Giants’ younger stars ‘laser-focused’ on enhancing in offseason, constructing off 2022 season

The Giants exceeded all expectations this season, going from 4-13 final yr to 9-7-1 underneath a first-year head coach and never solely making the playoffs, however upsetting the No. 3 seed Minnesota Vikings on the highway within the Wild Card Spherical.

Their 2022 season got here to an finish Saturday night time in Philadelphia, as they misplaced 38-7 to the NFC’s No. 1 seed Eagles. Regardless of the disappointing finish to the season, security Xavier McKinney advised reporters Sunday that he is already centered on enhancing within the offseason for subsequent yr.

“It isn’t the best feeling, however I feel we obtained lots to look ahead to,” McKinney stated. “I assumed we had an awesome yr. I assumed we improved lots, particularly simply of pondering again the place we got here from the final two years, final three years has been a tremendous enchancment. I feel we obtained a variety of issues to be joyful about, however I do not assume we ought to be complacent. I do not assume we’re. We’re nonetheless going to be hungry for extra, much more hungry.

“Now we simply obtained to look to proceed to construct off of what we have already constructed. And we simply obtained to proceed to attempt to enhance so we may be again on this state of affairs subsequent yr.”

McKinney missed a piece of time through the season after struggling a number of damaged fingers in an ATV-related incident through the workforce’s bye week, and was requested in regards to the subsequent steps for his hand within the offseason.

“Rehab, yeah rehab. I am gonna be working my ass off. I will be round right here so,” McKinney stated. “Like I stated, this season is over. Clearly we’re going into the offseason, however I am laser-focused on what I must do to have an awesome season subsequent yr, so we will have an awesome season subsequent yr. And part of that’s getting my hand all the way in which again to 100%. I will be right here, I will be rehabbing daily and doing no matter I must do.”

Rookie offensive sort out Evan Neal switched to proper sort out after enjoying on the left aspect at Alabama, and it took him a while to regulate on the NFL stage this season, however he is pleased with his progress thus far.

“I need to get higher in all aspects of the sport,” Neal stated. “Not simply go safety, I would like be a greater run blocker, higher go protector. My data and IQ of the sport I need to enhance. Actually simply getting higher total. And I really feel like I made these enhancements week to week, recreation by recreation this season. In the event you activate the tape and watch it, I consider you will see it.”

Neal added: “Properly I did it in faculty, however making the bounce from left sort out on the faculty stage and proper sort out on the NFL stage, it made it somewhat bit tougher being the truth that I performed a distinct place mainly since my senior yr in highschool, by no means obtained an opportunity to settle into one spot. So it kinda introduced it is personal challenges, however I handled it the easiest way I may… Undoubtedly wanting ahead to it, simply with the ability to get locked in to at least one place and simply refine that place for positive.”

Neal went on to say he believes he can obtain his potential by working laborious within the offseason and blocking out the distractions.

“I am simply going to maintain working till I get there,” Neal stated. “Put my head down, hold working, and I am gonna lookup and see how good I am gonna grow to be. But it surely begins with the work, placing the work in, having an excellent offseason, simply doing the mandatory issues it is gonna take to get there.”

Fellow rookie Kayvon Thibodeaux confirmed big indicators of progress in direction of the tip of the season, together with a 12-tackle recreation with a sack, pressured fumble, fumble restoration and landing in opposition to the Washington Commanders in Week 16. Thibodeaux was requested by reporters on Sunday that he has a “chip on his shoulder” for subsequent season and can

“I positively did not do all the things I wished to do, I left some stuff on the market,” Thibodeaux stated. “I obtained a chip on my shoulder for subsequent yr.”

He added: “I ain’t going to let you know the place I am gonna be, however I will be grinding, simply know that, I am gonna be grinding.