At some point in the first quarter Saturday night in Houston, Daniel Jones will take his first snaps, make his first throws and probably absorb his first hits since he tore his right ACL last November against the Raiders.
After those injury-return milestones are completed, however, Jones and the Giants’ offense can get on with figuring out what it will begin to look like during this pivotal season in his career.
A rehabbed Jones, still just nine months removed from reconstructive knee surgery, said he won’t “be thinking much” about his knee Saturday night and that he’ll let head coach Brian Daboll decide how much he plays against the Texans.
Still, this will be the first game action for a revamped offense that no longer features departed running back Saquon Barkley, who has been replaced by veteran free-agent signing Devin Singletary and some combination of second-year back Eric Gray and rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr.
The Giants also will boast two new starters on the offensive line this season, and what they expect will be a more dynamic receiving corps led by No. 6 overall pick Malik Nabers.
“It’s the first time out in a game situation, live situation. So, you want the operation to be clean, in and out of the huddle at the line of scrimmage, communicating with the guys and making sure we’re ready to go,” Jones said after practice Thursday in East Rutherford. “And, then, obviously you expect a high level of execution.
“I think we want to take what we’ve practiced, what we’ve prepared and put it on the field. It won’t be perfect, but we expect it to be good. I think we’re ready to go.”
Jones, who was cleared to practice from the first day of training camp, noted that Nabers “looked good” in his return to the field Thursday after missing a couple of days with a lower ankle sprain.
Nabers caught no passes in the preseason opener, but Jones will look to quickly develop in-game chemistry with the impressive rookie.
“We’re still working through exactly what our offense is going to major in, what we’re best at, what we’re not as good at. I think that’s what training camp is for, largely,” Jones said. “Malik’s going to be a big part of what we do, for sure. And he’s shown up through camp, made a ton of big plays for us. And he’s going to help us out a ton.
“So how the offense looks and how it presents itself on Sundays, I think depends on who we’re playing and kind of what the game plan calls for. But we have a lot of confidence in Malik and all our wide receivers and our running backs. I think we’ve got a talented group.”
Asked about Jones, third-year tight end Daniel Bellinger told The Post that “you wouldn’t even think that he had the [knee] injury” by watching him so far in camp.
“I’ve almost forgotten that he had the surgery, he’s looked so good out there,” Bellinger added. “So, I’m very excited about this offense.
“Malik’s a heck of a player, same with Jalin [Hyatt], Slay [Darius Slayton], and Wan’Dale [Robinson] is super quick. So, it’s definitely exciting.”
With former Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller retired, the Giants also will be seeking production from Bellinger and fourth-round pick Theo Johnson at that position.
The 6-foot-6 Johnson had stated previously in camp that he believes the Giants got “the steal” of the draft, and he said Thursday he expects to make an impact as a rookie.
“I think I’m definitely ready to have a role on this team, and I’m trying to show everyone that I’m capable of having a lot on my plate,” Johnson told The Post. “I’m learning as I go and continuing to improve. I still think there is a lot of meat on the bone, for sure. But I think I’m off to a good start.”
Johnson said he also has attempted to get up to speed quickly with Jones, beginning with an offseason throwing camp earlier this summer.
Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka believes Jones has become more comfortable and effective spreading the ball around to his various targets as camp has progressed.
“He’s doing a great job. Each day he’s just getting a little bit better,” Kafka said. “I think those are things that we’ve talked about, whether it’s his footwork, whether it’s his progression, whether it’s just communicating with the offensive line and kind of getting that feedback, as well.
“He’s part of it. He’s one-eleventh of that group, but he’s a big part of that, and I think he’s doing a really nice job.”
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