Sterling Shepard: Brian Daboll reminding Giants that Super Bowl is the goal

Brian Daboll is setting the Giants’ internal standard sky high, Sterling Shepard said Sunday — Super Bowl high.

“We’ve got to work our way to get back to a playoff team, but that’s not ultimately the goal for us,” Shepard said Sunday. “Our ultimate goal is to put a banner up here … [Daboll] tells us that every day. Exactly what I just told you is what he tells us. That’s what our goal is. It’s not to make the playoffs. It’s to put a banner up here. Everybody knows that.”

That’s an interesting revelation because Daboll prefers to keep his public message boring and consistent. He preaches the “day by day” mantra of improvement. He forecasts nothing.

On the first day of camp, Daboll said his message to the team was simple:

“I think you lay out clear standards, clear expectations of what you expect in the meeting rooms, in the building, on the practice field and everybody has to buy into the program,” Daboll said. “Today is kind of page one of the 2023 season. A long way to go. Let’s just take it day by day and get better each day.”

GM Joe Schoen echoed Daboll’s patience. After all, both Schoen and Daboll are aware that their 9-7-1 playoff team overachieved in year one of their rebuild last season.

“We haven’t practiced yet,” Schoen said when asked how much better this year’s team is. “We’ve got to go out, and the guys have got to work and they’ve got to earn everything. We have created competition at a lot of positions, and that will take shape over the next month. We haven’t even had a practice yet, so it’s hard to give any kind of predictions like that yet.”

Still, it’s important that behind the scenes, Daboll is talking openly about taking the next giant step forward as a team. The Giants haven’t raised a Lombardi Trophy since the 2011 season, and they’d endured a decade-long drought of no playoff wins before last year.

Maybe Daboll’s message explains why Dexter Lawrence felt so comfortable using the phrase “Super Bowl” a few days ago while rejecting the notion that the Giants are still building.

“You all can talk about building,” Lawrence said, “but our mindset is winning.”

Undoubtedly, the Giants have some juice this summer. Edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, last year’s No. 5 overall pick, described a focused and unified group with an edge that has a high ceiling.

“When I look at this team, I think I’m willing to fight in an alley with any of them,” Thibodeaux said on Sunday. “I say that because these are guys who have no quit. These are guys who want to be better… When you have a bunch of guys who consistently make it their point and effort to get better and to grow, the sky is the limit.”

Averting a Saquon Barkley holdout helped the Giants get into camp without a major distraction. Daniel Jones, Andrew Thomas and Lawrence all are playing like players intent on validating their new big contracts, rather than resting on their accomplishments.

New tight end Darren Waller looks great. And Shepard and Jamison Crowder both rejoined the receivers on Sunday to add depth and competition. Shepard was activated off the physically unable to perform list; Crowder from the non-football injury list.

“Feels great to be back out there with the guys and actually going against somebody,” said Shepard, who is back from a torn ACL. “I wasn’t even thinking about my [knee] planting or anything like that. I felt great.”

Of course the Giants have a lot of positions to figure out. Their roster is still in building mode. Their offensive line, secondary, linebacking core and depth are all still questions that padded practices hopefully start to clarify for them beginning next week.

They’ve got to win NFC East games, or they won’t have a chance to take a step forward. Their schedule is more difficult this year. They have to stay healthy.

But it’s good to know that Daboll is setting the bar sky high and not settling for excuses.

Talking banners puts more pressure on everyone, including Daboll himself. But it’s also the first step toward hanging them.

THE PRACTICE REPORT: Daboll left the door open to Bobby Okereke playing middle linebacker this season if necessary. “I’d say whoever the two best guys are when the two guys are out there, whether it’s Mike (middle), Will (weak side), whatever that may be,” Daboll said of his preferred combination. Okereke played some Mike on Sunday and thumped Saquon Barkley to the grass after a catch on the first play of 11-on-11. Okereke also blitzed for a would-be sack of Jones … Tyrod Taylor connected on a bomb to rookie Jalin Hyatt for a deep touchdown over top of the defense. Hyatt is taking snaps with the first, second and third-team offenses and has made several plays early in camp already. Daboll said of Hyatt: “I would say we got to bring those guys along. Whenever they’re ready to do other things, if they can do them, we try to put them in there. He’s worked really hard. He’s an athletic young man who has long speed and short-space quickness. He’s done a good job since he’s been here. He’s got a long way to go, but we’re just trying to bring him along day-by-day  … Darius Slayton rose up to catch an underthrown deep throw from Jones with Deonte Banks in coverage. Slayton held on despite significant contact. Most of Jones’ longest completions have been to Slayton. The chemistry of the two 2019 NFL Draft classmates is obvious … Banks has continued to surrender a ton of completions to start camp. Waller beat him badly in a one-on-one red zone drill for a TD. That was part of three straight TDs in individuals. On the other two, Parris Campbell beat Darnay Holmes and Collin Johnson hauled in a one-handed grab on Amani Oruwariye … Sixth-round pick Tre Hawkins III broke up another pass (intended for Shepard) and has looked good with the second-team defense … Fifth-round rookie RB Eric Gray made a nasty juke at the second level of the defense on a running play with safety Nick McCloud bearing down. Of course, the defense isn’t allowed to hit yet … The Giants practice finished with one goal line snap. Lawrence broke through for a sack, then strong safety Jason Pinnock made a stunning one-handed interception of Jones on a jump ball intended for Waller. Daboll made the offense run a lap for losing the rep … John Michael Schmitz played as the No. 1 center, and Tyre Phillips lined up at left guard. Right guard Mark Glowinski false-started with the offense backed up on the goal line and was subbed out for a play in favor of Ben Bredeson … Second-string center J.C. Hassenauer appeared to injure his right arm early in practice and sat out. Jack Anderson and Shane Lemieux took the extra snaps in the middle … Wideout Cole Beasley (quad), Rakeem Nunez-Roches (concussion, non-contact jersey) and safety Gervarrius Owens all returned to practice … DE Jihad Ward was held out of Sunday’s practice after receiving a rest day on Thursday, too. That’s two practices in four days. Daboll said of Ward: “He’s got a little bit of something. But it’s not anything long-term.” Tight end Ryan Jones (knee) also sat … The Giants will continue practicing Monday morning. Tuesday night’s practice will be their first in pads.