All eyes are on the New York Giants’ offense as the team kicks off training camp this week. The Giants’ offense was a historically bad unit in 2023 but is looking to turn things around after acquiring loads of new talent in the offseason.
Things did not get off to the best start during the first practice of training camp, however. The Giants’ offense reportedly struggled to push the ball downfield and settled for check-downs throughout the day as they powered through a rainy Wednesday morning practice.
The Giants’ offense reportedly “couldn’t push the ball down the field” during first training camp practice
According to Ryan Dunleavy of The New York Post, the Giants’ offense struggled to throw the ball downfield throughout the first practice and instead opted to attack underneath:
“They really couldn’t push the ball down the field,” Dunleavy told Brandon London on The New York Post Sports. “Everything was short to the running backs or Wan’Dale Robinson.”
On his own personal X account, Dunleavy shared more insight:
“Short pass game served as an extension of the run game,” he posted. “Draft Wan’Dale Robinson in PPR fantasy leagues. That might continue with this RB depth chart.”
Third-year slot receiver Wan’Dale Robinson had a big day at practice. He hauled in a number of receptions thrown to him from starting quarterback Daniel Jones. The Giants will hope to see that trend continue throughout the summer and into the regular season as Robinson embarks on his breakout campaign.
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The Giants need Daniel Jones to start pushing the ball downfield more often
It was Jones’s first full practice back with the team since he tore his ACL in Week 9 of the 2023-24 season. It’s been a long, winding rode for Jones who has worked hard to recover just in time for training camp. Meanwhile, the Giants’ front office did its due diligence and attempted to make a trade to draft Jones’s replacement in the first round of April’s NFL Draft.
Upon his return, the reviews for Jones’s first practice have been mixed. He has received praise for the mobility he displayed during the practice, but has also received criticism for failing to connect on any passes downfield.
“Sure enough, Jones took every snap under center with the starting offense,” Matt Citak of Giants.com reported. “The signal-caller moved around the pocket well, scrambling outside on a few occasions while picking up a first down with his legs on one play. He connected on a couple of short passes, with wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson being his main target.”
Dunleavy also noted that Jones “moved well” in 11-on-11 drills, however, he charted the quarterback at 8-of-13 passing with “no completions more than 5-ish yards.” Jones was under pressure often during the practice.
The Giants’ offense was largely inept last season and failed to create explosive plays downfield. In 2024, Jones’s five-yard completions simply won’t cut it. They need him to push the ball downfield more often than he has in years past.
