WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — The goal for the New York Giants never was to have quarterback Jaxson Dart operating at his peak at the start of August. It was understood that it was going to be a process as Dart acclimated to a new offense. The expected growing pains have been evident in the first four practices of training camp.Former coach Brian Daboll made Dart’s transition to the NFL as comfortable as possible by importing many of the passing concepts from the Ole Miss playbook into the Giants’ offense. That enabled Dart to enjoy success as a rookie, but there’s a ceiling on a college-style offense in the NFL. So, new coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy have challenged Dart to run a more traditional offense.That means an emphasis on playing under center to facilitate what’s expected to be a run-heavy attack. That’s a major adjustment for Dart, who was in the shotgun on 79.9 percent of his snaps as a rookie. For comparison, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was in the shotgun on 67.1 percent of his snaps last season.Dart said he feels comfortable with the footwork changes he’s had to make, but those aren’t the only differences. He’s turning his back to the defense more and going through more reads than in the RPO-heavy offense he ran last season. That could explain why the offense has looked disjointed early in camp.Part of the problem for the offense has been a dominant pass rush. The edge rushers, particularly Abdul Carter, have been consistently disruptive. And there have been breakdowns in protection as defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson has dialed up more exotic pressures as camp has progressed.Dart’s ability to make plays out of structure was proven last season, and he has shown those abilities at times during camp. He has been at his best on throws to the second level, with many of the route combinations in Nagy’s offense springing receivers open on deep crossers.Harbaugh acknowledged they’re still figuring out what will work best for this group. That’s what camp is for, and that’s why Harbaugh was more forgiving of a mistake like the interception Dart threw to defensive tackle Darius Alexander during a two-minute drive at the end of Friday’s practice.Harbaugh has sung Dart’s praises despite the uneven start to camp.“You can’t even imagine how much there is for a quarterback to operate with, especially in a new offense,” Harbaugh said. “He’s done an outstanding job. There’s so much on his plate. He’s pushing the envelope. He’s also competing at the same time. He’s a fiery guy. I’m very impressed.”Why the Giants moved their training camp to West VirginiaCharlotte Carroll and Johnny SweetAround the cornersCornerback is the most intriguing position on the roster. Paulson Adebo and Greg Newsome have been the top two corners throughout the offseason, but Deonte Banks and Colton Hood are lurking.Adebo is in the second year of the three-year, $54 million contract he signed last offseason. That investment was made before Harbaugh arrived, and Adebo likely didn’t endear himself to the football-obsessed coach by skipping the start of the voluntary offseason program. Adebo’s shaky start to camp could open the door for a surprise shakeup to the lineup.The Giants gave Newsome, a 2021 first-round pick by the Browns, a one-year, $8 million contract to fill the void created by Cor’Dale Flott’s free-agent departure. Newsome has split time between the slot and the perimeter throughout his career, and he has mixed into the slot occasionally early in camp.Banks fits the profile of a talented underachiever who could be revived by a new coaching staff. The 2023 first-round pick has had a strong offseason, which has earned him some first-team reps in camp.The Giants used a second-round pick on Hood this year, so he’s clearly a big piece of the future. The question is how quickly he’ll work into the lineup.Uncertainty at slot corner adds a layer of unpredictability. Dru Phillips has been the starting nickel corner for the past two seasons, but he has been splitting time with versatile former Raven Ar’Darius Washington. Newsome could start outside, in the slot or split time between the spots, depending on how the secondary comes together. It will be fascinating to see how it unfolds throughout the preseason.Good signsThe biggest story from the start of camp has been wide receiver Malik Nabers’ presence on the field. Even when Nabers avoided the physically unable to perform (PUP) list to start camp, it wasn’t known how much he would do as he completes his recovery from a torn ACL and torn meniscus.Nabers participated in individual drills and ran routes on air (no defenders) in the first two practices. He sat out on Friday as the team carefully manages his workload before returning to action on Saturday with the same participation level as the first two practices.Nabers has looked good, with Harbaugh saying, “He’s generally on schedule.” The Giants are taking it day-to-day, determining Nabers’ workload based on how he feels each day. With six weeks until the season opener against the Cowboys, it’s hard to imagine Nabers not being ready barring a setback.Malik Nabers does not have a timeline for his returnCharlotte CarrollThomas on trackAll of the focus on the returns of Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo has overshadowed the importance of left tackle Andrew Thomas’ health. Thomas underwent ankle surgeries after the 2020 and 2021 seasons and then spent last offseason recovering from the Lisfranc foot injury that limited him to six games in 2024.The Lisfranc recovery lingered into the start of last season, and Thomas missed the first two games. He then played 13 straight games, returning to his All-Pro form, before being shut down with a minor hamstring injury for the final two weeks of the season.The Giants managed Thomas’ workload during the spring as part of a maintenance plan for a player with an extensive injury history. He has taken nearly every rep during team periods during camp, with Marcus Mbow and Josh Ezeudu only stepping in for the occasional snap.The approach led Thomas to declare on the second day of camp that, “This is the best I’ve felt in a long time.” Nabers and Skattebo are important, and a case can always be made for the quarterback as a team’s most valuable player. But the impact of Thomas’ absence in recent seasons has made the case that he’s the team’s most indispensable player. Having him healthy entering this season is a major development.Cam Skattebo on doing backflipsCharlotte CarrollSlow startWide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. delivered a vintage catch in Saturday’s practice. Beckham ran a skinny post in the red zone and made a toe-tapping touchdown catch in the back of the end zone from Jameis Winston.The highlight was a long time coming for Beckham, who has had a very quiet start to camp in his comeback bid after sitting out last season. The 33-year-old can still run, and his hands remain strong, but he has failed to make plays in team periods.As a backup who doesn’t play special teams, Beckham will need to show enough value as a receiver to claim a roster spot. There’s time for him to raise his performance, but the start to camp has been underwhelming aside from the one throwback grab. Beckham will face competition from a veteran like Braxton Berrios, who adds value as a returner and has been a productive slot receiver early in camp.