The New York Giants’ 2023 season was, well, pretty painful. Injuries plagued the team and exposed its lack of depth. But during the offseason, the organization made adjustments to its coaching staff and made changes to player personnel.
Even with those changes, ESPN recently ranked the Giants’ coaching staff as 24th in the league.
During his explanation, Ben Solak notes that this is his opinion and he’s only ranking the head coach, offensive and defensive coordinators. No special teams or position coaches were considered in this ranking.
Daboll and Kafka are more willing than most offensive staffs to throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks. They have a wide variety of designer plays for key third or fourth downs (of which Daboll goes for many, and often the right ones). I like the analytical lean of this offensive coaching staff, but I can only put so much value in getting the best out of a bad roster. Who has developed as a young Giant during Daboll’s tenure? Andrew Thomas, the fourth overall pick? Dexter Lawrence, the 17th overall pick? Slapping together a ramshackle offense for a contract year Jones was nifty, but it’s time to find an identity on offense, and I don’t think the Giants are anywhere near that yet.
Defensively, Shane Bowen is an appropriate compatriot to Daboll and Kafka — he loves to try some wacky stuff schematically and see if he can get the drop on opposing coordinators. I think he’ll help a thin and young secondary survive for just long enough that Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Lawrence can do their jobs in the pass rush.
Daboll and his staff definitely have their work cut out for them after last season, and it seems they’ve made valiant efforts to bring in the appropriate personnel with the resources they have.
No one will know how well they did until the regular season is underway, but if the mood out of the locker room is any indication, the Giants are ready for 2024.
