4 most important NY Giants storylines after Week 1 of training camp

Three sessions of training camp have come and gone for the NY Giants and there have been plenty of takeaways early on. The G-Men have seen players on both sides of the ball impress head man Brian Daboll and his staff.

There have also been some under-the-radar guys step up, while position battles are surely heating up as well. In this piece, we take a look at our main storylines from the action this week in East Rutherford, with the strong play of new offensive playmaker Darren Waller of course being on the list here:

4. Darren Waller is living up to the hype for the Giants

Oh, how sweet it has been to watch Waller do his thing going up against the NY defense. Waller, acquired this offseason for a third-round pick, has been on absolute fire at camp, making countless big plays for Daniel Jones. While this team doesn't have a true WR1 for Jones to throw to, there's no denying Waller is a superstar pass-catcher.

The early word out of New Jersey is that Waller has been a matchup nightmare for Giants linebackers and defensive backs. With his 6-6 frame, Waller can fly high into the air and come down with anything Jones throws his way. You've almost got to feel bad for the Big Blue defense. Seriously, how are you supposed to stop this?

Poor Darnay Holmes didn't have a prayer in trying to contain Waller on that play. The main thing for NY's new No. 12 will be his ability to stay healthy. Waller has missed 17 games over the past two campaigns. However, if he can stay healthy for the G-Men this season, then he could be in line for another Pro Bowl-caliber year. Waller is making noise right now and things aren't going to quiet down anytime soon.

3. Daniel Jones is playing with an incredible amount of confidence

As good as Waller has been, don't forget that Jones has been sensational early on as well. Jones, who signed his $160 million extension this offseason, has had people doubting him for months, as not a lot of people outside of East Rutherford think that he'll be able to step up and play like one of the top signal-callers in the NFC.

However, Jones has been throwing the ball all over the field and Daboll has no question been impressed with the fifth-year QB. Yes, this is camp and the pads aren't even on yet, but that doesn't take away from the fact that Jones looks like a new man for this team. He's got some pep in his step and he's playing with a ton of confience. Just look at this throw as further proof of that:

Jones delivered a dime there for Darius Slayton, who was able to come down with the ball despite Deonte Banks being all over him, plus safety Xavier McKinney racing in as well. Jones is coming off a strong 2022 season for the Giants, tossing for 3,205 yards and 15 touchdowns. The hope is that he can top 4,000 yards in '23. Look for Jones to keep putting on a show leading up to the start of the preseason.

2. There are still several Giants position battles to keep an eye on

This time of the year, the position battles for remaining starting spots will always be something to focus on. At Giants camp, there are several jobs up for grabs, including the second ILB spot next to big-time free agent signing Bobby Okereke. Will it be Darrian Beavers or Micah McFadden who wins the spot? Keep in mind that a veteran could be signed this summer too.

Elsewhere, it's up in the air who will be lining up at safety next to veteran Xavier McKinney. Thus far at camp, the guys getting strong looks from Daboll and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale have been Jason Pinnock, Dane Belton and Bobby McCain. It's up in the air who will end up coming out on top of that three-man race.

For the offensive line, left guard is going to be interesting to follow for the next few weeks. Ben Bredeson has the upper hand, but youngster Josh Ezeudu is also getting some snaps with the 1s too. Bredeson has also been getting extra work in at center, as the staff is easing rookie John Michael Schmitz into things. Once preseason action arrives, we should get some answers as to which guys will start to seperate themselves before Week 1.

1. The Saquon Barkley drama is long gone

Of everything that has happened this week, perhaps the biggest piece of news - outside of the Andrew Thomas extension - has been that Saquon Barkley is with the team and he won't be holding out ahead of the regular season getting here. At the last minute, Joe Schoen and Barkley were able to come to terms on an adjusted franchise tag for No. 26.

While Barkley wasn't happy that he received a long-term extension with the team, he said that he had an epiphany and that he knew it was in his best interest to get a deal done for 2023 and play his best for the team. At camp, Barkley has been a beast like normal, including a fantastic toe-drag touchdown grab from Jones:

Before Barkley reported to camp, there was so much worry among the fanbase that he'd be a no-show and the issues between him and the front office would keep on going. However, Barkley is back in East Rutherford donning a Big Blue uniform and people couldn't be happier about it. He's one of the best running backs in the game and people are expecting him to post another massive campaign in '23.

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