The NY Giants open 2025 training camp with a QB battle between Jaxson Dart, Russell Wilson & Jameis Winston. Who will lead the team after a rough 2024?
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
The heat of late July brings with it the familiar sounds of helmets and pads, but for the New York Giants, the 2025 training camp feels different. It's the dawn of a potential new era, headlined by the most compelling quarterback competition in recent memory. All eyes are on rookie QB Jaxson Dart as he takes the field alongside veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, each vying to lead a team desperate to wash away the disappointment of 2024.
Despite a 1,200-yard rookie season, analysts believe Malik Nabers's best is yet to come, noting that 40% of his receiving yards came on just 14% of his catches.
The biggest question in East Rutherford is simple: who will be under center? The front office has created a fascinating dynamic, bringing in rookie sensation Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss to learn from and compete with established veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. While Wilson is projected to start, the coaching staff is giving Dart every opportunity to show why he was a first-round pick. The daily reps will be scrutinized, as the team weighs its present against its future. The decision will have a ripple effect across the entire offense, from new running back Cam Skattebo to the rest of the skill players.
While the offense figures itself out, the defense has been aggressively retooled. After losing All-Pro safety Xavier McKinney in free agency, the Giants invested heavily, signing proven starters Jevon Holland (S) and Paulson Adebo (CB). But the real excitement surrounds the defensive front. First-round pick Abdul Carter, the ferocious edge rusher from Penn State, joins a formidable line featuring Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. The trio has the potential to be one of the most disruptive pass-rushing units in the league, a clear strength the team will lean on.
Whoever wins the quarterback job will have an electric weapon at their disposal in Malik Nabers. After a stellar rookie campaign with 109 catches for 1,200 yards, the consensus is that we've only seen the beginning. His true value lies in his explosiveness, an area the team hopes to better utilize this season. With 16 catches of 20+ yards for 470 yards, Nabers proved he can take the top off a defense. The goal for 2025 is to make those deep shots a staple of the offense, not just a rare treat.
Despite the high-profile additions and palpable energy at camp, not everyone is sold. ESPN recently slapped the Giants with a lowly 27th-place roster ranking, citing skepticism about the team's ability to gel and rebound. For a team that starts the season technically atop the NFC East (at 0-0), it's a stark reminder of the work ahead. This ranking serves as fuel, a challenge to the new-look roster to prove that the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts in the eyes of national pundits.
The narratives are set, the battles have begun, and the questions will only be answered on the field. As the Giants grind through camp, every practice is a step towards defining their identity for the 2025 season. The first real test comes on August 9th in the preseason opener against the Buffalo Bills, where fans will get their first glimpse of whether this team is built to defy expectations or destined to prove them right.
