The 2026 NFL preseason is officially under way, and the New York Giants will open their own preseason by hosting the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium at 1 p.m. today.
The first preseason game is about setting benchmarks on the road to the season opener. It’s the first opportunity for the coaching staff to get eyes on their team in live action against a real opponent, not just teammates on the opposite side of the ball. It gives the coaches a chance to see where their team is after a tough training camp, as well as provide a baseline for improvement going into next week’s game against the Miami Dolphins.
For this week we wanted to know which side of the ball the Giants’ fanbase is most interested in seeing; offense, defense, or special teams.
On one hand, it’s predictable that the defense came out on top. After all, it’s been a major pain point for fans over the last two years, and fans are desperate for improvement. We’ve also been getting glowing reports of the defense out of camp, with dominant linebacker play as well as pleasant surprises from the defensive line and secondary.
Rookie Arvell Reese, in particular, has been a star of camp, while Abdul Carter has simply taken practices over at times. The two could be cornerstones of the Giants’ defense for a long time, and if the reports out of camp are accurate, they might be setting the stage for post-season honors.
Reese currently has the fifth-best odds to win Defensive Rookie Of the Year (+850), while Carter is currently twelfth in the odds for defensive player of the year (+4,000), per FanDuel.
Fans want to see improvement, and are also curious to see if the defense that beat writers have been reporting on is for real.
On the other hand, this somewhat runs counter to the sentiment at the national level. There is real concern among national analysts regarding the Giants’ offense. The opinion of most at the national level outside the Giants’ fanbase is that the defense should be “fine” at worst, with the potential to be a Top 5 unit at best. However, there are questions as to whether the offense concocted by Matt Nagy, Greg Roman, and Brian Callahan* can function at an NFL level.
*I’ve heard the three coaches referred to as the “Unholy Trinity” which sounds like a try-hard Black Metal power trio.
There are questions as to whether the Giants’ receiving corps can be of NFL caliber without Malik Nabers, whether Jaxson Dart can develop into a consistent passer who can win over the middle, and questions whether the running game can be consistent given the concerns about the passing game and Cam Skattebo’s longevity.
And to be fair, quite a few fans also mentioned in the poll that they want to see Dart function under center and with improved footwork. They want to see the legion of new receivers on the field, the types of plays called by Matt Nagy, and they want to see just what kind of running game Greg Roman is cooking up.
Personally, I was somewhat expecting more fans to answer “Special Teams”. I find myself intrigued by the incredibly young battery of Ben Sauls, Dominic Zvada, and Ben Mann. Likewise, special teams play will have a big impact on the bottom third of the roster, and will shape multiple position groups.
Regardless of how you responded, we’ll be getting our first look at the 2026 New York Football Giants soon.