Giants Country

New York Giants Mailbag: The New Kickoff Rule, Daniel Jones, and More

Let's check in with Giants fans to see what's on their minds this week.

Patricia Traina

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If you'd like to submit a question for the mailbag, please use this link to avoid having your question land in spam. You may also post your questions on X (formerly known as Twitter) to @Patricia_Traina, hashtag #askPTrain. Please note that letters may be edited for clarity/length.

(From Dean W.) Since WR is a serious need this year, can you shed any light on why Golladay was so unavailable when he was here?

Hi Dean. I always suspected Golladay wasn't fully healthy after dealing with a season-ending hip injury toward the end of his Lions career. I think that wore him down to the point where he just wasn't making the effort he should have been.

I did a Google search and came up with this article which you might want to check out regarding the history of certain rules and how they evolved.

(From Mike Z.) I just read a little about the new kickoff rule. Can you punt the ball from the 35? I’m thinking it would be easier to control the distance. No rush so the punter can drive it as high as they want. I also have many other questions: Is it still a free ball? What happens with an onside kick? Can you not field the ball and let it roll into the end zone? Thanks!

Mike, I'll refer you to this page, which outlines the new rule and, I think, answers many of your questions.

(From Glen M.) Carl Banks was right: Daniel Jones was shell-shocked. That's why he was running to make things happen. Can the Giants undo his fear of getting clobbered every time he drops back?

Glenn, I'm not a psychologist, so I can't sit here and say if Jones is shell-shocked or what can or can't be done. If they put a better supporting cast around him, his confidence would grow, but I can't say that with certainty.

Tim, I had Ric Serritella from NFL Draft Bible on the program earlier this month. I can certainly reach out to Emory Hunt to see if he'd be willing to come on again. I'm trying to have at least one draft analyst on the podcast weekly until the draft itself.

Michael, I don't think you can rule anything out at this point. That said, I'm pretty certain the Giants won't be trading back to select Brock Bowers in the first round.

PJ, I'm not sure you can do an apples-to-apples comparison. Phil Simms never had neck injuries to deal with; Jones does. And I think that is the biggest concern driving a quarterback's increased sense of urgency.

If heaven forbid Jones suffered another neck injury, then what? If they have a quarterback, they're good to go. But if Jones stays healthy and balls out, then that's a good problem to have. If they truly believe Jones is the guy of the future, they can always trade the younger player, much like how the 49ers traded Trey Lance for draft capital.

What's up, Brian? According to Over the Cap, the signing of Jon Runyan Jr currently cancels out any comp pick for Barkley (it would have been a fifth-rounder).

The good news is the Giants are projected to get a fourth-round comp pick after losing safety Xavier McKinney--that's if they hold their water and don't sign any more free agents that would affect the formula. (In case you were wondering, the cutoff is the first Tuesday after the draft.)

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.