Norm Weiss asks: Ed, I’m sure you haven’t been overwhelmed with Damon Bankston questions. Have you seen enough from him to see him making the 53 man roster? I live in New Mexico and had the pleasure of seeing him play at UNM. His play strength and speed are much greater than his measurables. He is an explosive athlete, as seen by his 2 returns for touchdowns last year on only 12 returns. He can run surprisingly well between the tackles as well as outside due to his short distance quickness and vision.
He is also a good receiver out of the backfield. BTW, he led the Texas 5A division in rushing yards as a high school senior. I think he and Banks would make a dynamic kick return duo. Do you think he has a chance?
Ed says: Norm, all I can really go by is the distribution of practice reps. Bankston gets a few second-team reps, and a lot of third-team reps. He hasn’t really stood out. Unless that changes, he is not making the 53-man roster. John Harbaugh said the other day that he likes Bankston’s talent, but that Bankston is behind the other backs in terms of his understanding of the offense.
Ed Helinski asks: Have the Giants indicated that they’ll return to West Virginia for training camp in 2027? Instead, how about having camp at SUNY Cortland and its excellent facilities? The Jets held camp there from 2009-2014.
Ed says: The Giants did not build their own practice facility, and they aren’t spending millions of dollars now to renovate it, to spend additional money moving training camp to a remote location.
As far as I know, they plan to train in East Rutherford next summer. That would only change if something construction-related made that unworkable. If they had to move, The Greenbrier would likely be their first choice. It has everything, with the exception of an indoor practice bubble.
Michael Spina asks: If you could ask Harbaugh any question at all about this team, and he had to answer it as fully and truthfully as possible, what would you ask him?
Ed says: Michael, I don’t think I would ask him a question about this team at all. I think I might ask him a question about legacy. No head coach has ever won a Super Bowl with two teams. I think I would ask him how much it would mean to him to be the first, and whether or not he would consider his tenure with the Giants a success if he does not at least get the team to a Super Bowl at some point.
Thomas Shelby asks: Are the Giants allowed to practice in Met Life Stadium?
Ed says: Thomas, yes, they are “allowed” to. I have seen them do it on occasion over the years. But, NFL teams do not generally practice in their home stadiums. They have practice facilities for that where they have locker room, practice bubbles, meeting rooms, weight rooms, and all of their equipment.
The Giants’ facility is on the other side of the Meadowlands Sports Complex parking lot. The conditions are the same. In terms of home field advantage, that is created by the fans. It takes playing good football, getting fans excited, filling the stadium with your own fans rather than fans of the opposing team. The Giants have not played enough good football in recent years to make that happen.
Joseph Rivage asks: Hi Ed, my question regards Jaxson Dart. Like many others last season, I saw a QB with potential franchise ability. It looked like they finally got “the guy”. So far this season though it seems like he’s struggling a little with fitting into the new system that Nagy is implementing. Do you think there’s a cause for concern or is it just growing pains for a young player adjusting to this new system and by extension the offense as a whole?
Ed says: Joseph, what gives anyone the idea that Dart is “struggling”? The offense is learning an entirely new system from the ground up. It is normal that offenses are behind defenses at the beginning, especially in a circumstance like this. The reality is that an offensive install is far more cumbersome and complicated than a defensive one.
Dart has, to my eyes, looked fine. He has been comfortable under center. He is learning new things. That’s how you grow as a player. It’s practice, and it isn’t supposed to be perfect. It’s supposed to be hard.
Don’t get yourself all tied up in knots about anything you read or hear from the daily practice reports.
Steve Goodyear asks: Thoughts on Kubas? Can he play a viable backup center? Does he make the roster?
Ed says: Steve, I doubt Jake Kubas is making the roster. He worked all spring and summer as a third-team guard, until the injuries to John Michael Schmitz and Lucas Patrick forced him to take reps at center over the past week.
With practice reps and preseason playing time, though, comes an opportunity. So, I won’t say it is impossible for Kubas to make the roster. Just unlikely.
Matthew Burns asks: What can you tell us about the Giants’ Strength & Conditioning/Performance Staff? Are they new to the G-Men? Were any of the coaches with Harbaugh in Baltimore?
Ed says: Matthew, not much, to be honest. The Giants’ official website lists nine members of that staff. Aaron Wellman, Sam Coad, Drew Wilson, and Matthew Frakes are holdovers. Sam Rosengarten, Chris Allen, and Ron Shrift come from the Ravens. Mark Naylor comes from the Arizona Cardinals. Brian Ellis worked in Baltimore for a couple of years, but was most recently at Baylor.
Henry Jacukiewicz asks: Ed, my question is about Chauncey Golston. What do you see as his role ? I thought he was a good pickup but he seems to have faded into the background.
Ed says: Henry, Golston is a good player who lost playing time last season after the Giants were able to draft Abdul Carter. He also dealt with injuries and played in only 10 games.
Golston will be the fourth edge defender, and will play in some situations as a hand in the ground defensive end. He is nice depth to have because he can fill a number of different roles when needed.
Jeffrey Smith asks: Hi Ed, have not heard a peep about either Jack Kelly or Chauncey Golston this summer. any comments about either of them? BTW, I think Jack Kelly is a great name for a NY Giant LB.
Ed says: Jeffrey, see above for thoughts on Golston. As for Kelly, we have written about him a number of times. He is playing with the second team ahead of Darius Muasau, and has had a nice camp. He has shown surprising range in coverage, and should be a nice backup.
ctscan123 asks: Anyone on the roster bubble that we could maybe swing a trade for rather than cut? Only name that comes to mind is Ben Sauls… Think we could get anything for him? Anyone else?
Ed says: CT, here is the problem with trading players at the deadline. There are 32 teams cutting their rosters from 90 players to 53. That’s 1,184 players who are going to lose their jobs, meaning they will be available to other teams. Unless a team really loves one particular player, there are going to be a plethora of players available at every position via the waiver wire or free agency.
It is very difficult to get anything for a player another team knows you don’t have room for and are about to cut. It happens occasionally, and I’m sure GM Joe Schoen will look for opportunities, but they aren’t easy to find.
David Clancy asks: Curious about the WR competition. I know you’ve been doing the 53 man roster predictions as lock, bubble, longshot but I’m curious about 1. What you think harbaugh and Co. Will do? (I.e what you think will happen) 2. What you would do?
Ed says: David, there are three preseason games and a lot of practices to be held before that decision has to be made. I am not going to answer it today, because all of the evidence has not yet been collected and the answer could be different in three weeks. I will answer that when I make my final 53-man roster projection.
Dave Nelson asks: What are biggest differences in the way training camp and/or practices are being run between Harbaugh and previous coaching regimes (Shurmur, Judge, Daboll)? Do you sense a different level of player engagement or buy-in?
Ed says: Dave, if you have been reading the practice reports here and in other places, you should know the answer to this one. It is a different, faster pace, a different intensity. More padded work (within the rules of the CBA). No short days. Even the job-throughs last a full 2½ hours. The players are bought-in because they want to win, and they know Harbaugh’s track record.
Steve Alessandrini asks: I know our natural inclination as fans is to focus on the tangible things – how many passes Dart completes in practice, how Nabers is looking in drills, the O line depth, etc. And there has been lots written about that. But those things all come down to the talent level of the team. And while no one is arguing the Giants could have used more talent the last 10 years, I don’t think that’s why the team has struggled for most of the last decade. They lacked a winning culture and identity. From the time you have been around the team, how are the “vibes” on that front?
Ed says: Steve, all I can say on that front is this group of players understands that things have been bad for the Giants, and that John Harbaugh has done a lot of winning. They want to win. The vibes are good. Of course, vibes don’t get you wins. Talent and execution get you wins.
Bob Conyea asks: Ed, I suppose we will soon be saying goodbye to Evan Neal and Jalin Hyatt. No ill will for either player, or Joe Schoen for drafting them. But my question is why are they still here? Are there financial reasons beyond Neal’s rookie contract? An unwillingness to simply admit to a mistake and move on? I contrast this with the bubble and long shot players busting their tails just to make the team. Whether on special teams or in a backup role, they stand a better chance of making a contribution during the season than failed draft picks who are healthy scratches. What is your opinion on this?
Ed says: Bob, Jalin Hyatt is on the final year of his rookie contract. Evan Neal is not. He is on a one-year deal that does not have a single guaranteed dollar. If he does not make the team, the Giants won’t owe him a penny
For Hyatt, he is still on that rookie deal, so why wouldn’t the Giants bring him to camp? If he doesn’t make it, so bit it. At least this coaching staff will have gotten a look at him.
In terms of Neal, you have to remember that almost everyone thought Neal was worthy of a top 10 pick and would be a stud offensive lineman. He is in camp because Harbaugh knows what the Ravens thought of Neal before the draft, and he wants to see for himself if there is anything there.
As I was told during the offseason, you can bring an undrafted free agent to training camp who you know has zero chance to make the team, or you can bring a former first-round pick. The Giants chose the former first-round pick.
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