How can I be happy with Schoen when he took WR in Round 1 and we didn’t get a QB either? Because he has discipline.
Discipline is eating properly and avoiding sugar wherever you can. Trading up is Draft sugar. It’s expensive. We know this. Trading up for QB is super expensive. It needs to be done because when you have your sights on a guy that will change your franchise, the cost will end up being justified. There’s one catch- you better be right. And since we also know many (most) QBs don’t work out and don’t become the elite difference-makers we want, trading up is a high stakes bet. You try. And if you can’t do it, you patiently wait for the next time an opportunity may present itself.
That’s the key. You patiently wait for the next opportunity. There may have been another QB (Penix, whom we liked, or even McCarthy or Nix) later in Round 1. Yet those 3 went 1.08, 1.10 and 1.12, too rich for Schoen’s blood, and too rich for ours too. You see, we liked Penix A LOT. But Penix does have 2 ACLs. So there is risk. Wonder felt at 1.20 that was appropriate. He went 1.10. Hard pass. Next. If Schoen liked (LOVED) one of the other 3 that went after 1.06, he would not have taken Nabers. So there’s your answer. Discipline.
Nabers is going to be a stud. Super stud actually. Schneier loves his balance after contact. Wonder loves his routes and havoc in the open field. Super high confidence is there that this blue chip pick is going to be a big problem for other teams to defense. So, as Wonder said last night, you can’t “quarrel” with the pick. We preferred to trade down once Alt was off the board (the Giants were never taking him anyway, or at least that’s our Eluemunor read), but they stayed at 1.06 and took the guy we would have taken if we had to pick at 1.06. I respect that process. It’s the exact opposite of Gettleman, who was hell bent on a WR in 2021.
What now? Schoen isn’t perfect, and I’m still pretty pissed about that injury clause in Jones’ contract. Jones is going to have a MUCH better OL this year (assuming we don’t get ravaged by injuries etc). Bricillo has chops. Either he salvages Neal or Eluemunor is the RT. Runyan (who will start) and the other 3 free agent signings give better depth than what they had previously.
When does Jones come back? Not week 1. That’s Drew Lock. It will be interesting to see how both Lock and Jones do with decent protection and WRs who consistently deliver separation. This is a strong set of WRs they have assembled. Well, damn, Schoen has invested R2 Robinson, R3 Hyatt, and now R1 Nabers, so it’s going to be on the QB to throw with anticipation and not be afraid. These WRs will need to be trusted. After Thomas, they are the best players on the field when the Giants have the ball. I’d prefer to have the QB (and the OL) before I have the WR. So would Schoen. He tried, but New England (or Chi/Was) wasn’t willing to trade down. Next. Make it work, Daboll, Kafka, and Bricillo.