Conversations between Giants fans get quite heated when the subject of Joe Schoen comes up. For full disclosure, I doubled down on the Giants GM on the eve of the 2024 season, giving him an endorsement despite anticipation of another 6-7 win season. Now that the Giants are over halfway through the season at the bye, it is only natural to assess the state of the franchise. We will review the past 2.5 seasons of Joe Schoen and make the case for, and against, the Giants GM.
THE BEAR CASE
With Joe Schoen in his 3rd season, this is his team. Out of a 53 man roster, only a handful of players from Gettleman remain. This is Schoen’s roster. The Giants are 2-8. This is completely on Joe Schoen. “You are what your record says you are,” said Bill Parcells. Joe Schoen and the Giants are at the bottom of the NFL.
The most important position on the field is Quarterback. Like it or not, Joe Schoen has botched this pretty bad. He was the one who paid Daniel Jones that $40M/yr contract. Worse, he put in a $23M injury clause, which could have really hampered the franchise in 2025 if something bad had happened to Jones here in 2024, making him fail his physical in March. It is only because Jones is so bad that Schoen will likely dodge that bullet… Jones likely will not see the field for the balance of this season and is also done as a Giant.
Dan Schneier of Big Blue Banter, a must listen podcast that this NY Giants blog cannot recommend highly enough, points out that Russell Wilson was available for $1.5M for 2024 (Denver was stuck with the rest of the contract). Wilson’s only stipulation was that he be given a shot at the starting job. Schneier even pointed out that Wilson’s wife wanted to be in NYC, so if the Giants wanted him, Wilson was a NY Giant. The Giants passed. The Giants would not promise Wilson playing time, as they felt that it was Jones’ job to lose. But lost it, Jones has. And we clearly see that Wilson can stretch the field/defenses, dropping in a 32 yarder to Mike Williams for the game-winning TD. What do you think Wilson would be able to do with Malik Nabers? Giants fans are so desperate for a QB, and Schoen passed on a credible one (yes he is 35) asking for milk money. What makes the matter worse is that Jones was coming off an ACL tear, so there was plenty of risk for Jones in 2024 at the March free agency crossroads.
Instead the Giants torpedoed their 2024 by going All-In on Jones. Lock and De Vito haven’t been given much of a chance, despite Jones being bench-worthy on numerous occasions. This is on Joe Schoen. His decisions brought us here. He paid Jones. He knew the risks. Daboll had to know that Jones was a poor processor after 2022. Schoen and Daboll knew that Jones may not make it, structuring the deal so that the Giants could get out after 2 years in 2025. Given that those actions indicated doubt, Wilson was a cheaper and more credible route than Lock. I mean we have to be frank here- who was ahead of who in Denver? Why Lock for $5M guaranteed instead of Wilson for $1.5M? The Steelers said thank you very much and retooled with him and Fields. That is a pretty fast pivot. When Fields was traded to the Steelers, do you know what the cost was? A conditional 6th rounder. It seems that the Steelers played QB chess while Schoen played QB checkers.
2.5 years into Schoen’s stewardship, it is possible to review early returns for Schoen’s first 2 draft classes. It is pretty ugly. Thibodeaux looks like a replaceable starter with a ceiling as a solid starter. That is a miss for a guy picked 1.05 overall. Neal is at best a replaceable starter at Right Tackle. While he looked serviceable in his first start last week, that is a bust at 1.07 overall. Robinson, Bellinger and McFadden are three pluses for the Giants. Schoen’s stock is truly tanking along with the slide of 1st rounder Deonte Banks, who seems to make business decisions more regularly about avoiding contact. JMS has had 2 decent outings recently, sliding him to a ‘push’ for a Round 2 center trending toward a ‘solid starter’ ceiling. Hyatt showed us something in his first start of 2024. We will save the rookies for the “Bull Case.” The 2022 and 2023 draft classes are a big reason why the Giants are 2-8.
OL + TE were a disaster last year. Both positions were mismanaged. There was no depth at Offensive Tackle and there was no backup/blocking TE. We see good process but then we see these major lapses.
THE BULL CASE
The 2024 rookie Draft Class is arguably going to be the best haul in recent memory. Objectively, we have to go back to 2007, literally 17 years, to find a class that is as good or better than what is shaping up to be a great draft. Not only does this draft save Joe Schoen’s job, it can likely anchor the team’s future if they can somehow land a QB. Consider:
- R1 WR Malik Nabers is an All Pro WR with any credible QB. That he is relegated to possession WR by Jones’ ineptitude is criminal. Nabers is a superstar. If he stays healthy, all he needs is a QB + credible OL to literally go to the Hall of Fame. Yep. On the record saying that his rookie season. I have rarely seen this talent so young in Giants rookies. Lawrence Taylor and Jeremy Shockey come to mind. Not Odell Beckham. Nabers’ prospects are better than Beckham’s. A comparison to Shockey is a reminder that you need everything to get to the HOF. HOFers have star ability COMBINED WITH star availability. Only time will tell on Nabers’ availability.
- R2 S Tyler Nubin is a big hit. Not only is he playing well, he has managed to lead the entire Defense in defensive snap count with 612 out of 615 total snaps, essentially every single snap. For a rookie, that is a testament to his future on the team.
- R3 CB Andru Phillips is a football player. On a per snap basis, he is literally PFF’s 2nd highest ranked CB in the entire NFL. As BBB points out, it is extremely valuable to have a slot CB who can tackle and defend the run. Assuming he can remain healthy (he was sidelined most/all of Weeks 3 & 4), he will be a huge asset to the team.
- R4 TE Theo Johnson has displaced Daniel Bellinger as the starting TE. The beat writers gush about his size (6’6″ and 265 lbs). He is rounding into form at a tough position. Early mistakes were a reminder that he was a work in progress. For a rookie to grab 85% of the snaps is impressive. The past 5 games he has played nearly all the snaps, making some excellent seam pass receptions, including a pretty TD versus Washington.
- R5 RB Tyrone Tracy. Could it be possible that we saved the best for last? This blog has repeatedly said, over and over, that you can find RB on Day 3, so drafting them early (let alone at 1.02 overall) is salary cap + draft resource madness. Tracy got his break when Singletary got hurt, and he hasn’t looked back. With only 6 starts, Tracy already leads the NFL rookies in rushing. It is kind of scary that this guy only played one year at RB in college.
Hitting on FIVE rookies is crazy good. They are all starters (36 total). This can literally propel the franchise. Schoen literally has found the #1 rookie WR for receiving yards (Nabers) and the #1 rookie RB for rushing yards (Tracy).
Schoen understands NFL positional value. He sunk major assets into Brian Burns, who is a total stud EDGE pass rusher. He effectively forfeited RB (Barkley $12.6M/yr) and S (McKinney $16.75M) for EDGE (Burns $28.2M/yr). Given the drafting of Tracy and Nubin, we see how the priorities are correct.
By prioritizing Burns, the NYG pass rush is elite. The NY Giants lead the NFL in sacks, owing to Burns, Dexter Lawrence, and a healthy Ojulari. Schoen needs to be given credit here.
Schoen has managed to finally solidify the OL. They have played well the past 2 weeks despite missing Andrew Thomas. Is there more work to do here? Yes. Having Carm Bricillo helps too.
Schoen has been a capable trader. He picked up Isaiah Hodgins off of waivers. He unloaded Leonard Williams for a R2 +R5 pick at the trade deadline, doing the exact opposite of what Gettleman did. He traded a R7 for Isaiah Simmons.
SUMMARY
The 2024 Draft class will save Schoen’s job. Getting 5 starters AS ROOKIES is a major haul. Mara hates upheaval, so Schoen’s job will now shift to getting a QB this offseason, by any means necessary. If Schoen cannot get a credible QB, he will lose his job. It is a QB league. QB. Protect QB. Rush the QB.