Russell Wilson is the Week 1 starting quarterback for the Giants. And he was available, as all starting quarterbacks are, for a midweek press conference.
His two understudies, Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston, did not speak to reporters. At all.
Via Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News, the Giants have made neither Dart nor Winston available to reporters, even though all players are required by league rules to be available during each game week.
As explained by Leonard, a Giants P.R. staffer interrupted a “cordial, non-football conversation” between Dart and reporters at his locker, explaining that the backup quarterbacks won’t be talking.
The Giants later said requests to interview Dart and Winston could be submitted, and that the requests would be “considered.” The Giants have since denied multiple requests to interview the No. 2 and No. 3 quarterbacks from the NFC team in the country’s largest media market.
“The way we operate remains unchanged,” the Giants said, via Leonard. "[W]e do not schedule weekly availability with the backup quarterback, regardless of their draft status or salary. The starting quarterback has a set weekly availability. However, if you’re working on a story that specifically requires input from the backup quarterback, we are open to arranging a conversation.”
As Leonard notes, Giants backup quarterbacks have been consistently available to reporters in past years.
Leonard also explains that the Giants have said Dart will be available after the Week 1 game against the Commanders, “if he plays.” The rules sweep more broadly; all players must be available after each game, whether they play or not.
The team’s approach is unconventional, and a bit bizarre. They’re trying to limit access in order to prevent any questions or answers that could complicate the plan to ride with Russ, unless and until the change is made from Wilson to Dart.
It looks like the Giants will have to wait at least one more week for left tackle Andrew Thomas to get the green light to return to the lineup.
Thomas is listed as doubtful to play against the Commanders in Week 1. Thomas suffered a season-ending foot injury last year and spent most of camp on the physically unable to perform list before being activated in late August.
Thomas practiced on Wednesday and Friday, but his listing leaves him unlikely to play. James Hudson is the likely choice to take over at left tackle.
Wide receiver Malik Nabers does not have an injury designation. He did not practice on Friday due to back tightness, but head coach Brian Daboll said there was no concern about his availability for Sunday.
Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers missed practice time with back tightness this summer and the issue has cropped up again ahead of Sunday’s opener in Washington.
Nabers is not practicing as the team closes out its week of preparation for the Commanders. Head coach Brian Daboll said at his press conference that the back is again the reason for Nabers’s inactivity and that he is confident that Nabers will be able to play in Week 1.
Left tackle Andrew Thomas is taking part in practice after sitting out on Thursday. Thomas, who also practiced on Wednesday, is returning from a season-ending foot injury.
The Giants will release an official injury report with game designations later on Friday.
Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas did not practice on Thursday, but it doesn’t sound like the team has made any decision about his status for Sunday’s game against the Commanders yet.
Thomas has been working his way back from last year’s season-ending foot injury and he practiced on Wednesday on a limited basis. Head coach Brian Daboll said at a Thursday press conference that Thomas looked good in the practice, but that he would not practice later in the day because of the increased workload on Wednesday.
Friday will bring another practice and a chance to see how Thomas has responded to this week’s plan. The Giants will hand out injury designations for Sunday as well.
James Hudson would be in line to start if Thomas does not play against the Commanders.
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels effectively set the world on fire with his 2024 season, winning offensive rookie of the year as he helped lead Washington to the NFC Championship Game.
How will Daniels follow up that successful season? Head coach Dan Quinn is confident the young quarterback is approaching it the right way.
“Yeah, you guys have been around him enough to know that he has a rare focus about him and the best players I’ve been around have had that through my years,” Quinn said in his Wednesday press conference. “And so, I think he sees it more as an opportunity to say, ‘Alright, I’m going to go do this. I’m going to go find ways to improve and get better.’ And so, that’s what I see throughout the offseason with him, coming into training camp but he just keeps this focus about him that is really rare, and the best of the best have that.
“[H]e does not back off of that and he doesn’t look too far down the line, which I really appreciate. He just, man, we’re going to throw a good practice, he just doesn’t get too far out over his skis and I think that’s one of the things I really admire about him.”
In 17 games last season, Daniels completed 69 percent of his passes for 3,568 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 891 yards with six TDs.
