The New York Giants finally seem headed in the right direction. It took a few years meandering through the desert without water, and the rebuilding probably started at least two years later than logic suggested, but at least now there is a rational plan in motion.

The Giants have a young quarterback in Daniel Jones they believe they can build around. They have a building block at left tackle in 2020 first-round pick Andrew Thomas they hope can protect Jones' blind side. They have enough weapons -- including Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley -- to make the offense lethal. They also have Joe Judge, whose pedigree, attention to detail and interpersonal skills suggest he might buck the trend and become a Bill Belichick protégé who finds success as a head coach.

This is finally something Giants fans can realistically believe might be the start of something special. New York's base defense against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday (7:15 p.m. ET, ESPN) will likely be, on average, 24.2 years old. The offense should be 25.6 years old.

"We're a young, developing team," Giants general manager Dave Gettleman said. "That's all there is to it."

The first full season of a rebuild is another way it can be described. The Giants went into last season hoping quarterback Eli Manning could turn back the clock despite a questionable supporting cast. They went 4-12, Jones was thrown into the fire early, and after two years under Gettleman and coach Pat Shurmur, there were only nine wins to show.

Shurmur was shown the door, Gettleman remained and Judge was hired from Belichick's staff in New England before Mississippi State nabbed him for its coaching position.

What has followed has been a summer of hard coaching. Just the way co-owner John Mara and the Giants seem to like it best (think: Bill Parcells and Tom Coughlin). Few organizations cling to their past quite like the New York Football Giants at 1925 Giants Drive.

Now New York once again has an old-school approach, and the focus has clearly shifted to long-term planning.

Rather than paying record-breaking deals like they did in recent seasons for solid, but unspectacular players such as pass-rusher Olivier Vernon and left tackle Nate Solder, the Giants upgraded their depth through the draft and free agency. They signed a couple of immediate starters -- cornerback James Bradberry and middle linebacker Blake Martinez -- then loaded up on second-tier free agents such as pass-rusher Kyler Fackrell, offensive lineman Cameron Fleming and safety Nate Ebner.

"One of the things that sold us on Joe, is that he sees the big picture and he sees the long-range picture," Mara said. "That was something that was clear to us in the interview that we did with him back in January, and he's only reinforced that since."

When 2019 fifth-round pick Ryan Connelly -- a linebacker the previous regime and front office constantly praised for his instincts and smarts -- was cut over the weekend, it seemed to demonstrate the new line of thinking that no job is safe. It also put into further question where Gettleman fits in this team's future. Can he survive another rough season?

The Giants know they might take their lumps again with a tough 2020 schedule and a young roster, and there are more moves to be made -- specifically, some impact defensive players must be added. But they think they will be better off for it now and in the coming years, even if their approach doesn't produce a playoff contender this season.

"I want to feel like when we walk off the field after the last game that we play, whenever that is, that we're moving in the right direction. That we have the pieces in place to compete for a Super Bowl, and that the combination of people that we have here is going to work going forward," Mara said. "That's what [co-owner] Steve [Tisch] and I need to feel like. I think we give the same answer every year, because that's truly what it is. You can't pin it to a certain win-loss total, but you just want to feel like this group that we have together right now is building something that's going to compete for a championship."

The Giants have traditionally been an extremely patient franchise, which works in Gettleman's favor. But that hasn't been the case the past few years. Judge is the third head coach in the past four seasons. There might not be the tolerance for another season that doesn't include meaningful December games -- especially with a coach and general manager hired several years apart.

"We've had three years of roster development. I think we have brought in a number of players that are going to help us be a part of this winning process," Gettleman said. "I think Joe and his staff are going to develop those players, so that's what gives me confidence.

"It gives me confidence that we have our quarterback, we have a heck of a running back. We've got some nice pieces on defense. The O-line, we have pieces, we're getting there. I believe we are going to be competitive."

Gettleman thinks they have the right guys on the offensive line, something he promised to fix upon his arrival in December 2017. Now they have to play together. That will be a big part of his evaluation. But the Giants' turnaround -- and Gettleman's fate -- hinges on Jones. If he is the real deal, beginning this season, Gettleman isn't going anywhere. The Giants won't be bad like they have been the past three years (12-36 overall) and sunshine and rainbows will be on the horizon.

"Daniel is going to be fine," Gettleman insisted last week after noting the No. 6 overall pick from 2019 did things last season that stood out -- like becoming the first rookie QB in NFL history to throw for at least 350 passing yards with five touchdowns and zero interceptions in a game (Week 16 against Washington). "He's going to be a fine NFL quarterback."

Gettleman is not alone in his assessment. Talking to league insiders, it seems like the general consensus. The Giants have their franchise quarterback, or at least a serviceable starter who can win.

And if Jones progresses, the Giants might just surprise some people this season.

"I'm excited about that team. This is a team that nobody talks about, yet has done things the right way, especially building that offense," ESPN analyst and former NFL coach Rex Ryan said this summer. "You have a franchise quarterback in Daniel Jones, a franchise running back in Saquon Barkley, you're starting to build that offensive line. ... They are going to be a hell of a lot better than people think, in my opinion."

Finally, some sound reasons for optimism.