The New York Giants will travel to Houston this weekend for a preseason matchup against the Texans. Kickoff is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.
The Giants defeated the Lions, 14-3, in the preseason opener while many of the team's starters did not suit up. It sounds like that will not be the case in Houston, as coach Brian Daboll has indicated that many of the starters could see playing time.
Following Saturday's game, the Giants will wrap up their preseason slate on August 24 when they take on the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Here are five players to watch against the Texans:
QB Daniel Jones
It has been just over nine months since quarterback Daniel Jones tore his ACL against the Las Vegas Raiders. After being fully cleared at the start of training camp, Jones has taken every practice rep with the first team offense during team drills. Jones sat out the preseason opener, but Daboll told the media early this week that he expects the starting quarterback to be under center against the Texans.
"I have an idea right now, but I want to go through these three practices," the head coach said early in the week. "We'll talk about it as a coaching staff as the week goes on and end up talking with the players. I do envision Daniel playing. ... The plan is to play him."
Jones has looked fully healthy at camp, impressing his head coach along the way.
"He's made strides every day," Daboll said. "Again, it's some new guys that we're throwing to. It's the first time he's been in team. It's been a steady improvement from when we started when he had his first go through in team and had people around his legs. There's new things, new pieces, new tight ends, new receiver. So, that's always a work in progress. At least that I've been part of, in training camp, when you're dealing with new pieces and things like that. Him coming back from the injury, I think he's done a fantastic job. He's continuing to grow and he's done well here these last couple weeks."
"I'm ready to go," Jones added on Thursday. "I'm ready to play as much as Dabs wants me to play. So, I don't know. That's probably a better question for him and kind of how he's seeing the whole situation. But I'm ready to play and looking forward to getting out there."
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WR Wan'Dale Robinson
For the first time in his young NFL career, wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson went through a normal offseason. After tearing his ACL during his rookie campaign, Robinson spent the 2023 offseason rehabbing the knee injury. The 5-foot-8 receiver began to look like his normal self in the second half of the season as he finished the year with 5+ receptions and 75+ total yards from scrimmage in three of the final five games.
Earlier this summer, Pro Football Focus named Robinson among the NFL's top triple-threat wide receivers. This classification included yards after catch per reception, contested catch rate and separation rate. Robinson joined the likes of the Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Rams' Puka Nacua and the Colts' Michael Pittman Jr. among the analytics site's top triple-threat receivers. Based on what his starting quarterback said about him, this should not come as much of a surprise.
"He's an extremely dynamic and explosive guy, super twitchy, hard to guard, just how quickly he can start and stop in and out of cuts," Jones told the media earlier in camp. "I think he's getting the ball in his hands. He's a separator in his routes, and then when he gets the ball in his hands, he's a tough guy to tackle."
TE Theo Johnson
One of the Giants' more interesting position battles this summer has been at tight end. Lawrence Cager, Daniel Bellinger, and Theo Johnson, among others, have all gotten snaps with the first team offense in training camp. Daboll told the media Tuesday that Cager will be "down for a little while" following a recent groin injury, which has opened the door for more opportunities for the other tight ends.
Johnson, a rookie, was on the field for 12 snaps in his first taste of NFL action. The 6-foot-6, 264-pound tight end has flashed at times during training camp with some athletic receptions from the arm of Jones. The two could have an opportunity to connect in an actual game setting for the first time this weekend in Houston.
"Theo is a rookie, and he's right on schedule with where he's at in his development," assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said Thursday. "He was one of those guys that kind of started a little bit later in training camp, just getting back from the injury. But he's doing a really nice job. I'm happy. I'm excited about him. Going to keep inserting him into the offense and continue to find ways to get him involved."
CB Nick McCloud
Since arriving in East Rutherford, Daboll has preached positional versatility up and down the roster. One player that exemplifies this is cornerback Nick McCloud. The fourth-year corner has lined up all over the Giants defense the last two seasons, including time at outside cornerback and in the slot. Cor'Dale Flott, who was listed as the starting outside corner opposite Deonte Banks on the team's first two unofficial depth charts, has been out of practice this week with an injury, paving the way for McCloud to see more time on the outside. Now potentially looking at extended action at outside corner, McCloud is ready to take advantage of this chance to show the coaching staff what he can do.
"Definitely a huge opportunity," McCloud told reporters Sunday. "I don't think I'm just trying to take this opportunity to go win a job, every time I step on the practice field, I'm trying to win a job. Whatever reps that I get, those are valuable reps. I went from last year, I didn't get any reps with the ones and the twos, really. Now I'm getting some reps. I just take every opportunity at practice, game, whatever it may be, just try to maximize that."
McCloud originally joined the Giants prior to the start of the 2022 season after he was waived by the Cincinnati Bengals. The fourth-year corner played well in 2023, picking up the first three forced fumbles of his career along with his first career interception. McCloud's background includes being a three-star recruit out of high school, playing five years at Notre Dame and then going undrafted in 2022. Suffice it to say, the 26-year-old does not lack motivation.
"It's not really hard for me to wake up with a chip on my shoulder," said McCloud. "But I feel like I'm moving past that point of just trying to prove people wrong. Now I'm to the point to where the people who are in my corner, I'm just going to try to prove them right. So that's just how I feel about that. ... I wake up every day feeling like I've got to prove myself, no matter where I'm at on the depth chart, no matter what the circumstance may be. I wake up every day wanting to be in the toughest situations."
S Tyler Nubin
After missing some time at the start of training camp, safety Tyler Nubin has shown over the last couple of weeks why the Giants selected him in the second round of this year's draft. The No. 47 overall pick has put his high football intelligence on full display since his first day on the practice field. It didn't take long for the rookie safety to impress his position coach.
"He's really competitive, really confident," passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson said earlier this week. "You just watch the [college] tape — and even here — his intensity, his energy and his focus just jumps off the tape at you."
"It was good to see him last week versus Detroit as well," defensive coordinator Shane Bowen added on Thursday. "He continues to get better. He continues to improve each day. I think the one thing with him is he's finally out there. He's healthy. We missed him those first two weeks. And he's had ground to make up to get back in that competition. He's been good. He's taking advantage of the opportunities. Doesn't make the same mistake twice. I've been encouraged by where he's at right now."
Nubin was on the field for 18 total plays against the Lions in the preseason opener. It was a solid showing for his first outing in the NFL, but there was one play in particular that stood out. With the Lions facing a third-and-two, Nubin blew up offensive lineman Michael Niese, planting the 295-pound lineman into the ground as Dyontae Johnson flew in to tackle the runner short of the line of gain. This was just one example of the physicality Nubin intends to bring to the Giants defense this season.
"I think something a lot of people don't know about me is I'm always ready to stick my nose in there and get dirty with the big guys," Nubin said. "That's something I've never been afraid of. That's something that was preached at Minnesota. That's where I start my game — getting physical, and then I'm feeling good so now I can go look for the ball."
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