Country Roads, Big Storylines: Getting Ready for Giants Training Camp

The New York Football Giants are gearing up for the 2026 season. Training camp is just a few days away and the buzz around this team has been palpable.

With a new regime in place under head coach John Harbaugh, the Giants are looking to establish a winning culture right out the gate in Year 1. It all starts down a country road (shoutout John Denver) at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The team will begin training camp on the road due to ongoing construction around MetLife Stadium, but taking camp on the road might just be a blessing in disguise for a team working to build a new culture.

So, what are the hottest topics surrounding Big Blue heading into camp? No, I won't be talking about Cam Skattebo doing backflips at Fanatics Fest, though it's great to see him back to his normal self. We're getting down to business on some of the key storylines to watch all the way up to Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys.

Malik Nabers

Former top-10 pick Malik Nabers is still recovering from the torn ACL he suffered in Week 4 of the 2025 season. He has undergone two surgeries on his right knee since the injury, and while I suspect he may start the season on the PUP list, the optimism is there that he will at least be participating in camp. Coach Harbaugh recently mentioned on The Dominique Foxworth Show that Nabers is expected to work his way into practice one way or another. That's an encouraging sign that he’s trending in the right direction.

If Nabers is indeed placed on the PUP list, he will be required to miss the first four games of the NFL season, making Week 5 or Week 6 his likely target for a comeback. With a dynamic playmaker in Nabers out, who picks up the volume through the air?

The Giants did some work in the offseason to prepare for this likely outcome (wink wink). Free agent signing Isaiah Likely brings athletic ability to the tight end room and is looking for a breakout role in this offense. The tight ends will be important assets for Dart to rely on as safety valves while Nabers is out. Likely, who can line up in the slot and has a great frame and solid hands, will pair with third-year pro Theo Johnson who ended 2025 with 45 receptions, 528 yards, and 5 touchdowns. Johnson dealt with drop issues last year, but having those two as reliable receivers will be really important for this team as they try to maintain some offensive firepower while Nabers works his way back. Expect to see plenty of 12 personnel sets (one running back, two tight ends) feauturing Likely, Johnson, and Cam Skattebo.

Ultimately, the Giants will need Nabers back as soon as possible given how thing the wide receiver room looks on paper. The tight ends and running backs will need to step up and fill in volume gaps to replace a player that racked up 109 receptions and 1,200+ receiving yards in his rookie season in 2024.

A Dexter Lawrence replacement up front?

Dexy, we will miss you, but the page has officially turned.

In the immediate aftermath of the blockbuster trade that sent Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati, the Giants went out and signed Shelby Harris and D.J. Reader to reinforce the defensive interior. The defensive line already faced question marks prior to the trade, so Lawrence's departure created an even larger gap to fill.

Harris and Reader are fine players who will fill in nicely and can complement second-year defensive tackle Darius Alexander and rookie Bobby Jamison-Travis, both of whom will be competing for early snaps. Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson runs a base 3-4 defensive scheme, meaning early downs may feature three interior linemen on the field.

John Schmeelk of Giants.com laid out the defensive tackle competition in this 20 questions in 20 days piece leading up to training camp:

I think we all believe DJ Reader could be one of the starters, but who will be the second one? If the team is playing in base personnel, they will need three interior defensive linemen. Darius Alexander will be in the mix as a potential three-technique that turns 26 in his second year. Veterans Shelby Harris, Leki Fotu, Zacch Pickens, Josh Tupou, and Sam Roberts will be in the mix for potential playing time along with some younger players. The Giants want to be better against the run, and this is where it starts.

While it may not look like a star-studded unit on paper, there are plenty of dependable names capable of setting the tone in the trenches. As Schmeelk highlighted, fixing the run defense starts up front.

Rookies primed for immediate impact

First round picks Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa are expected to step right into starting roles. Reese will pair up with Tremaine Edmunds at middle linebacker while Mauigoa I believe will be starting at right guard, but I can also picture a world where he ends up at right tackle - his natural position - and Jermaine Eluemunor shifts back to right guard. Both are already seen as focal points of the offense and defense, and the Giants are going to use them as much as they can.

In the secondary, Colton Hood will be backing up Paulson Adebo and Greg Newsome II to start the season, but this kid can play. The former Tennessee Volunteer is a really smart player and is known for his aggressive man coverage and ball-tracking skills. The Giants invested an early second round pick in Hood for a reason and the expectation is for him to eventually become a starting caliber cornerback for this team. With a really strong culture now in place, I think he could be making an impact early in the season. Shades of Dru Phillips' breakout in 2024.

Finally, keep an eye on third-round wide receiver Malachi Fields. He is one of the best blocking wide receivers from the 2026 draft and brings a massive physical frame to the perimeter. Whether he lines up on the boundary to use his catch radius on 3rd downs or works into rotation reps early, his physicality gives Jaxson Dart another reliable target. The Giants traded up in the third round to get him for a reason, and his highlight reel from Notre Dame proves why he can be an immediate factor.

In Conclusion

It's an exciting time of year. There is finally some semblance of hope surrounding this team, and the depth of talent they have assembled should not be overlooked. That's without even mentioning an edge-rushing group featuring Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, and Kayvon Thibodeaux.

The buzz is real, and I can't wait for this team to get the pads on and really start competing as training camp kicks off. Harbaugh brings a classic, football-first mindset rooted in his family legacy. Football is in his blood. He is a classic football guy just like his dad and brother and it's exciting to think about finally having a head coach who is equally dedicated to establishing a culture and winning games.

Guys will need to step up while Nabers works back to full strength, the defense enters a new era without Dexter Lawrence, and this rookie class has all the tools to make an instant impact.

Giants football is officially back.