The New York Giants 2026 training camp is under way, and it’s already been a lively one.
We expected a “Harbaugh” camp to be different from what we’ve seen from the Giants in recent years, with free agent tight end Isaiah Likely warning his new teammates to expect a tough environment. And despite the gorgeous views at Greenbrier, John Harbaugh’s first camp has been, active, competitive, and hard.
Even so, we weren’t quite sure what to expect from this year’s camp with a new coaching staff, renovated
roster, and a new venue. So for this week’s survey we asked fans what they were most interested in as camp opened,
Perhaps unsurprisingly, most fans pointed to the defense and Jaxson Dart.
The defense just edged out Dart in our poll, and they’re also some of the biggest storylines through the first three practices of camp.
The offense won the first practice of camp, with Dart looking good as he delivered accurate passes and layered the ball over defenders in the intermediate area. Videos from camp have shown Dart throwing with more solid and repeatable technique, featuring crisp footwork, a solid foundation, and a slightly more compact three-quarters release. That should allow him to be more consistently accurate as well as better able to drive the ball.
The defense, however, took over on the second and third days of camp. The secondary got their hands on at least four passes in the second practice — though they couldn’t haul in any of the potential interceptions. The defensive front has been the star of the show, disrupting the offense at every opportunity.
Second year edge defender, in particular, has been an absolute menace. He’s been credited with at least four sacks through the last two practices and has given All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas all he can handle. Carter said after Friday’s practice that he’s set a goal of becoming Defensive Player Of the Year, and believes he can do so as soon as this season.
Right now, Vegas disagrees giving him just the 13th-best odds of being named DPOY at +4,000 (per FanDuel), trailing Brian Burns at 12th (+3,300). We might see those odds shorten if both pass rushers can keep building on their performances in camp.
The rest of the front has shown out too, with Kayvon Thibodeaux disrupting behind the line of scrimmage, getting sacks and flushing the quarterback into his teammates’ arms, batting down passes, and even tipping one to himself for a pick six. Even second year defensive tackle Darius Alexander came away with an interception in the play of the day on Friday.
The Giants’ defense was a major pain point for fans in 2024 and 2025, but the early indications are that Dennard Wilson’s unit could be a lot of fun to watch in 2026. They’re also providing great work Dart as he continues to improve.
