EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – At least the quarterbacks are healthy. Well, mostly.

It's never good when the first few minutes of an NFL coach's news conference is dominated by injury news, as Brian Daboll's was today. While listing the group of players who missed practice, and later detailing their injuries, Daboll announced Drew Lock will be the starting quarterback when the Giants face the New Orleans Saints Sunday in MetLife Stadium. Lock started the Giants' Thanksgiving Day loss in Dallas because Tommy DeVito had suffered a forearm injury four days earlier against Tampa Bay.

DeVito has improved, was limited in practice, and could be the No. 2 quarterback vs. the Saints. He was inactive as the third QB last week.

"I think Tommy's improving," Daboll said. "He'll throw out here today, probably do some show team reps. Drew's going to take all the reps with the ones today, and he'll be the quarterback this week. And if Tommy is well enough to be the second quarterback, he will be, and if not, it'll be Tim (Boyle). But I think he's trending in the right direction. We'll see where he is today."

Daboll was asked if the quarterback decision was based on DeVito's health or Lock being the better quarterback.

"I'd say Drew did some good stuff in Dallas," Daboll said. "He also did some things that he can improve on. I want to give him a full week of preparation, practice, to let him go out there and play this week."

That latter point is significant. Lock hasn't had full practices with the starters since the spring, well before the players put on pads. Daniel Jones took the first-team reps in training camp and in the first 10 weeks of the season, and DeVito assumed them before the Week 11 clash with the Buccaneers. Lock was limited to walk-throughs before the short-week game in Dallas.

"I think the reps help a ton," Lock said. "I'd say anybody in this position would say the same thing. Getting back out there, letting them hear your cadence, letting them hear you calling it in the huddle, rhythm and timing with the receivers, even rhythm and timing for me with my feet on certain plays, whatever we've got up this week, it helps tremendously. I'm excited and appreciative of getting a little practice time with these guys."

"He's been preparing since he's been here in terms of understanding the plays, but he made some good plays," Daboll said. "He made some loose plays, plays with his feet, made some loose plays throwing the ball down the field when he was stepping up or getting pressured and then keeping his eyes down the field. Have to correct some of those turnovers. Those are big things, but we'll give him the whole week here to prepare for this game."

For more than a week, reports on the Giants' injury situation have been as constant as updates on Headline News. Before the Dallas game, defensive lineman Armon Watts and edge rusher Azeez Ojulari were placed on injured reserve. Against the Cowboys, two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence (elbow) and rookie tight end Theo Johnson (foot) sustained season-ending injuries.

Daboll said Johnson underwent surgery yesterday.

"It'll be some time here, which is too bad," Daboll said. "He was really doing a nice job. Great young man. Worked extremely hard. Feel terrible for him. Tough. I mean he did it toward the end of the game, he kept playing through it. He didn't really know anything was wrong until after the game when he got looked at."

Regarding Lawrence, who leads the team with a career-high 9.0 sacks, Daboll said, "he's just swollen, sore, but didn't have to get surgery."

Today's injured players included some old and some new. Tackle Evan Neal (hip) and linebacker Bobby Okereke (back) did not practice after playing 100% and 97% of their unit's snaps, respectively, in Dallas. Should Neal not play, Josh Ezeudu will start at right tackle.

The other non-participants were defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches (neck/shoulder), who was hurt in the second half against the Cowboys, plus two players who were inactive last week, tackle Jermaine Eluemunor (quad) and cornerback Tae Banks (rib).

Daboll said each of those five players is "week-to-week." But regarding their chance to play Sunday, he said, "I think they all have a chance, but I think it's too early to tell how optimistic I am with it."

Okereke's absence would be significant, particularly after the loss of Lawrence. In two seasons with the Giants he has missed only 20 snaps, all this year. He leads the Giants with 93 tackles – one more than rookie safety Tyler Nubin – after posting 149 stops in 2023, when his nearest teammate had 33 fewer tackles. Okereke has not missed a game since Dec. 6, 2020, when he was a second-year pro with the Indianapolis Colts.

"He's sore right now with it and it's getting better, but we'll see where he's at," Daboll said.

The Giants have Micah McFadden and rookie Darius Muasau at inside linebacker, plus Matthew Adams and Ty Summers, though they are primarily special teamers who have combined for one defensive snap this season. McFadden or Muasau would wear the green dot, signifying they would receive and relay the defensive calls from coordinator Shane Bowen.

In addition, Dyontae Johnson, who has been on injured reserve all season after spraining his ankle in the preseason, returned to practice.

"Bobby's been a good leader for us," Daboll said. "Hopefully he'll be ready to play, and if he's not, the young guys are going to have to step up and do a good job."

Daboll wants to see the same response on the defensive line with Lawrence sidelined. D.J. Davidson, who hurt his shoulder in Dallas, was limited in practice. The Giants also have Jordon Riley (limited today with a knee injury) and rookie Elijah Chatman, newly signed Cory Durden. Casey Rogers and Elijah Garcia are on the practice squad.

"You can't replace Dexter," Daboll said. "I'd say we have a number of injuries on the defensive line right now, so we have a lot of young players that are going to have to – they've been working hard to continue to improve. Dre (defensive line coach Andre Patterson) has done a nice job with them, but you're never going to replace Dexter, and we'll see where Nacho (Nunez-Roches) is, D.J., too. We've got some guys injured in that spot. These young guys are going to have to do a nice job of doing the best they can."

If Okereke doesn't play, the Giants will have just one of their elected captains in uniform. Daniel Jones is no longer with the team and tackle Andrew Thomas and Lawrence are on injured reserve.

"We have some veterans in the room, guys like GVR (guard Greg Van Roten) and people who have played a while that have done a good job in their leadership role," Daboll said. "But captains, we're down on them."

That happens when injuries advance through a football team.