Do the Jets and Giants Finally Know What They’re Doing? | NFL Training Camp 2026

NFL training camp is underway, and the offseason storylines are finally starting to become real.

Ian Rice gets listeners caught up around the league, including Aaron Donald’s possible return alongside Myles Garrett, the San Francisco 49ers going back into win-now mode, Brandon Aiyuk’s uncertain future, George Kittle’s Achilles recovery, Vita Vea’s trade request and the injuries already changing teams’ plans before the season begins.

Then the episode turns to New York.

Why is there still reason to believe in Aaron Glenn? Can Geno Smith and Frank Reich bring competence and stability to the Jets offense? How much can an improved offensive line unlock Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall?

For the Giants, Ian breaks down the standard John Harbaugh should establish immediately, what a successful second season looks like for Jaxson Dart, why patience is essential with Malik Nabers and how trade speculation raises the pressure on Kayvon Thibodeaux.

The Jets and Giants are at different stages, but the question is the same:

Do either of these teams finally know what they’re doing?

Rice Bowl Invitational applications close August 2. Send “RICE BOWL” to the Rice on the Radio Instagram to apply.

Follow Rice on the Radio across social media and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Transcript

Football Is Back In July

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I guess there's only one way to find out. Let's do it to it, right? The Jets and Giants are at two different stages right now. But the question pretty much remains the same. Do these franchises know what they're doing finally?

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Yeah, extra, extra. Keep the light low. New York talking with the late night go from the garden glow to the stadium state. Win every last W. What does it mean? Right on the radio. Coming to your speakers, big things, box tools, off break, but leave with the mess games, that's the giant next on the ride. Making it make sense. Running down lights. Let's do it to it in the Well, hello there.

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Happy Monday. Or whenever you're listening to this. Football is back. Well, training camp football is back. Which is not exactly the same thing. But after spending the last few months talking about projections and draft picks and free agent signings, what every team might look like. I'll take it. The pads are coming on, man. The rookies are finally getting real work. New coaches are installing their systems. Position battles are starting. Reporters are sending out practice updates. Before long, every fan base will have one player who apparently is unstoppable because he caught three passes during seven on seven drills. But you know what, man? That's the fun of training camp. It's also where you have to find the balance between paying attention and completely losing your mind, though. I do take camp report seriously. The people that are covering these teams are there every day. They're watching the practices and talk to the players and coaches. Their observations have value. At the same time, though, this is still a controlled environment. You know, nobody's trying to kill the quarterback. Veterans are being managed. And, you know, one great practice does not mean somebody isn't all pro suddenly. The individual highlights are fun. The repeated patterns are what I'm really interested in. You know, which rookies keep showing up, which new systems look like they're actually taking hold. Which players are earning bigger roles. Which teams look sharp and prepared, and which teams already look like they have no idea what they're doing. That is what the next few weeks are going to start revealing. It's also been way too long since I've put out a full NFL episode, man. Football is about to give me more than enough content to talk about, so it's on me to stay on top of it. There is a lot to get into today. We'll dive into training camp a little bit and how quickly it can go from north to south based upon one or two or three injuries, and then we'll spend most of our time in the Jets and Giants as both of these teams begin what could be really important seasons for the franchises.

Rice Bowl Invitational Deadline

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Before we get into any of that though, I have one important piece of fantasy football business to discuss with you. Applications for the Rice Bowl Invitational are still open, but only through August 2nd. It is completely free to enter. There are real prizes involved, and I already have more applications than available spots, which is a great problem for me to have, but it also means I gotta make some difficult decisions coming up. I'm looking for people who know football, they stay active, they respond to messages, they actually participate all season and want to help this thing turn into something bigger every year. So if you think you fit that description, you want a chance to get in the league, head over to me on Instagram, it's at Rice on the Radio, and send me a DM. Send the words Rice Bowl. Fill out the application, put your name in the mix, man. You never know. Again, applications close August 2nd. So do not wait until the last minute and then complain to me that you missed your opportunity. Alright. Had to get that out. Business handled. It's

Biggest Camp Storylines Begin

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been a little while since we really went around the NFL. So before we get into the Jets and Giants here, let's get caught up on a few bigger stories heading into training camp.

Aaron Donald Rumors Get Real

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And the first one on my list, Aaron Donald might actually come back. Aaron Donald returning to football, it's starting to feel like more than just one of those off-season rumors people throw around because they're bored. He is not officially committed to coming back yet. Sean McVay has said that Donald is thinking about it and he's going through his own process, yada yada, yada. Sounds like Donald wants to know if he can return as something close to the player that he remembers being, not just some ceremonial version of it. That part is believable to me. Aaron Donald has always been one of those players who feels almost ageless because his conditioning, his work ethic were just a major part of what made him great. You know, he was not merely stronger than everybody, he was quicker and more technically advanced, more relentless, and honestly, usually in better shape than the offensive lineman that was trying to block him. So yeah, even at 35, two years away from the league, I'm not immediately dismissing it. Now, would he return as the exact same Aaron Donald who spent a decade terrorizing everybody? Probably not. That's an unreasonable and honestly unfair expectation. But I'll tell you what, Aaron Donald at 80% is still better than a lot of starting defensive linemen in this league. The part that makes this completely ridiculous is that the Rams already added Miles Garrett. I mean, how do you block both of them? That's not me asking a rhetorical question for dramatic effect. I genuinely want to know what an offensive coordinator is supposed to do. If you double Aaron Donald, Miles Garrett gets a 101. If you slide the protection towards Garrett, now Donald has the favorable matchup inside. If you keep a running back or a tight end in to help, you now have fewer receiving options to get you out of the rhythm. And if you try to get the ball out quickly, all afternoon the defense knows exactly what kind of pass the game it has to defend. There really is no clean answer here. You know, the Rams made the Garrett trade knowing that they were trying to win right now. Donald returning would make that from an aggressive move to something that changes how the entire NFC looks. It also makes life considerably easy for Matthew Stafford now. Stafford is still capable of winning games with his arm, but he's not at the stage of his career where Los Angeles should want him throwing the ball 45 times every Sunday because the defense cannot stop anybody. A dominant defense shortens games. It creates turnovers. It gives Stafford better field position. It allows the Rams to win without asking their aging quarterback to be Superman for four straight months. I mean, yeah, are there still legitimate questions? Sure. Donald's been away for two seasons, and there is a difference between being in incredible physical condition and being in NFL football condition. There's also a difference between missing competition and wanting to go through camp practices, travel for an entire season all over again. You know, he should not just come back simply because the idea sounds fun. But if Aaron Donald believes that he can still play at a high level and you put him next to Miles Garrett, Aaron Donald at 80% is a problem. Aaron Donald anywhere near his old level, playing next to Myles Garrett is an emergency. The Rams are clearly operating like a team that believes its window is open, and the other team in that division appears to have reached the exact same conclusion.

49ers Go All In Again

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The 49ers spend last offseason looking like a team trying to reset itself. They went 12-5, won a playoff game on the road, and apparently decided, all right, maybe we're not finished yet. And this offseason has looked nothing like a slow rebuild. They added Mike Evans, they brought in Christian Kirk, Oso O Digizua, Dre Greenlaw. I mean, Evans reportedly took less money to join them. These are not moves designed around what the roster might become three years from now. These are moves made by a team that expect to complete, compete immediately. Mike Evans in particular tells you exactly how they view themselves. You don't add a veteran receiver with that resume because you're curious to see how the young guys develop around him. You add him because you want Brock Purdy to have a dependable outside target in January. The urgency also makes sense when you look at the core of this team. I mean, Kittle is recovering from an Achilles injury, Trent Williams is getting closer to the end of his career. Christian McCaffrey is another year older, and he's accumulated a lot of touches between Carolina and San Francisco. Now, that doesn't mean Christian McCaffrey suddenly can't play. When healthy, he's clearly one of the most offensive, complete players in the game. But a running back window is not a long window. And somebody who's caught that many passes and absorbed that much contact over the years, it's going to start showing up eventually. That also brings me to Brandon Ayuk here. The Ayuk situation has gone so far off the rails that it barely feels like a normal contract dispute anymore. You know, that's how this whole thing started. The 49ers voided his remaining guarantees over issues connected to his rehabilitation and team participation drills. The organization has made it clear that it does not expect him to play for San Francisco again. Look, teams will use every contractual opening available to them. That's kind of just how the business works. And if I failed to satisfy the requirements written into his deal, then San Francisco is within its right to protect itself. Players use leverage when they have it. Teams do the exact same thing. That's why they always say it's just a business. We get it. Look, under normal circumstances, my position would be if he gets healthy, repairs the relationship between them two, you're already paying him. You got to use the player. But this is no longer a normal circumstance. The relationship appears broken. His public behavior and his social media posts have not helped him in the slightest. And the 49ers have built their receiving room as though they already have moved on from him. Evans gives them a legitimate outside receiver. Christian Kirk gives them another experience option. They no longer have to sit around waiting for Ayuk to decide how this ends. Kittle's situation is a little different. I mean, he's beginning the camp on the pupless while recovering from an Achilles injury that he suffered in the playoffs. John Lynch has described the rehabilitation progress as extremely well, and Kittle is doing everything he can to be ready for week one. The team still has to weigh that against the risk of rushing him back, though. I mean, especially with San Francisco opening the season against the Rams in Melbourne, in Australia. I mean, that international trip is not nothing, boys. That's a long flight there and back. I understand wanting Kittle available. I would also understand San Francisco deciding that week one is not worth compromising the rest of the season over. This team is trying to balance two realities right now. The roster that they've built says win now, and the age and health of the roster say do not waste the opportunity by being reckless. Last season the 49ers found out they still had something. This offseason looks like them saying, fine, then let's try to win the whole thing again.

Vita Vea Trade Request Fallout

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Staying in the NFC, Vitavea has officially requested a trade from the Buccaneers after extension talks failed to produce a new deal. Look, he's 31 years old, entering the final season of his contract and is scheduled to make 18 million. Tampa Bay now has to decide whether it wants to extend him, play through the dispute, or trade one of the most important players on its defense. A public trade request creates pressure. Fans start asking questions, reporters ask about it every day, other teams call. The Bucs have to decide whether they want this hanging over camp. The problem for Vea right now is that going public does not necessarily improve Tampa Bay's return. You know, everybody knows he wants a new contract. Everybody knows the Bucs are dealing with an unhappy player. Teams are not going to call and just voluntarily offer more than they have to. But Tampa Bay also has to remember how difficult players like this are to replace. You know, we saw this in Kansas City with the Chris Jones contract situation. Eventually, the Chiefs paid him because dominant interior defensive linemen can ruin entire offense. You cannot always replace the dog in the middle of your defense by drafting a 310-pound guy and just hoping for the best. Vea may be 31, but when he is on the field, he changes how teams run the football and how they protect the quarterback. Naturally, this connects to the Giants. You know, would Vita Vea improve the Giants defense tomorrow? Absolutely. Would I trade significant draft capital and immediately hand a large extension to a 31-year-old defensive tackle without seeing the full price? No, I wouldn't. The Giants should call. They should ask. Every competent front office should know the price. Whether they should actually make the move depends on the compensation. The contract that he's looking for, whether they believe they are close enough to even justify doing all that. We'll come back to that when we get into the Giants defense in a little bit. Vea is trying to gain control over where the next part of his career happens. Can't believe him for that. Training camp also gives us an annual reminder of how quickly players can lose control over an entire season. Lastly, we'll finish the national portion with the part of camp that nobody really enjoys. There

Camp Injuries Change Everything

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is some positive injury news, but it's injury news in general. In Kansas City, Patrick Mahomes has been fully cleared to participate in training camp after undergoing surgery from the torn ACL and LCL injuries that ended his season in last December. That's a major step, but Mahomes himself has acknowledged that being cleared for practice is not exactly the same thing as being completely ready for week one. Obviously, the entire AFC looks different when Patrick Mahomes is healthy. The Chiefs missed the playoffs last season. Denver won the division. Kansas City opens against the Broncos, and Mahomes has made it clear that he wants to be out there. I understand the urgency. I understand wanting to get back at him. I also think that Kansas City has to protect him from himself a little bit here. You know, the Chiefs are not trying to win training camp. They might not even have to win week one. They just need Mahomes healthy when the games become important in December and January. The other side of camp injuries can already be seen in Carolina, unfortunately. The Panthers entered camp expecting to begin the season without veteran right tackle Taylor Moton. He got diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung. He's responding to treatment well and expected to return during the season, so that's great. But then during Carolina's first training camp practice, Nick Scorton tore his ACL and lost his entire season. One practice. The Panthers had barely started, and one of their young defensive players was already finished for the year. That's how quickly things can turn here. You enter camp excited about young players, new system, and position battles. Then one player goes down, and now the team is trying to replace months of planning before it has even played a preseason game. Detroit also opened up camp with both starting safeties on the pup. Brian Branch is recovering from a torn Achilles, and Kirby Joseph continues dealing with a knee problem that cost him the final 11 games of last season. Detroit now has legitimate uncertainty surrounding one of the most important areas of its defense. Now, this doesn't exactly mean that they're doomed. It means a team with real expectations is already testing its depth before the season begins. That's the uncomfortable balance of training camp. Football is finally back. We get the highlights, the camp battles, and the first look at the rookies we spend months talking about. But every practice also carries the possibility that one bad step, one collision, or one medical diagnosis changes a team's entire season. The national picture is beginning to take shape. Now, now, let's bring this closer to home.

Why I Still Believe Aaron Glenn

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Because call me crazy if you want. I really don't care. I still believe in Aaron Glenn. Let me tell you why. The biggest reason I still believe in Aaron Glenn is that I think there is a real head coach in there. Look, last year was rough. There were decisions I didn't understand, moments where the team looked completely unprepared, and stretches where the Jets seem to be creating new ways to embarrass themselves every week. I'm not here to pretend that any of that didn't happen. But Glenn has something I still think that can translate. He played in this league at a high level. He played for this organization. He knows what an NFL locker room feels like, what training camp does to your body, what meetings that look like and feel like after a bad loss, and what what it takes to get a team mentally ready to play again six days later. That that doesn't automatically make somebody a good head coach. Plenty of former players have tried this and failed, but it does give Glenn a level of credibility with players that cannot be manufactured in a press conference. He has lived what he is asking them to do. He also knows what being a Jet feels like. He knows how quickly the mood around this team can turn, and he knows how little patience exists here because fans have already heard every version of this time it's different. That's probably why I'm not judging him entirely by his final win total this season. Obviously, yes, I want the Jets to win games. I'm tired of two, three, four win seasons. Nobody is hanging a banner because the team played hard and lost by three instead of losing by twenty. There is still a difference between a team that loses while building towards something and a team that loses because nobody knows what is going on. If the Jets win five games, but the losses are competitive, the team looks more prepared, the penalties come down, the effort is consistent, and you can clearly see that they are trying to become something, I can live with that as progress. I won't enjoy it. I'm not gonna throw a parade, but I can recognize it. What I cannot accept is another season where games are over in the second quarter and players are committing senseless penalties. The same mistakes keep happening over and over again, and everybody looks shocked that the other team showed up ready to play football. I need this to look like a professional NFL team again. That is really what Gino Smith is here to help accomplish. You know, the Jets are not asking Gino to save the franchise. He is not the tenure answer. He knows it. The organization owned it, and everybody watching it knows it. He is the bridge. He is keeping the seat warm. His job is to give the Jets competent quarterback play while they continue figuring out who comes next. That may not sound exciting, but competent quarterback play would be a massive improvement around here. You know, if you give me something around 3,500 yards, give me 15 to 20 touchdowns, protect the football, complete the throws that are supposed to be completed, get the offense in and out of the huddle without everything feeling like an emergency, I can live with it. I'm not asking for Dan Marino. I just watched Justin Fields struggle to complete a two-yard out route last season. I'm just asking for solid consistency. Gino can also help the Jets get a fair evaluation of the rest of the offense. You know, Omar Cooper Jr. gets a real opportunity to show what he can become. Kenyon Sadiq can develop inside a functioning passing game. Garrett Wilson finally gets a quarterback capable of delivering the ball on time to him. And Brees, Brees can be judged within an offense that is not broken before the play even begins. None of those players can be evaluated properly. When the quarterback position destroys every possession at the snap. That is also where Frank Reich becomes important here, too. One of the biggest mistakes young head coaches make is trying to control everything. They want to call plays, they want to oversee the defense, manage the game, deal with the media, and somehow still have enough time to understand every little detail happening across the roster with every single player. It's just too much for almost every anybody. Frank Reich gives Glenn someone who has coached quarterbacks. He has built offenses and handled the weekly preparation that comes with that side of the ball. Glenn does not have to spend every waking moment worrying about whether the quarterback understands the third down package. He can be the head coach, he can manage the entire team, set the standard, control the temperature in the room, and still remain involved with the defense without trying to perform three jobs at once. The Jets signed Gino, and they're betting that Gino's season in Las Vegas was an ugly year behind an awful offensive line. Not proof that he suddenly forgot how to play quarterback. They're also betting that Frank Reiggs' last head coaching job was a bad situation, not proof that he no longer understands offenses. Those are fair bets as long as the Jets give them something functional to work

Geno Smith As The Bridge

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with. And the offensive line is probably the key thing where this all melds together and will be the reason that the Jets are successful or they're a disaster again. For the first time in a long time, I actually feel good about the foundation up front. The Jets have two legitimate tackles that they can build around. And although their interior may not be completely dominant, it should definitely be good enough to keep every passing play from immediately collapsing into chaos. Gino did not have anything close to that in Las Vegas. The Raiders' offensive line ranked 32nd last year, and the only reason it ranked 32nd is because there's only 32 teams. He had defenders in his lap before he finished reading the coverage. You know, that does not exactly excuse every interception or every bad decision, but quarterback play becomes a lot easier when the pocket still exists three seconds after the ball is snapped. Give Gino time, and Garrett Wilson becomes much more dangerous. Wilson has produced respectable numbers every year, despite playing with quarterbacks who either could not find him, could not reach him, or could not stay in the field long enough to build any rhythm. He is an elite route runner. He creates separation, and he has already proven that he can produce without ideal circumstances. Now imagine him with a quarterback who can consistently hit the top of his drop and deliver the ball where it's supposed to go. Omar Cooper does not have to become a star immediately. He has to give defenses another player the respect on the outside. Sadiq can become the middle of the field option that this offense has lacked for God knows how long. You know, young quarterbacks love tight ends, but bridge quarterbacks love them too. They are big targets and they help against pressure. They give you somewhere reliable to go when the first read is not there. And then to top it off, there's Brees Hall. He has his contract. He has a better offensive line. He has a quarterback who should at least force defenses to acknowledge the passing game. Now is the time to remind everybody why he was considered one of the most explosive backs in football. The Jets should not need Gino to throw 45 times. They should not need Brees to carry the entire offense either. The point of building a functional unit is that everybody's job becomes easier. The line protects Gino, Gino distributes the ball, Wilson stretches the defense, Cooper and Sadiq give him alternatives, Brees gets cleaner running links because the defense cannot throw 11 people at the line of scrimmage anymore. None of that requires a superstar quarterback. It just requires organization.

Jets Defense Needs Adult Leadership

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And that is also what Glenn has to deliver on defense. He called defensive play calling his superpower. People laughed, and I understand why they laughed. When you say something like that after a season the Jets just had, you are placing the target directly on your own chest. But fine, you said it. Now prove it. The Jets brought in Demario Davis and Minka Fitzpatrick because the defense needed adults. It needed players who could get everybody lined up, recognize what the offense was doing, and stop the entire unit from looking surprised every time someone motioned across the formation. Davis knows Glenn. He understands the system and should immediately improve the communication between the middle. Minka in the secondary brings somebody in who has seen just about everything the offense could ever throw at somebody. Even if he's not exactly the same player he was at his absolute peak, his presence alone should raise the level of professionalism on the back end. Now you add in David Bailey, the second overall pick, to a defense that desperately needs him to affect quarterbacks. And that becomes especially important in this division. You know, you got Josh Allen, you got Drake May. You cannot sit back, play passive defense, and hope the quarterbacks eventually make a mistake. You gotta speed him up. You have to collapse the pocket on them. You have to make them uncomfortable before they decide whether they are throwing or taking off and running. Bailey is supposed to be the polished enough player to contribute early. That doesn't mean he needs 15 sacks as a rookie. It means he should look like somebody the offense already has to account for. Will McDonald, on the other hand, has a different kind of pressure on him. You know, I wouldn't call this a make or break season in terms of whether he belongs in the NFL. He has shown that he can be a true pass rusher. But this is the year he has to show whether he belongs in the Jets' long-term plans as more than a situational player. You know, can he hold up against the run? Can he affect games when he does not record a sack? Can he become somebody the offense has to think about on every down instead of the only passing situations? The Jets have invested too much into that defensive front for it to disappear for long stretches. They also need to create some turnovers. I'm not asking for the Legion of Boom. I'm asking for one interception. They had zero last season. The bar is quite literally underground. It is zero. Get off the field on third down, stop allowing nine-yard runs on first down, make the other team earn points instead of gifting them through blown assignments and penalties. If the Jets get beat by a better team, they get beat. Just do not walk off the field looking like you never gave yourself a chance. That is where I stand with Aaron Glenn. I am willing to buy into what he's selling. I am willing to believe the former player, the former Jet, and the coach who has seen this go wrong before you can learn from it. I'm willing to give him the second chance after a rough first season. But you only get one second chance. After that, it's on you. The Jets are still trying to determine who comes after Geno Smith.

Harbaugh Raises The Giants Standard

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Across town, the Giants believe they may already have that answer. You know, Russell Wilson officially retiring, which Giant fans probably assumed happened sometime around week three last year, just closes the book on how Jackson Dark got his opportunity. The bigger change for the Giants, though, is not a quarterback. It is the standard John Harbaugh is supposed to bring to the entire organization. The Giants, Giants did not hire the newest offensive genius or the coordinator everybody suddenly wanted after one good season. They hired somebody who has already run an NFL team. Harbaugh has won. He has lost, he has dealt with veteran players, rookie quarterbacks, injuries, playoff expectations, locker room tension, the seasons where the plan did not go according to plan. He knows what success looks like, and he has also seen what causes a good team to come apart. That experience alone should immediately remove some of the nonsense the Giants have dealt with for years. I do not expect Harbaugh to make this team a Super Bowl contender overnight. I do expect, however, the Giants to stop entering games looking like they forgot an opponent was on the schedule. Too many times over the last five years. They have come out flat. They have looked dead emotionally, they've played down to bad teams. They've taken opponents lightly and waited for the second half to realize that the game had already started. That has to end. The Giants should never walk into another game looking unprepared for something everybody watching at home knew was coming. They should not lose because the coaching staff made the wrong fourth down decision for the third straight week. They should not need an entire quarter to match the other team's intensity. They should not commit the same stupid penalty after spending all week talking about discipline. Harbaugh's teams are supposed to be physical. They're supposed to be run the football, control the line of scrimmage, and make opponents feel like they were in a fight. That identity fits what the Giants claim they want to be. Even the smaller organizational changes support that. They're holding camp in West Virginia. They have upgraded the weight room, cafeteria, parts of the facility back home. Those things may sound cosmetic from the outside, but players spend more time in that building than they do at home during the season. The Giants want them to leave for camp and return to an environment that feels completely different. Not different because the logo changed or because somebody painted a mural on the wall. Different because the expectations have changed. Harbaugh is not trying to erase Giants history. He is trying to make the Giants' identity mean something again. That's why I think six to eight wins should be a legitimate step. You know, some fans are gonna hear John Harbaugh look at Jackson Dart and convince themselves this team should immediately win 11 games. I'm not there yet, and I don't think you should be either. This roster still has some questions. Neighbors is recovering, the defense is trying to establish who its core players are, and Dart is entering only his second season. Six to eight wins, fewer ridiculous losses, and a clear sense that the team is moving forward would be a great year. A lot of that depends on Dart.

Jackson Dart Year Two Test

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Look, he showed enough as a rookie to make you believe in him. He did not show enough to make you end the conversation that he is the guy. That distinction is important because New York has been desperate for encouraging quarterback play. The moment somebody throws two good deep balls and shows a little personality, people start designing the statue. Dart has real traits. I'm not here to say that he doesn't. The ball comes out accurately, his understanding of coverages is supposedly advanced. He seems to process the playbook well, and he has the confidence to attack downfield. He also has to learn how to protect himself, which has been a recurring conversation for a while now. Look, aggression is part of his game. You do not want to coach every bit of that out of him. And honestly, that's what makes good quarterbacks great. There is a difference, though, between being fearless and being reckless. Slide when the play is over, step out of bounds instead of taking the unnecessary hit, throw the ball away when nothing is there. The Giants cannot find out whether Dart is their franchise quarterback if he's unavailable every six weeks. A second successful season does not require him to become an MVP candidate. Same thing as Gino. Give me somewhere around 3,500 yards, 15 to 20 to 22 passing touchdowns. Just let him play almost the entire season and continue to improve his command and make better situational decisions at the end of the year, that's real progress. There will be bad games. Every young quarterback has them. What I do not want is a full sophomore collapse where the league adjusts to him and he's got no answer. Year one is about showing flashes. Year two is about proving the flashes were not just a fluke. Year three is when we might have something, hopefully turns into we do have something.

Malik Neighbors Recovery And Weapons

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Neighbors can become one of two stories. He can either become the great comeback story, the elite young receiver who suffered a major injury, fought through the recovery, and eventually returned to being one of the most dangerous players in football, or he can become the player that everybody talks about with the two dreaded words of what if. That is why the Giants cannot rush this. And I think they know that. The first time he plants on that leg, the first time someone tries to hit him low, the first time he has to make a hard cut without thinking about it, those are all steps in his recovery. Neighbors is young. He takes care of himself, and his talent is so high that even a version of him still working his way back may be better than most receivers in the league. But that doesn't mean that he will immediately be the Malik Neighbors everybody remembers. The Giants have to think beyond week one. You do not want this conversation becoming about what Malik Neighbors could have been instead of what Malik Neighbors is. The good news is Dart should not have to survive entirely without his help. Isaiah Likely may become the player Giant fans fall in love with in his first season. He's always had the receiving ability. The problem is in Baltimore was a guy by the name of Mark Andrews, and there's only so many targets available at tight end. Harbaugh knows exactly what likely can do. And Dart should quickly understand how valuable a reliable target over the middle can be. When the pocket gets muddy, when the first read is covered, or when the defense brings pressure, likely can become the easy answer. And that role doesn't exactly disappear when neighbors returns either. A healthy neighbors forces defenses to respect the outside, meaning likely can work underneath. He can find space against linebackers and safeties and keep the offense moving. OBJ and Juju give the room a little veteran experience. I'm not expecting 2016 Odell Beckham Jr. The speed may not be what it was, and the Giants should obviously not build the offense around him, but he can still help. He can mentor neighbors. He understands the pressure of being a young star receiver in New York. And yeah, look, he can make the occasional third down catch, work a slant against a favorable coverage, maybe even give Giant fans one last memorable moment. Juju gives him another little professional receiver who knows where to line up and can continue to contribute without needing the offense built around him or the ball all the time. Without neighbors at full strength, this offense should be functional. That is not the same as saying it will be great. You know, against teams like Philly and Dallas and San Francisco, functional may not be enough. But Darts should have enough support to continue developing without every possession, depending on one recovering wide receiver.

Giants Defense Prove It Season

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The offense is trying to establish what it can become. The defense is trying to establish who it actually belongs in the future. The Dexter Lawrence trade made the message pretty clear. Reputation no longer guarantees security. Production does. You know, Lawrence was one of the most recognizable players on this roster, and the Giants still decided that the timeline, the price, and the direction of the team made the trade worthwhile. That should get everybody's attention, especially Kayvon Thibodeau. This is a major prove it season for him. Yeah, he has shown flashes, he has produced sacks, he has also not consistently become the dominant every down player the Giants hoped they were drafting. I mean, the organization essentially drafted another premium edge player, it Abdul Carter, last year. Now, Carter has not developed as quickly as they may have expected so far, but the intention is not difficult to understand. The Giants wanted another potential long-term answer at one of the most important positions on the field. Now, it doesn't automatically mean that Thibodeau is gone. It just means he is no longer untouchable. Trade rumors have been hanging around him pretty much all offseason, and now Carolina has been mentioned as a possible destination after losing Nick Scorton for the season. That is something to watch. Carolina needs pass rushing help. The Giants have invested heavily at the position. If another team offers real value and the Giants believe Carter is eventually taking over that role, a deal is at least somewhat possible. I wouldn't trade him. Make him force the decision. If he produces and he affects quarterbacks and improves against the run, becomes a player that the Giants believe that they were drafting, trade conversation disappears. No problem. No harm, no foul. But, you know, look, if the season looks more of the same, the Giants have already built themselves a backup plan, so to speak. But yeah, this defense, although should be better, it still has some questions. You know, can Carter take the next step? Can Thibodeau make himself impossible to move on from? Can the veteran addition stabilize the middle? Can Harbaugh and the defensive staff get everybody playing within a role that makes sense? This is where that Vita Vay conversation comes back that I was talking about earlier. Vea would make this defense better tomorrow. There's no debate about that. He would strengthen the interior, make life easier for the linebackers, and create better one-on-one opportunities for the edge rushers. The question is not whether he helps. The question is what does it cost? What is Tampa Bay asking for? How much money does Vea want? How many guaranteed years are you going to give a 31-year-old defensive tackle? The Giants are entering year two of finding out whether Dart is the franchise quarterback. They're still building a roster around him. This may not be the moment to trade meaningful draft capital and hand out another major veteran contract simply because the move improves the team immediately. Vita Vay could make the Giants better tomorrow. I'm just not sure tomorrow is the only day that they should be planning for.

Direction Over Hype In New York

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That is what makes both New York teams interesting at the same time for once. The Jets are trying to prove that they can build a functioning organization before they find their next quarterback. And the Giants are trying to find out whether they already have the quarterback and can build a functioning organization around him. They are at different stages, but the question is basically the same. Do these teams finally know what they're doing? We're going to start getting that answer over the next few weeks. And that also means over the next few weeks that fantasy football is about to start heating up very quickly. Draft strategy, players I'm buying, players I'm staying away from, everything we're learning from camp and how all of it affects your plans. That is where we will get much deeper into the fantasy side of these stories. And once again, just a reminder applications for the Rice Bowl invitational close August 2nd. If you want a chance, send Rice Bowl to Rice on the Radio on Instagram. Fill out the application before the deadline. But as far as NFL itself goes, the months of guessing are almost finished. Trading Camp is not going to answer every question immediately. Some players are going to look great in July and disappear once the games count. Some teams are going to sound completely different and look exactly the same when September arrives. But this is where the separation starts. This is where we begin seeing which teams are prepared, which rookies are ready, and which veterans still have a little something left in the tank. For the Jets and Giants, I am not asking either team to prove it is ready to win a championship right now. God knows the Jets aren't. I'm asking for direction. I'm asking for competence. I'm asking for Sundays where the game is decided by the players on the field, not by confusion, bad preparation, or another completely avoidable mistake. Both teams finally have something worth watching. Now we get to see whether either one has actually built something worth believing

Subscribe And Spread Good Energy

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in. Follow Rice on the Radio on Instagram and across all the socials you do. Subscribe wherever you listen to the show, and send this episode to someone who is as ready for football as I am. I am Ian Rice. This has been episode 78 of Rice on the Radio. And as always, spread good energy, tell someone you love them, and I'll talk to you guys soon.