3 New York Giants players who should be brought pack to save Malik Nabers

The song remained depressingly the same for the New York Giants on Thanksgiving, falling to the Dallas Cowboys in a game that wasn't nearly as competitive as the 27-20 final would suggest. Drew Lock was a turnover waiting to happen in his first start at quarterback, while his offensive line did him no favors en route to six sacks for Micah Parsons and Co. In case it wasn't abundantly obvious already, this is not a very good football team, and serious changes are needed this offseason.

But while there isn't very much for Giants fans to get excited about right now, the cupboard isn't totally bare. Malik Nabers remains one of the best young receivers in the league (even if his postgame antics are becoming more of a story than his play), and the loss to Dallas on Thursday was evidence that last year's first-round pick isn't alone on this roster. Here's who else New York should be excited about building around in 2025 and beyond.

3. Cor'Dale Flott continues to hold his own at corner

Flott has drawn plenty of ire from Giants fans over his young career, and not without reason: The 2022 third-round pick got picked on early and often as he adjusted to the NFL game, and the early returns were far from positive. But while he's still a bit inconsistent, he's been one of the few Giants willing to fight on every snap during this dire recent stretch, and he put up another yeoman's effort on Thursday afternoon.

Thrust into the CB2 role with Tae Banks out with an injury, Flott was targeted seven times on the night but allowed just three completions while recording two pass breakups. He did give up one big 36-yard reception, but other than that he was rock solid, sticking with his man and showing a ton of fight at the catch point. Flott may never be a star, but he has exactly the attitude you want to see in a corner, and his play has started to catch up in recent weeks.

2. Theo Johnson looks like a rare win for Joe Schoen

Johnson was a bit of a forgotten man in his draft class, especially with Nabers taking up most of the oxygen. But he's quietly started to come on over the second half of this season, and he was one of the few bright spots for the Giants offense on Thursday. The Penn State product finished with five catches for 54 yards, but the stat line belies just how impressive he was: Johnson was a menace after the catch, doing his best Rob Gronkowski impression while bouncing off of Cowboys defenders to gain extra yardage.

Johnson isn't an explosive athlete at the position, nor is he a two-way world-beater like George Kittle. But he looks to be a very nice safety blanket for whoever's playing quarterback for New York in 2025 and beyond, the sort of possession option who can always find ways to keep the chains moving.

1. Tyler Nubin is the leader of the Giants secondary

Nubin just continues to impress: This year's second-round pick put up seven solo tackles and five assists while allowing just one catch for three yards in coverage. It's been awfully impressive to watch a rookie develop into the quarterback of an NFL defense in real time, but Nubin just always seems to be exactly where he should be, when he should be. He's got a headiness that you just can't teach, and he's adept both playing downhill against the run and covering in space.

With Nubin, Flott and Banks around for the foreseeable future, plus a rock-solid defensive front, it's not hard to think that the Giants are just a couple moves away from being dangerous on defense — you know, provided they can ever get their linebacker situation figured out.