What We Learned: Giants gear up for Week 1

4. Burns adds ‘flexibility, speed, athleticism’

Similar to some of the other starting defensive players, Brian Burns’ only action in the preseason came in the matchup against the Texans. While he played limited snaps in that game, he certainly made his presence felt. With the Texans facing fourth-and-goal, Burns used an impressive spin move to get around the offensive tackle and get into the face of Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who was forced to quickly get rid of the ball. Dexter Lawrence ended up batting the ball down at the line of scrimmage, forcing a turnover on downs.

“Obviously, we saw in the Texans game, the ball was getting out quick,” Okereke said about Burns’ impact. “Quarterback really doesn’t have an option, but he just adds an extra dynamic of flexibility, speed, athleticism on the edge that we haven’t had.”

The addition of Burns should make things difficult for opposing offensive lines, as they now have to account for the two-time Pro Bowler, Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux.

“Now you can’t just double Dex and decide to have one-on-ones,” said Okereke. “You’ve got KT, who finished 11 and a half sacks last year. You’ve got Burns, who’s signed to a big contract. You’ve got Dex, so it’s a kind of pick-your-poison right there.”

5. Slayton has ‘been Mr. Steady’

A lot has been made over the last few months about the Giants’ 2024 wide receiver corps. Between the selection of Malik Nabers at No. 6, the return of a fully healthy Wan’Dale Robinson, and Jalin Hyatt heading into his second NFL season, there has been a growing buzz surrounding the group. But it is Darius Slayton who has emerged as a leader of the group.

Since arriving to the Giants as a fifth-round pick in 2019, Slayton has been consistent. The veteran wideout has finished with 700+ receiving yards in four of his five seasons, totaling 220 receptions for 3,324 yards and 19 touchdowns. When talking to reporters Tuesday, Daboll praised the 27-year-old for his dependability over the years.

“He’s been here for a while. He’s been consistent. He’s a dependable player,” Daboll told the media. “The quarterback has a lot of trust in him. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do since I’ve been here. Was productive before I got here. He’s been Mr. Steady for us. One of the steady guys offensively we’ve had here the last couple years.”

When asked whether or not the younger receivers lean on Slayton for advice, Daboll added, “Yeah, absolutely. Again, he’s got a lot of experience playing, been productive, knows our system, and (they) have a lot of confidence in (Darius) Slay(ton).”