NY Giants first round draft picks, Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart | Thomas Salus-Imagn Images

New York Giants: A Giant Issue Podcast "Why Are We Mad?"

The New York Giants have had a rocky couple of years when it comes to major roster decisions, but according to The Athletic’s Mike Sando, things might finally be looking up.

In a recent piece listing his favorite offseason moves for all 32 NFL teams, Sando highlighted two compelling decisions by the Giants in the 2025 NFL Draft: their selections of linebacker Abdul Carter and quarterback Jaxson Dart in the first round.

Yes, two first-rounders, the lowest of the hanging fruit. And yes, it’s relevant, considering how well the last time this team had two picks in the first round, which was in 2022 when New York selected linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux and offensive tackle Evan Neal in the top 10 of that draft.

Giants trying to climb out from under recent mistakes

The NY Giants couldn't make it work with former quarterback Daniel Jones after giving him a new four-year, $160 million contract. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Thibodeaux and Neal came to the Giants amid much fanfare and with high expectations.

While Thibodeaux hasn’t been horrible, he’s yet to live up to the expectations that came with his draft position, while Neal was unable to lock down the starting right tackle position and now must try to salvage his Giants career by moving to guard.

In 2023, the Giants signed quarterback Daniel Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract extension. While there was hope he’d finally take that leap into being a consistent franchise quarterback, the only thing leaping was the ball out of his hands and into the turf—or worse, the arms of defenders.

Jones finished that season with just 2,070 passing yards, eight touchdowns, seven interceptions, and was sacked 29 times in 10 games before being released by the team.

His regression, combined with poor protection, derailed any offensive rhythm and left fans asking what, exactly, the front office saw that justified the deal.

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Then came 2024, when the team let running back Saquon Barkley walk after a drawn-out contract saga. He landed with the division-rival Eagles and promptly rushed for over 2,000 yards, 13 touchdowns, and won a Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Giants’ run game fell to 23rd in the league in yards per game.

A shift in philosophy brings hope

The NY Giants are counting on QB Jaxson Dart and OLB Abdul Carter to help turn around the franchise's misfortunes. | Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the calendar page having turned to 2025, the hope is the Giants have finally veered away from a return trip to the NFC East basement.

Dart wasn’t a lock for the first round in most mock drafts, but the Giants saw something worth betting on. Dart threw for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns, and just six interceptions in his final season at Ole Miss while also rushing for over 490 yards.

More importantly, he arrives without the weight of a nine-figure contract hanging over the team’s head. Whether he sits or starts, he represents a fresh start at a position that’s desperately needed it.

Then there’s Carter, a hard-hitting linebacker out of Penn State who racked up 68 tackles, 12 sacks, and 25 tackles for loss in 2024.

He’s explosive, sideline-to-sideline fast, and brings an edge the Giants have lacked since their last era of dominant defense. Carter appears to be someone who can anchor a unit and set the tone.

What makes these moves encouraging isn’t just the talent—they signal a shift in strategy. The Giants aren’t clinging to past mistakes or pretending they’re a player away.

They’re rebuilding with intention, addressing both quarterback and defense and banking on high-upside youth over overpriced familiarity.

It’s not a guaranteed turnaround. But after years of misfires and muddled direction, this feels like a step forward. For the first time in a while, the Giants' offseason doesn’t feel like damage control; it feels like progress.