Giants team up with Hard Knocks for unprecedented offseason TV series

This is the first time Hard Knocks has done an offseason-focused program. The program typically covers one NFL team during training camp in late July and early August. There is also the Hard Knocks: In Season program that covers one NFL team during a stretch of the regular season.

While the normal Hard Knocks program features storylines about players on the roster bubble and preseason NFL games, it will be interesting to see a show focused exclusively on the offseason. Many fans are interested in knowing more about the inner workings of free agency, the pre-draft process, and the NFL Draft itself. Hopefully this show will shed some light on those areas in an interesting way.

One possible storyline for the show could be the acquisition of superstar pass rusher Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers. The Giants traded for Burns back in March and signed him to a five-year, $150 million extension. The show may include portions of the trade negotiations or an in-depth view of New York’s thought process at various points during those discussions with Carolina.

Who will be featured on Hard Knocks during 2024 training camp? 

HBO has yet to announce which team will appear on the traditional training camp version of Hard Knocks in 2024.

The Giants could make an interesting option. Their presence on the OFFSEASON show could provide a sense of continuity between the two programs that would be fascinating to watch. On the other hand, the Giants may feel that they’ve paid their dues for the year by participating in the OFFSEASON show.

The NFL cannot force the Giants to appear on Hard Knocks if they wanted to.

While the NFL encourages teams to volunteer to appear on Hard Knocks, that rarely happens. The league has rules that allow it to force a team to participate on the show if they meet certain criteria.

The Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, and New Orleans Saints are the three teams this year who could be forced to appear on Hard Knocks this fall.

Those criteria are as follows:

• The team does not have a first-year head coach
• The team did not make the playoffs in either of the past two seasons
• The team has not appeared on Hard Knocks in the past 10 years

The Chicago Bears feel like the obvious choice of the three teams who meet the above criteria. The Bears have made a handful of exciting moves this offseason that would be fascinating to see on the program. Chicago traded Justin Fields to Pittsburgh and drafted a new QB in Caleb Williams. They also added several offensive weapons in free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft.

Who would you like to see appear on Hard Knocks in 2024?