Training camp has arrived, and few teams face as much pressure or uncertainty as the New York Giants. Just two years removed from a playoff win, the franchise now teeters on the edge of another rebuild. Head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen enter the 2025 season firmly on the hot seat. Their bold last-ditch bet is that a rejuvenated Russell Wilson can right the ship. It’s a compelling storyline, filled with veteran leadership, raw rookie talent, and an offense desperate for answers. However, while the quarterback carousel draws headlines, it’s what’s happening in the trenches that may ultimately define this team’s season.
Wilson In, Dart Waiting
Can Wilson revive the Giants? That’s the defining question as New York opens its 2025 NFL training camp. Now on his fourth team in five years, Wilson steps into an offense that ranked 31st in scoring last season. The Giants are banking on his experience, leadership, and flashes of vintage form to elevate a unit that’s been stuck in the mud.
Behind him waits first-round pick Jaxson Dart. He was a late gamble in April’s draft who’s expected to sit unless the wheels fall off. For now, the Giants are leaning hard on Wilson and, to a lesser extent, veteran backup Jameis Winston. It’s a risky wager, especially for a franchise that hasn’t seen offensive consistency in years. Wilson needs to hit the ground running. If the team stumbles early, the calls for Dart will grow louder than anyone in the building would prefer.
Quarterback depth isn't the biggest issue, though. In fact, it might be an overcorrection. Last year’s cult-hero starter Tommy DeVito is now QB4. Winston brings experience, charisma, and a gunslinger’s mentality. Dart is raw but intriguing. He has already drawn comparisons to a young Josh Allen. It’s a deep, competitive, and promising quarterback room, if roles are clearly defined and egos are kept in check.
That said, none of it will matter if the offensive line doesn't take a major step forward. And that’s where the Giants’ biggest flaw lies.
Offensive Line, Major Liability
The Giants are returning all five starting offensive linemen from a unit that got battered in 2024. That’s not the confidence boost it sounds like.
Left tackle Andrew Thomas is a high-end anchor when healthy, but health has been an issue. The rest of the group? That’s where the concerns deepen. Guards Jon Runyan and Greg Van Roten, along with center John Michael Schmitz Jr, each graded poorly by Pro Football Focus last season. They ranked in the bottom 20 for run block win rate among qualified linemen. Right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor held his own in stretches, but he’s far from a long-term solution.
To make matters worse, the Giants barely addressed the issue in the draft. Their only addition was fifth-round pick Marcus Mbow. He profiles more as a developmental project than an immediate contributor. There’s talk of shifting former top pick Evan Neal inside to guard. Of course, that’s more desperation than strategy at this point.
High Stakes
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Wilson may be a veteran, but he's no longer mobile enough to run for his life like he did in his Seattle prime. If this line can’t keep him upright, the offense will sputter again. That means three things could happen: more turnovers, less confidence, and an earlier-than-expected introduction for Dart.
This isn’t just about one unit. The offensive line’s struggles affect the entire offens, whether it's play design, timing, rhythm, or health. Saquon Barkley’s departure only raises the pressure. There’s no elite back to cover up the O-line’s deficiencies with broken tackles and explosive plays. This year, it’s on the linemen to generate space and protect their quarterbacks. Right now, there’s little reason to believe they’re up to the task.
Internal Competition and a Potential Summer Splash
The Giants don’t just need this line to survive. They need it to evolve. Training camp is expected to feature open competition at nearly every position but left tackle. Don’t be surprised if younger players like Mbow or even Jake Kubas get increased reps. Evan Neal’s move inside could work. However, it could just as easily create two weak spots instead of one.
There’s also buzz that Schoen might pursue a veteran guard or tackle before Week 1. That's especially true if the early weeks of camp look rough. Someone like Dalton Risner or former Giant Justin Pugh could offer stability, even if only as depth. Adding a reliable body up front might be the low-risk, high-upside move that helps stabilize a season teetering on the edge.
A wide receiver addition remains possible too, but no skill position move will matter if protection remains a mess. Daboll’s offense, at its core, relies on timing, spacing, and decisiveness. That can’t happen if Wilson, Winston, or Dart is constantly under siege.
The Season Hinges on the Trenches
The Giants have a potentially decent formula at quarterback, an improving defense, and enough playmakers to score. Of course, that won’t mean anything if the offensive line once again becomes the bottleneck.
Training camp isn’t just about teaching a system or building camaraderie this year. It's about survival. Daboll and Schoen have hitched their wagons to Russell Wilson. However, unless they address the team’s glaring weakness up front, it may not matter who’s under center. Fix the line or brace for another season of scrambling, stalling, and sliding further down the NFC East ladder.
