Fans say it. Analysts say it. The Giants say it.
"I'd like to see us take a step forward in our explosive pass game," Mike Kafka said during a recent episode of “On the Drive with Shaun O’Hara” on Giants.com. "I'm really excited about the guys we have. I'm excited about the schemes that we've been talking about all offseason and implementing those things."
That is priority No. 1 for Kafka, who had assistant head coach duties added to his role as offensive coordinator this offseason. Coach Brian Daboll wanted to get him "more involved just from the organizational standpoint" with matters such as interviews and plans for the upcoming season.
"It's been cool," Kafka said. "As the offseason goes on and the season [goes on], I think things will start to roll more. Right now, it's really fluid and Dabs has done a really nice job of keeping me included."
Both of them, along with the rest of the staff, are charged with the task of improving a unit that ranked last in completions of 10 yards or more and tied for 25th in passes of 20 yards or more.
O'Hara, a three-time Pro Bowl center who blocked for two of the top five scoring offenses in Giants history (in addition to the 2009 team that holds the franchise record for most explosive pass plays), quickly pointed out that protection might have something to do with it.
Kafka, a former quarterback, agreed.
"I think our O-line will take a step forward as well and continue to grow," Kafka said, "but all 11 guys are going to have to do that."
Whom they will be protecting is another story.
The Giants' top brass has said Daniel Jones, assuming he stays on track, is the starting quarterback. Jones was limited to six games in 2023 because of injuries, notably a torn ACL that ended his season on Nov. 5.
"I know a lot of you killed Daniel for his performance this year, but we had the perfect storm," Mara said last month at the NFL Annual Meeting. "Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. Guys got hurt. The wrong guys got hurt. Let's face it, for a while we couldn't block anybody, and Daniel was getting hit all the time.
"I still have every confidence in the world in Daniel. Let's put a better team around him. Hopefully he'll get healthy, and I think the real Daniel Jones is the one that played in 2022, particularly down the stretch in the playoffs."
At the same time, the Giants own six selections in the upcoming draft, starting with the No. 6 overall pick in a year seemingly loaded with quarterbacks and receivers. The Giants also added veteran Drew Lock, who has made 23 career starts, to a room that includes Tommy DeVito.
The Giants' voluntary offseason workout program is set to begin Monday, April 15. Players will ramp up to organized team practice activities (OTAs) and mandatory minicamp in mid-June. The team will then break until training camp, when Jones is expected to get the green light.
Until then, Kafka knows Jones will do all he can to get back.
"Within the scope of his rehab, his ability to get mental reps, that's going to be super important," Kafka said. "Obviously you're not going to be able to do the physical stuff, but the mental reps are going to be super important. I think Daniel will do an awesome job of building in those mental reps, taking it, understanding, and then still being able to communicate, be on the field and communicate with players and make sure that they kind of see it through his lens and they're both seeing it the same way."
View photos of every move made by the Giants during the 2024 cycle.
DT Cory Durden - Free Agent Signing from LAR Practice Squad (December 2)
DL Dexter Lawrence - Reserve/Injured (December 2)
TE Theo Johnson - Reserve/Injured (December 2)
OLB Tomon Fox - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (November 27)
DL Armon Watts - Reserve/Injured (November 27)
T Joshua Miles - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 27)
CB Greg Stroman Jr. - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 27)
TE Greg Dulcich - Claimed off Waivers from DEN (November 26)
OLB Azeez Ojulari - Reserve/Injured (November 26)
OLB Tomon Fox - Practice Squad Exemption (November 26)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux - Activated, from Reserve (November 23)
QB Tim Boyle - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (November 23)
OLB Tomon Fox - Waived, No Recall (November 23)
QB Daniel Jones - Waived, No Recall (November 23)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux - Designated for Return / Returned to Practice (November 20)
TE Jordan Murray - Practice Squad (November 20)
T Tyre Phillips - Practice Squad Veteran (November 19)
QB Tim Boyle - Practice Squad Veteran (November 19)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (November 19)
LB Curtis Bolton - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (November 19)
T Garret Greenfield - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (November 19)
T Joshua Miles - Practice Squad Veteran (November 12)
T Joshua Miles - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (November 6)
P Matt Haack - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (November 12)
K Graham Gano - Activated from Injured Reserve (November 9)
WR Isaiah Hodgins - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 9)
LB Curtis Bolton - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 9)
CB Art Green - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (November 6)
C Bryan Hudson - Practice Squad (November 6)
P Matt Haack - Practice Squad Veteran (November 6)
K Graham Gano - Designated for Return/Returned to Practice (November 6)
CB Nick McCloud - Waived, No Recall (November 5)
P Matt Haack - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (November 5)
OLB Tomon Fox - Free Agent Signing from NYG PS (November 2)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Practice Squad Veteran (November 2)
K Greg Joseph - Reserve/Injured (November 2)
K Jude McAtamney - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 2)
T Marcellus Johnson - Practice Squad (October 30)
T Garret Greenfield - Practice Squad (October 30)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 30)
S Gervarrius Owens - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 29)
OLB Tomon Fox - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 28)
CB Greg Stroman - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 28)
OLB Boogie Basham - Practice Squad Veteran (October 24)
DL Armon Watts - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (October 22)
OLB Boogie Basham - Waived, No Recall (October 22)
OLB Tomon Fox - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 19)
OT Chris Hubbard - Free Agent Signing (from SF Practice Squad) (October 18)
OT Andrew Thomas - Reserve/Injured (October 16)
DT Armon Watts - Practice Squad Veteran (October 15)
CB Duke Shelley - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 15)
P Matt Haack - Free Agent Signing (October 12)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux - Reserve/Injured (October 12)
WR Isaiah Hodgins - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 12)
RB Dante Miller - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 12)
OLB Benton Whitley - Practice Squad (October 8)
G Cade Mays - Signed to CAR Active Roster from NYG Practice Squad (October 8)
ILB Matthew Adams - Activated from Injured Reserve (October 5)
OLB Benton Whitley - Waived, No Recall (October 5)
WR Isaiah Hodgins - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 5)
RB Dante Miller - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 5)
LB Matthew Adams - Returned to Practice (October 2)
WR Kearis Jackson - Practice Squad (October 1)
CB Greg Stroman - Practice Squad Veteran (October 1)
TE Joel Wilson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 1)
DB Alex Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 1)
TE Lawrence Cager - Terminated (Injury Settlement) from Practice Squad (October 1)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 26)
CB Duke Shelley - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 26)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Practice Squad Veteran (September 25)
LB Ty Summers - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (September 25)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (September 24)
TE Joel Wilson - Practice Squad (September 24)
TE Lawrence Cager - Practice Squad; Injured (September 24)
CB Art Green - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 21)
LB Ty Summers - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 21)
LB Patrick Johnson - Claimed off Waivers from PHI (September 17)
K Greg Joseph - Free Agent Signing from DET Practice Squad (September 17)
K Graham Gano - Reserve/Injured (September 17)
WR Gunner Olszewski - Reserve/Injured (September 14)
OLB Tomon Fox - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 14)
LB Ty Summers - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 14)
WR Chase Cota - Waived, Injury Settlement (September 13)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Free Agent Signing (September 10)
G Cade Mays - Practice Squad Exception (September 10)
OT Marcellus Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 10)
WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette - Free Agent Signing (September 9)
LB Curtis Bolton - Practice Squad Veteran (September 9)
LB Carter Coughlin - Practice Squad; Injured (September 9)
LB Ty Summers - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 7)
LB Carter Coughlin - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 7)
LB Curtis Bolton - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (September 7)
ILB Carter Coughlin - Practice Squad Veteran (September 6)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 6)
ILB Carter Coughlin - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (September 5)
OT Yodny Cajuste - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Injury Settlement (September 4)
WR Isaiah McKenzie - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Injury Settlement (September 3)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Practice Squad Veteran (September 2)
WR Miles Boykin - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 2)
CB Adoree' Jackson - Free Agent Signing (August 31)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 31)
S Gervarrius Owens - Practice Squad (August 30)
LB K.J. Cloyd - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (August 30)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (August 29)
C Austin Schlottmann - Reserve/Injured (August 29)
DB Duke Shelley - Practice Squad Veteran (August 29)
DE Elijah Garcia - Practice Squad (August 29)
DB Art Green - Practice Squad (August 29)
LB Curtis Bolton - Free Agent Signing (August 28)
ILB Dyontae Johnson - Reserve/Injured (August 28)
OLB Tomon Fox - Practice Squad Exception (August 28)
C Jimmy Morrissey - Practice Squad Exception (August 28)
K Jude McAtamney - International Practice Player Signing (August 28)
WR Miles Boykin, TE Lawrence Cager, WR Isaiah Hodgins, FB/TE Jakob Johnson, OT Joshua Miles, LB Ty Summers - Practice Squad Veteran (August 28)
LB K.J. Cloyd, DB Alex Johnson, OT Marcellus Johnson, DB Raheem Layne, RB Dante Miller, DL Casey Rogers - Practice Squad (August 28)
S Anthony Johnson - Claimed off Waivers from GB (August 28)
S Gervarrius Owens - Waived, No Recall (August 28)
LB Matthew Adams - Reserve/Injured - Designated for Return (August 27)
WR Isaiah McKenzie - Reserve/Injured; Prior to Cut to 53 (August 27)
LB Darrian Beavers, LB K.J. Cloyd, LB Tomon Fox, DB Alex Johnson, OT Marcellus Johnson, DB Raheem Layne, K Jude McAtamney, RB Dante Miller, C Jimmy Morrissey, DT Casey Rogers, TE Jack Stoll - Waived (August 27)
WR Miles Boykin, TE Lawrence Cager, DB Tre Herndon, WR Isaiah Hodgins, DB Darnay Holmes, FB/TE Jakob Johnson, DB David Long, OT Joshua Miles, OT Matt Nelson, WR Allen Robinson - Terminated, Vested Veteran (August 27)
DB Mario Goodrich, G Jalen Mayfield, DE Ovie Oghoufo - Waived, Injured, Prior to Cut to 53 (August 27)
RB Joshua Kelley - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 25)
DB Breon Borders - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 25)
DB Jonathan Sutherland - Waived, Injured, Prior to Cut to 53 (August 25)
DT Timmy Horne - Waived, Injured, Prior to Cut to 53 (August 25)
WR Ayir Asante, DT Kyler Baugh, DB Christian Holmes, DB Clayton Isbell, WR John Jiles, LB Trey Kiser, RB Lorenzo Lingard, T Marcus McKethan - Waived, No Recall (August 25)
DB Clayton Isbell - Free Agent Signing (August 20)
WR Dennis Houston - Waived/Injured (August 20)
DT Kyler Baugh - Free Agent Signing (August 19)
LB Trey Kiser - Free Agent Signing (August 19)
DL Ryder Anderson - Waived/Injured (August 19)
OT Yodny Cajuste - Reserve/Injured (August 19)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Free Agent Signing (August 16)
TE Tyree Jackson - Waived/Injured, Prior to Cut to 53 (August 16)
RB Joshua Kelley - Free Agent Signing (August 15)
S Raheem Layne - Free Agent Signing (August 15)
S Jonathan Sutherland - Free Agent Signing (August 15)
DL Jordan Phillips - Traded to Dallas Cowboys (August 15)
S Jalen Mills - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Failed Physical (August 15)
DB Elijah Riley - Reserve/Injured (August 15)
RB Lorenzo Lingard - Free Agent Signing (August 12)
RB Jacob Saylors - Waived, No Recall (August 11)
OT Evan Neal - Passed Physical (August 11)
DB Kaleb Hayes - Waived, No Recall (August 11)
LB K.J. Cloyd - Free Agent Signing (August 11)
CB Christian Holmes - Claimed off Waivers from WAS (August 5)
RB Jashaun Corbin - Waived/Injured (August 5)
CB Mario Goodrich - Claimed off Waivers from PHI (July 31)
CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Non-Football Injury (July 31)
OL Greg Van Roten - Free Agent Signing (July 30)
CB Aaron Robinson - Waived, Failed Physical (July 30)
DB Breon Borders - Free Agent Signing (July 28)
QB Nathan Rourke - Waived, No Recall (July 28)
TE Theo Johnson - Passed Physical (July 28)
OT Evan Neal - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 23)
CB Aaron Robinson - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 23)
DB Jalen Mills - Declared Non-Football Injury (July 23)
DB Stantley Thomas-Oliver - Declared Non-Football Injury (July 23)
TE Theo Johnson - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 16)
RB Jacob Saylors - Free Agent Signing (June 18)
WR Chase Cota - Reserve/Injured (June 18)
CB Tre Herndon - Free Agent Signing (June 12)
TE Darren Waller - Reserve/Retired (June 10)
S Tyler Nubin - Selection List Signing (May 31)
DB Elijah Riley - Free Agent Signing (May 30)
RB Gary Brightwell - Waived, Injured (May 30)
TE Theo Johnson - Selection List Signing (May 22)
LB Darius Muasau - Selection List Signing (May 15)
CB Dru Phillips - Selection List Signing (May 14)
DL Elijah Chatman - Free Agent Signing (May 13)
OLB Jeremiah Martin - Waived (May 13)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. - Selection List Signing (May 10)
WR Malik Nabers - Selection List Signing (May 10)
K Jude McAtamney - Free Agent Signing: Exempt/International Player (May 10)
WR Ayir Asante, WR John Jiles, DB Alex Johnson, OT Marcellus Johnson, G Jake Kubas, DE Ovie Oghoufo, DL Casey Rogers - Free Agent Signing (May 10)
RB Deon Jackson - Waived, Injured (May 10)
WR Allen Robinson - Free Agent Signing (May 9)
QB Nathan Rourke - Claimed off waivers from New England (May 7)
DB David Long - Free Agent Signing (May 1)
Giants select LB Darius Muasau with No. 183 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. with No. 166 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select TE Theo Johnson with No. 107 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select CB Dru Phillips with No. 70 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select S Tyler Nubin with No. 47 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select WR Malik Nabers with No. 6 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
DB Nick McCloud - Restricted Free Agent Signing (April 15)
LB Matthew Adams - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 12)
DL Jordan Phillips - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 11)
WR Miles Boykin - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 9)
S/LB Isaiah Simmons - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 5)
RB Dante Miller - Free Agent Signing (April 5)
WR Isaiah Hodgins - Free Agent Signing (March 24)
CB Darnay Holmes - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 22)
OT Matt Nelson - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 22)
OL Austin Schlottmann - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 18)
OL Aaron Stinnie - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 18)
TE Chris Manhertz - Free Agent Signing (March 16)
TE Jack Stoll - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 15)
OL Jon Runyan - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
OL Jermaine Eluemunor - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
RB Devin Singletary - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
QB Drew Lock - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
DB Jalen Mills - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
WR Isaiah McKenzie - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
WR/PR Gunner Olszewski - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
LB Carter Coughlin - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
OLB Brian Burns - Acquired via trade with Carolina Panthers (March 13)
LB Benton Whitley - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 12)
LS Casey Kreiter - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 12)
G Mark Glowinski - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (March 4)
C Jimmy Morrissey - Reserve/Future Signing (January 23)
WR Chase Cota - Reserve/Future Signing (January 23)
LB Tomon Fox - Reserve/Future Signing (January 10)
DL Ryder Anderson - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
OT Yodny Cajuste - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
DB Kaleb Hayes - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
WR Dennis Houston - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
RB Deon Jackson - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
ILB Dyontae Johnson - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
OLB Jeremiah Martin - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
G Jalen Mayfield - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
OT Joshua Miles - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
DB Stantley Thomas-Oliver - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
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