NY Giants news, 6/1: OBJ reunion, Jaxson Dart’s development, return options

Good morning, New York Giants fans!

From Big Blue View

• Replacing Gunner Olszewski: NY Giants have several kick return options
• The 2027 draft could impact how the NFL season plays out
• Odell Beckham Jr. still hopeful a reunion with the Giants is coming
• NY Giants 5/29 practice report: Takeaways from Friday's OTA
• New York Giants mailbag: John Harbaugh, coaching staff, Kayvon Thibodeaux, more

More Giants news2026 NFL offseason: Ranking 10 biggest position upgrades | ESPN

Giants: Off-ball linebacker

In:Arvell Reese,Tremaine Edmunds
Out:Bobby Okereke

Earlier, I highlighted an NFC East team with a slow-footed veteran linebacker in need of an athletic spark. I could copy-and-paste much of that analysis here and call it a day.

The Commanders shed Bobby Wagner in favor of Leo Chenal and Sonny Styles. The Giants, meanwhile, are moving on from Okereke, whomthey releasedbefore the final year of his deal. Okereke, like Wagner, simply struggled to move last season. His average speed of 9.8 mph was 13th slowest among off-ball linebackers. He had better chops in coverage but had issues securing tackles. After Okereke's running mateMicah McFaddenwent down with aWeek 1 injury, a rotation of alternatives (Darius Muasau,Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles,Zaire Barnes) did little to elevate the group.

The Giants swapped Okereke for Edmunds, who himself was acap casualtyin Chicago. Edmunds was drafted a year before Okereke but is younger, bigger and faster - he just has a larger range of influence, even if he still has mental lapses on the field. Had Edmunds been the only change, the Giants' linebackers room wouldn't have sniffed this list.

But he's not. New York also adds Reese with the fifth pick, and that is exciting. Reese was discussed as an edge rusher for much of the predraft process, but I've always liked him best as an off-ball linebacker. He's a particularly cool fit beside Edmunds, as both have a blend of speed, length and size not often found at off-ball linebacker. The Giants' linebackers room certainly wins the title of first off the bus."

Though Reese was considered a bit of a developmental edge rusher, he's a ready-made NFL linebacker. He has quality technique for taking on blocks, and though he'll always be more dangerous as a blitzer than as a dropper, he's not lost in coverage, either. Reese and Edmunds should give the Giants an infusion of team speed and stopping power at the second level of the defense. And New York's 2.5 yards allowed before contact per carry last season - the league's worst figure - should recover back to league average.

New York Giants, Odell Beckham Jr. reunion would be pointless | The Big Lead

The New York Giants and Odell Beckham Jr.reportedlyhave genuine interest in a reunion.

That's a nice way to sell some jerseys, but a reunion between these two sides would be largely pointless on the field. Not only do the Giants have better options than Beckham, but he also isn't going to move the needle for this roster. At best, a reunion would serve as a public relations move designed to boost merchandise sales.

Beckham is no longer the player he once was. In reality, he hasn't been that player for nearly eight years.

What Jaxson Dart needs next in his on-field development: Giants mailbag | The Athletic

Dart needs to play quarterback conventionally better and more consistently. The playground element of his game is awesome and will raise his ceiling, but it's hard to live like that in the NFL. This is far from a perfect stat, but Pro Football Focus credited 39.1 percent of Dart's pressures to the quarterback. The next highest rate was Lamar Jackson at 27.3 percent. If Dart can get into that range with Jackson and other scrambling quarterbacks, he should be fine. That will mean recognizing that there isn't a big play available on every snap, and that sometimes a 2-yard completion on first down is acceptable.

Skattebo's backflip, Odell autographs headline Brian Burns Celebrity Softball Game | ESPN

TheBrian BurnsCelebrity Softball Game on Saturday had a little bit of everything from theNew York Giantsplayers.

Running backCam Skattebo, coming off a fractured ankle last year, hit a home run and backflipped. QuarterbackJaxson Dartwas diving, arguing balls and strikes and had the game-winning hit. Star wide receiverMalik Nabers, still rehabbing a serious knee injury, played every inning and hit a home run in betweenlimping aroundthe bases. Former Giants wide receiverOdell Beckham Jr. even greeted fans andsigned autographs and took picturesfor two hours at Clover Stadium, some 45 miles north of Manhattan.

The event raised $100,000 for the Brian Burns Family Charities, whose Hype 4 Lifefocuses on autism awareness. Former NFL player Stanley McClover, Burns' older brother, has an 8-year-old son, Champ, who was diagnosed with nonverbal autism.

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