Giants’ Brian Daboll talks play calling, what he likes about Russell Wilson and more

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PALM BEACH, Fla. — New York Giants coach Brian Daboll is in no rush to decide whether he’ll call plays again in 2025.

Daboll said Tuesday at the NFL’s annual league meeting at The Breakers resort that he won’t have an answer to that question until the team heads into the preseason.

“(It will be what) I feel is going to be the best for the football team,” Daboll said. (If) I feel like, ‘Hey, this has been good in the offseason; I like how this went; I feel comfortable here.’ Whatever that ends up being, the end product, that’s what I’m going to do.”

When Daboll arrived in 2022, he handed off play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. But Daboll reportedly took over the role a few times during the 2023 season amid a tumultuous Giants season that saw them finish a disappointing 6-11.

Heading into the 2024 season, Daboll officially took over the duties from Kafka, who is now also the team’s assistant head coach. But the Giants offense was even worse last season, finishing 31st in scoring offense.

While Daboll and GM Joe Schoen were retained, that offensive showing prompted some pause from team co-owner John Mara, who said there would be discussions about who should call plays in 2025.

“I talked to him about, ‘Do you really believe it’s in our best interest for you to continue calling the plays?’” Mara said after the season. “I said, ‘I’m not going to demand you do one thing or the other. But are you better off letting somebody else call the plays?’ That’s a discussion we’re going to continue to have.”

When asked about Mara’s comments again this week, Daboll reiterated that he raised the notion of giving up calling plays during the end-of-season meetings with Mara. He called it part of a “brainstorming” session about ways to improve.

“I would say that I didn’t do either well enough,” Daboll said when asked if he’s comfortable as a head coach who also calls plays. “I got to do both jobs better.”

Will Giants draft a QB?

After only having Tommy DeVito on their QB depth chart to start the offseason, the Giants now have a full QB room with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston added in free agency.

Daboll expressed plenty of optimism about Wilson, who will take first-team reps when the offseason program kicks off on April 21, after saying he watched all of Wilson’s tape dating back to the QB’s rookie season of 2012.

“He makes good decisions with the football,” Daboll said. “He’s athletic. He’s a little bit older, so maybe not as athletic as ’13, ’14, but certainly has the ability to use his legs, extend plays, create explosive plays, phenomenal deep ball thrower.”

However, with the 2025 NFL Draft less than a month away, the question everyone is asking is: Are the Giants finished adding to their QB room? They have the No. 3 pick and could select one there or try and trade up to draft one.

Schoen seemed to lay the groundwork Monday for passing on a QB at No. 3, saying they’re in a position now, with Wilson and Winston, that they don’t need to draft one. Wilson is 36 years old and signed to a one-year deal, while the 31-year-old journeyman Winston is only locked down for two.

Needless to say, the Giants have plenty of reason to add a young quarterback, which Daboll was asked about Tuesday.

“I think as many good players as we can add, we’ll take,” Daboll said. “We’ll see what happens here over the next month. Whoever is in that room, we’ll do the best job we can of coaching them up.”

Daboll declined to talk specifically about either of the draft’s top two QB prospects, the anticipated No. 1 pick Cam Ward (Miami) and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.

Preparing for a two-way star?

With two quarterback-needy teams (Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns) in front of them, the Giants may not have the opportunity to draft a top QB at No. 3. However, that would leave them in a position to select Travis Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner who dominated college competition as both a cornerback and a wide receiver.

“It’s really remarkable what he has done with the ability to perform at that level (and) not really getting a rest,” Daboll said. “He’s been a fun player to evaluate and to meet and talk with. He’s a heck of a player.”

The Giants are evaluating Hunter as both a receiver and a cornerback, and Daboll declined to reveal what the team views as Hunter’s primary position, though my colleague, Dan Duggan, has heard it’s cornerback.

Daboll said he will not be at Colorado’s pro day on Friday.

On the topic of two-way players, it’s notable that the Giants recently added Troy Brown to their coaching staff as an offensive assistant/minority coaching fellow. The three-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots played both defensive back and wide receiver during his 15-year NFL career.

What is Evan Neal’s future?

A first-round pick in 2022, right tackle Evan Neal’s career with the Giants has gotten off to a disastrous start due to injuries and poor play. In 29 games over three seasons, Neal has allowed 14 sacks, 85 pressures, 59 hurries and 22 hits allowed, per TruMedia.

The Giants signed veteran Jermaine Eluemunor in free agency last offseason, and when Neal wasn’t ready to return from ankle surgery before training camp, Eluemunor took over as the team’s starting right tackle. The Giants then signed Greg Van Roten to play right guard, which solidified their line but left some questions about Neal’s future as he now heads into his fourth season with the team.

Do the Giants still see him as a tackle, or will they ask him to make the transition to guard?

We don’t have an answer on that just yet.

“The good thing about Evan is he’s going to do whatever he can to help the team, whether that’s play guard or tackle,” Schoen said Monday.

This offseason, the Giants added a veteran swing tackle in James Hudson, who gives the team needed insurance after left tackle Andrew Thomas’ injuries have derailed the offense the past two years. The addition of Hudson might make it seem like the team sees Neal as a guard, but Daboll said Tuesday no decision has been made yet and they would discuss their plans with Neal when players return to the team facility.

(Photo: Elsa / Getty Images)

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