New York Giants news for Thursday

Good morning, New York Giants fans!

How can Giants’ RT Evan Neal progress in Year 2?
No player on the New York Giants is under more pressure right now than Evan Neal.

Neal, drafted last year to end the team’s streak of underwhelming right tackles, did little as a rookie to inspire confidence that he will develop into the Pro Bowl player the Giants need him to be. He allowed 52 pressures in 534 pass-blocking snaps and showed little improvement over the course of the season.

New York already has their future at left tackle in Andrew Thomas. This season will give them a better idea of whether they have also found their long-term starter at right tackle.

More from Big Blue View

• Daniel Jones: “We can compete with anybody”
• Saquon Barkley contract update: Everything we know about talks with Giants

Other Giant observations

Best Quarterbacks in the NFL 2023 | ProFootballNetwork.com

Tier 4 | Useful, But Limited

13) Daniel Jones, New York Giants

Although each QB is ranked numerically, what’s more important are the tiers they’re in. The gap between Tier 3 and Tier 4 is massive. However, Daniel Jones and a few others in Tier 4 could eventually find themselves elevating their level of play enough to make the leap.

Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka got off to a great start with Daniel Jones in New York, despite a complete lack of firepower on the outside. Jones began using his leg in a similar fashion to how we saw Allen operate in Buffalo while Daboll called plays. Added weapons and continuity in coaching could propel Jones forward

“Let’s gooooooooo”

Ranking the NFL’s top 10 head coaches entering 2023 | PFF

10. Brian Daboll, New York Giants

Many coaches could be in contention for this final spot in the top 10, but Brian Daboll gets the nod because of an immensely impressive first year as the Giants’ head coach in 2022. New York’s overall offensive expected points added per play jumped from -0.169 to 0.015 from 2021 to 2022. The team’s EPA per pass went from -0.197 to 0.026, and its EPA per rush went from -0.079 to 0.095. And this was all with mostly the same players from one year to the next. The difference was Daboll, and he has an even more talented team heading into 2023. He is a head coach who can raise both the floor and ceiling of a roster no matter where it is in its rebuild or winning window. Those are characteristics of a great head coach.

Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson and the best offseason move for all 32 NFL teams | The Athletic

The Giants desperately needed to upgrade their receiving weapons after committing to quarterback Daniel Jones. With uninspiring options in free agency and no assurances of landing a top receiver in the draft, they shifted their focus to tight end and traded for Darren Waller. Waller has the highest ceiling of any pass-catcher to switch teams this season, with a two-year run as one of the best tight ends in the league before getting sidetracked by injuries. Trading the 100th pick in the draft to the Raiders for Waller represents a low-risk, high-reward swing on a player who could transform the offense.

Surprise offseason standouts for 32 NFL teams: Players to watch | ESPN.com

It took all of one play to see the difference TE Darren Waller can make for this offense. On the first play of OTAs with the media in attendance, Waller blew by the nickel cornerback and caught a deep ball down the right sideline. It was the first of many plays in which Waller stood out because of his size and explosiveness. Most importantly, he looked healthy after two injury-plagued seasons. That's the key. The Giants acquired Waller for a third-round pick in March.

Ranking NFL’s top 10 tight ends of 2023: Travis Kelce stands above the rest | CBSSports.com

Darren Waller, ranked 7th, has routinely been talked about as a top-five tight end in the league, but we have him just outside of this list due to durability. Waller is a tremendous receiving threat that has two 1,100-yard seasons on his résumé. It’ll be fascinating to see how head coach Brian Daboll — a former tight ends coach — utilizes Waller’s talent in New York’s offense this season. The Giants desperately needed high-level pass catchers to be injected into their offense and will get that in Waller, if healthy. Waller could easily reinsert himself as a top-five tight end in the league with a solid season in New York.

Five most impactful NFC East offseason additions | FOX Sports

If they do, and he’s as good as they think, the Giants’ passing attack could actually be mildly dangerous. Add in a healthy Saquon Barkley and their offense could actually be good. Considering they won nine games last season with a struggling offense and poor passing attack, that could change a lot in the NFC East.

That’s why Waller is the biggest addition to the division this offseason — as long he stays healthy and turns the clock back a couple of years.

One trade, free agent signing or extension for all 32 NFL teams before 2023 training camp | PFF

New York Giants: Sign Edge Yannick Ngakoue

Ngakoue's underlying metrics in 2022 were concerning, with his 9.5 sacks this past season well above the expectation of a player with his pass-rush win rate and pressure rate. That being said, he's registered at least eight sacks in every season of his seven-year career and was a more menacing pass rusher on a per-snap basis from 2017 to 2021. Ngakoue makes perfect sense in a defensive line unit under defensive coordinator Wink Martindale that is all about rotating linemen in a platoon approach, so he can be a designated pass rusher alongside the young duo of Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari.

Carl Banks breaks down the tape of 6th round draft pick Tre Hawkins III

Giants Now: Michael Strahan believes Kayvon Thibodeaux will be 'great player for the Giants' | Giants.com

The legendary pass rusher has notably taken outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux under his wing, mentoring the 22-year-old who is about to enter his second season in the NFL.

"This is a guy I know is going to be a great player for the Giants," Strahan said at the Big Daddy Celebrity Golf Classic. "I know he has the worth ethic, he has the desire and as much as you say 'He's outgoing, he talks, he does this,' the guy really works at it, and that's what I respect about him. It's not like he's just saying it and going off raw talent and ability. He's

New York Giants Roster: Ranking Players Who Can Make Final Depth Charts | ProFootballNetwork.com

The New York Giants have depth chart questions to sort through at WR, OL, and CB. Here's how Big Blue might reduce its roster from 90 players to 53.

Giants 2024 salary-cap projection: GM Joe Schoen will have room to make a splash | The Athletic

Though the next seven months will be focused squarely on the 2023 season, here’s an early peek at the Giants’ 2024 salary-cap situation.

Steve Spagnuolo brings Giants history to Chiefs title defense | New York Post+

There’s never a bad time to catch up with the Kansas City Chiefs’ Steve Spagnuolo, who remains revered around the New York Giants for his work as the defensive coordinator who helped slay Tom Brady and the unbeaten New England Patriots in the massive Super Bowl XLII upset after the 2007 season.

Around the league

Brandon Marshall blames MetLife turf for ending his career | New York Post

NFL expected to suspend Isaiah Rodgers, others this week for gambling | ESPN.com

NFLPA hires Lloyd Howell as Executive Director | Pro Football Talk

Cowboys LB Micah Parsons hopes to play at around 255 pounds in 2023 season | NFL.com

Jahan Dotson: It’s my breakout year | Pro Football Talk

Eagles OT Lane Johnson most impressed by Jalen Hurts’ intangibles | NFL.com

Eagles’ Devon Allen runs 4th-fastest 110m hurdles in 2023 | ESPN.com

Travis Kelce accepts being underpaid, but sometimes “it makes you think you’re being taken advantage of” | Pro Football Talk

Chiefs high on WR Skyy Moore after quiet rookie year | NFL.com

Saints' Derek Carr: 'Once they made my wife cry, that was pretty much over' | CBSSports.com

Leonard Fournette says he’s OK after SUV catches fire | ESPN.com

Top 25 NFL players 25 and under for 2023 | CBSSports.com

NFL RedZone included in DirecTV package as league, platform agree to multiyear renewal | The Athletic

Who's Next? College Football Coaches Who Could Make NFL Leap | The 33rd Team

Former NFL QB Ryan Mallett drowns, dies at age of 35 | NFL.com

BBV mailbag

Have a Giants-related question? E-mail it to [email protected] and it might be featured in our weekly mailbag.

BBV podcast

You can find and subscribe to Big Blue View radio from the show’s home page

BBV YouTube

You can find and subscribe to Big Blue View YouTube from the show’s home page

BBV on Twitter: Follow @BigBlueView
Ed Valentine: Follow @Valentine_Ed
BBV on Facebook: Click here to like the Big Blue View Facebook page
BBV on YouTube: Subscribe to the Big Blue View YouTube channel
BBV on Instagram: Click here to follow our Instagram page
BBV podcasts: Click here to subscribe to BBV Radio