broken down by position groups. Typically, the inside linebackers and defensive backs would be the focus of the install period, with the outside linebackers and defensive linemen working elsewhere.
These players spent the most time with the first-team defense this spring: DL Dexter Lawrence, DL Ryder Anderson, DL Jordon Riley, OLB Brian Burns, OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux, ILB Bobby Okereke, ILB Micah McFadden, CB Deonte Banks, CB Cor’Dale Flott, Slot CB Nick McCloud, S Jason Pinnock, S Dane Belton.
DJ Davidson also rotated with the first-team defensive line, while veteran Rakeem Nunez-Roches also worked with the starters when he practiced. Carter Coughlin stepped into the starting inside linebacker spot next to Okereke when McFadden was sidelined for the final three open practices of the spring by an undisclosed injury.
McCloud shifted into the box as an inside linebacker when the Giants used a dime package with six defensive backs. Rookie third-round pick Dru Phillips played in the slot in that package. Second-round pick Tyler Nubin didn’t get any first-team reps during open practices, with Belton holding the edge in that position battle during the spring.
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Kickoff coverage
The drastic kickoff rule change created a lot of unknowns. Some answers won’t come until the season starts, but there were early indications of the change’s impact.
The Giants worked with two kick returners deep, which makes sense because special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial explained that hang time has been made irrelevant because players on the coverage unit can’t move until the kick is fielded. That will result in lower kickoffs that force returners to cover more ground.
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Singletary, Tracy, Slayton, Robinson, RB Dante Miller, WR Asante Ayir and WR Gunner Olszewski were the kick returners this spring.
The body types of the players on the kickoff return team haven’t changed much despite Ghobrial saying the return will now look more like an offensive running play. In last season’s opener, the Giants had four linebackers, two tight ends, two safeties, one running back and one cornerback on the kickoff return team. In Tuesday’s minicamp practice, the Giants had three linebackers, two tight ends, two wide receivers, one safety and one cornerback on the kickoff return team.
Waller fallout
Tight end Darren Waller’s retirement on Sunday opened a roster spot that was filled by veteran cornerback Tre Herndon, who participated in minicamp as a tryout. That’s not a splashy signing, which may not come even after the Giants gained $11.6 million in cap savings from Waller’s retirement.
Even as the process dragged on, the Giants expected that Waller would retire. So they didn’t need to wait to get official word if they wanted to sign another pricy free agent. They simply could have restructured the contract of a player with a high salary, like left tackle Andrew Thomas, knowing the cap relief from Waller’s retirement was coming.
The Giants have $11.7 million in cap space. That could be enough space to cover operating expenses during the season without needing to restructure any contracts. Of course, the Giants could choose to spend some of that space and then restructure Thomas and others if they desire.
It can’t be ignored that the Giants showed interest in veteran cornerbacks this offseason, and that position remains a question. Darious Williams visited with the Giants in March before signing a three-year, $22.5 million deal with the Rams. They also met with Tre’Davious White before he signed an incentive-laden one-year, $4.3 million contract with the Rams. And the Giants reportedly showed interest in Steven Nelson, who announced his retirement this week.
It would be surprising if the Giants paid for the top remaining free agent corner, Stephon Gilmore, but they could target a cheaper veteran with some of their available cap space.
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Crunching the numbers
Waller walked away from the $12 million he was owed by the Giants this season. The Giants could try to recoup $750,000 from a signing bonus Waller got when he restructured his contract after being acquired in a trade last March. It would be surprising if the Giants exercised that aggressive approach based on the apparent amicable separation and $750,000 representing a relatively modest sum for the team.
Waller’s retirement leaves $2.5 million in dead money on the salary cap this year and $4.9 million in dead money in 2025. The dead money is a result of the Giants restructuring Waller’s $11 million base salary after the trade to create more cap space for last season. There wouldn’t be any dead money if the Giants didn’t restructure the contract.
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Hard bargains
Skipping the first five weeks of the voluntary offseason program provided minimal benefits for Slayton. Instead of the raise he was seeking, Slayton only added $650,000 in incentives to his contract.
Slayton had a $350,000 incentive for reaching the Pro Bowl added to his contract, which is obviously a long shot. He can also earn an additional $100,000 apiece if he tops 70 catches, 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The Giants actually gained $200,000 in cap space because the minimum thresholds for Slayton to trigger incentives were raised above his 2023 production in the revised deal. Therefore, they will be classified as not likely to be earned for cap purposes. Slayton made 50 catches for 770 yards last season. He earned $100,000 for reaching 50 catches and another $100,000 for reaching 750 yards. He now needs at least 51 catches to earn $100,000 and at least 771 yards to earn another $100,000 this season.
It’s unclear if Slayton will collect the $350,000 workout bonus in his contract. He was required to attend 84.4 percent of the offseason program to collect that bonus and he couldn’t have reached that mark after skipping the first five weeks of the program.
Like with Saquon Barkley last year, general manager Joe Schoen has proven to drive a hard bargain when he has leverage in negotiations. Barkley agreed to report to training camp on the franchise tag last year after getting $909,000 in incentives added to his contract. He didn’t come close to reaching any of those incentives.
(Photo of Daniel Jones and Brian Daboll: Luke Hales / Getty Images)
