In their first season with the New York Giants, general manager Joe
Schoen and coach Brian Daboll cleaned up a mess that had littered the
Meadowlands for five years.
Schoen transformed a franchise in a
salary-cap crisis into one that will have nearly $54 million to retain
quarterback Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley — if he chooses — and add
players who can fill the team's many needs heading into next season.
All
Daboll did was turn around a team that had five straight losing seasons
and lead it to a 9-7-1 record and a playoff run. The Giants won a
wild-card game at Minnesota before getting blown out 38-7 by top-seeded
Philadelphia in the divisional round.
Repeating that success is
the next step. New York was 1-5-1 in the NFC East, losing three times to
the Eagles. The Giants' 6-2 start featured five wins by six points or
fewer.
“There’s a talent gap there that we need to close,” Schoen
said Monday while sitting next to Daboll. He was just as quick to note
that the Giants had a good team despite not having the most talent in
the league.
It's no guarantee Daboll can build on this season's
success. Seven teams that made the playoffs in the 2021 season failed to
get back this season. The Rams went from winning the Super Bowl to a
losing record.
“Every team is different,” Daboll said. “Just
because you won one year doesn’t guarantee you anything the next year
relative to what players you have, what players you don’t have.”
The
biggest offseason questions for the Giants will revolve around Jones,
Barkley and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. Jones and Barkley are free
agents and Lawrence will be playing on the fifth-year option of his
rookie contract.
They were among the most important players on the team.
After
the Giants declined to pick up his fifth-year option, Jones had a
career year, throwing for 3,205 yards, 15 touchdowns and five
interceptions. He also ran for 708 yards, a team record for a QB, and
seven TDs.
Barkley finally recovered from an ACL injury in 2020
and rushed for 1,312 and 10 touchdowns, while catching 57 passes.
Lawrence was a force in the middle of the defense with a team-high 7 1/2
sacks.
Schoen danced around questions about re-signing them
several times before saying: “We’re happy Daniel is going to be here.”
He quickly clarified that's continent on the sides reaching an
agreement.
Barkley and his representatives talked with Schoen and
the Giants about a new contract during the bye week in early November,
but the GM said the two sides were never close.
When he was with
the Bills as an assistant general manager, Schoen worked for an
organization that didn't overpay running backs. That would indicate
Barkley may not have the same negotiating power as Jones'
representatives.
“We'd like all our guys back but there is a business side to it,” Schoen said.
The
Giants have already held their postseason meetings with players and
they plan to have a staff meeting on Thursday. Offseason training will
start on April 17 and that's when Daboll will start building team
chemistry.
Schoen said no players were told the team didn't want them back.
“Every
team that I’ve been part of has been different,” Daboll said. “Not one
team is the same. So that’s the beauty about this league, is every year
is a new year for everybody.”
TEAM NEEDS
The Giants have
glaring needs, starting at wide receiver. They don't have a No. 1 go-to
guy. The late-season burden was carried by Darius Slayton, waiver-wire
acquisition Isaiah Hodgins and punt returner Richie James.
Kenny
Golladay, who had one TD catch in two unproductive seasons after signing
a four-year, $72 million contract in 2021, could be cut. He has a $21.4
million cap hit in 2023, and releasing him would save $6.7 million.
New York also could use inside linebackers and another interior defensive lineman.
COACHING STAFF
Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale both have interviews for head coaching positions.
Both talked to the Colts about the job in Indy and Kafka also interviewed with Houston and Carolina.
Daboll
has already started working on his options should any of his staff
leave. The coach who might be in the most jeopardy is special teams
coordinator Thomas McGaughey, whose unit struggled. The players
McGaughey counted on were forced to start because of injuries and he was
filling holes every week.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
Besides
Barkley and Jones, the Giants' list of free agents is long: WR Sterling
Shepard, OL Nick Gates, C Jon Feliciano, DL Justin Ellis, RB Matt
Breida, LS Casey Kreiter, LB Jihad Ward, DB Tony Jefferson, P Jamie
Gillan, DB Fabian Moreau, WR Marcus Johnson, OLB Oshane Ximines, S
Julian Love and Slayton.