Tag: joe schoen

New York Giants had ‘an exploratory meeting’ with Russell Wilson

The New York Giants are in the market for a quarterback this offseason and the first domino has apparently fallen.

On Friday morning, veteran quarterback Russell Wilson stopped over in East Rutherford for “an exploratory meeting” with the New York Giants before traveling to Pittsburgh to meet with the Steelers.

Giants general manager Joe Schoen is adamant that the team will add a quarterback to their room citing a lack of depth. Tyrod Taylor is an impending free agent and Daniel Jones, the presumed starter, is recovering from a neck injury and torn ACL.

When healthy, Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll say Jones will be the team’s starter. And although there is early optimism that DJ can return in time for training camp, there remains a possibility that he will miss the first few weeks of the regular season.

The 35-year-old Wilson is technically still a member of the Denver Broncos but the team has announced he will be released in the coming days. He’s been granted permission to meet with other teams.

Wilson also has some very limited crossover with Giants passing game coordinator/QB coach Shea Tierney.

In 15 games last season, Wilson completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also rushed for an additional 341 and three touchdowns (4.3 ypc).



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J.J. McCarthy got a feel for running the Giants’ offense at Combine

Despite New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen insisting that Daniel Jones is the team’s starting quarterback when healthy, it seems everyone expects the Giants to still draft a quarterback this year.

Granted, they need a backup given Jones’ injury history, but do they really need to target someone like Caleb Williams? Or is someone like J.J. McCarthy a potentially better option?

Williams and other top-tier quarterbacks are likely to be gone by the Giants’ first pick, so they could consider trading up. Or they could trade down and wait for McCarthy — assuming he doesn’t rocket up draft boards.

There could be other options, but it seems that Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll took an interest in McCarthy at the 2024 NFL Combine during their formal meeting.

“I drew up a play that I can run in every situation — third down, fourth down, first and second, all that good stuff,” McCarthy said, via the New York Post. “And then the coaches were kind of changing my verbiage and making it their own. It was really nice to kind of get a feel of what that offense would be like and it was actually a lot more simple.”

McCarthy says all of the right things and presents himself in a professional yet approachable manner. He remembered different details about each meeting he had rather than giving vague complimentary answers about coaches.

He built a solid foundation at Michigan under Jim Harbaugh, and if someone can develop him from here, he has the potential to be a great quarterback.

But should the Giants target him? If they are going to draft a quarterback as so many have predicted, then McCarthy is as good an option as they’re going to get without trading up.

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Giants regime ‘under real pressure’ entering pivotal 2024 season

In the first year under head coach Brian Daboll, the New York Giants appeared to be trending in the right direction. They punched their ticket to the playoffs and even secured their first postseason victory since Super Bowl XLVI.

But things took an ugly turn in 2023 as the team finished with a 6-11 record, fell just shy of setting the all-time record for sacks allowed, and saw in-fighting spiral out of control.

That continued into the offseason as Daboll and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale saw their relationship completely deteriorate and ultimately end with a “parting of ways.”

There were also reported issues between Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, as well as other coordinators and assistant coaches.

Due to failures of the past season and the optics surrounding the regime’s relationship issues, many around the league believe 2024 could be a make-or-break season for general manager Joe Schoen and Daboll, reports Dan Duggan of The Athletic.

Schoen emphasized that the Giants are in the midst of a build that will take time, but the sense around the league is that this is a pivotal year for this regime.

Daboll’s overhaul of half of his staff amid strained relationships has league sources viewing him as being under real pressure to get things turned around next season.

The pressure to succeed in New York is significant enough to burst pipes as it is. The extra off-field issues only add to that and have thrust Schoen and Daboll into a precarious position.

Many believe they deserve additional time to set things right but another ugly season in 2024 will have co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch fuming. They haven’t exactly been patient over the past decade and are desperate to see the franchise return to its former glory.

The Giants not only need to win, but Daboll must avoid additional fallouts with members of his staff.

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New York Giants eyeing Jonah Jackson, Danielle Hunter in free agency?

The New York Giants will enter free agency with a multitude of positional needs, but perhaps none greater than at guard and along the edge.

With the impending release of veteran Mark Glowinski, the Giants will need to find two new starting guards before training camp in July. They also need to beef up their pass rush, especially with Shane Bowen expected to run a defense that relies less on the blitz.

Unsurprisingly, reports surfaced on Saturday suggesting general manager Joe Schoen would focus specifically on those two positions in the coming weeks.

“We need to improve as a starting five, and we need to improve the depth,” Schoen told reporters at the Combine. “And that’ll be a priority this offseason.”

Two potential targets have already surfaced with Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reporting that the Giants have eyes on guard Jonah Jackson and edge rusher Danielle Hunter.

Detroit Lions left guard Jonah Jackson and Minnesota Vikings pass rusher Danielle Hunter, in particular, are among the top-tier free agents at those positions that the Giants like, sources at the NFL Combine say.

Versatile Patriots tackle/guard Michael Onwenu, who played for new Giants O-line coach Carmen Bricillo in New England, is another attractive O-line possibility if he hits free agency.

The 27-year-old Jackson has been solid but unspectacular throughout his four-year career. He earned an overall grade of 59.7 courtesy of Pro Football Focus last season, which was down from the previous two years.

If the price is right, Jackson could be a solid addition for the Giants even if he’s not an All-Pro-level player right now. He’s better than what they’ve had and any step forward is a good one.

Meanwhile, the 29-year-old Hunter is coming off of a career-best season in which he recorded 83 tackles (23 for a loss), 22 QB hits, and 16.5 sacks, which were fifth-most in the league and would have led the Giants.

If Schoen is to sign a big-splash, high-money free agent, it would likely be Hunter. But what a great pairing that would be with Kayvon Thibodeaux.

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Smoke continues to build about a Giants trade up

The New York Giants hold the sixth overall selection in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft plus the 39th and 47th overall selections in Round 2.

There is growing speculation that they are open for business and could be a candidate to trade up to snag a player they covet in this draft.

The only position they should be interested in making such a move for is quarterback. The ones worth taking that high up in the draft could all be gone by the time the Giants are on the clock, hence the smoke regarding a possible move up.

“I would not rule that out,” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said about a Giants’ trade-up during his conference call this past week.

“I know you have one more year of Daniel Jones before they could kind of get out of that contract, but I think that would be something that would be very much in play.”

General manager Joe Schoen has made it clear he is open to just about anything that will improve his team and is interested in adding a quarterback if the right situation presents itself.

But… one step at a time, please. The NFL Combine is still ongoing and with the franchise deadline approaching Tuesday and free agency right behind (March 13), there are a lot of moving parts in play.

“Free agency will set the table for some of the decisions we make in the Draft,” Schoen said at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this past week.

“The roster is fluid. We still have free agency. The roster could look a lot different in three weeks from now based on what we do in free agency. So, that’s evolving. It’s hard to answer right now because of the way the roster is going to look, and that’ll help set our plan as we go into the Draft. Some of it’s going to be based on what we do in free agency, and again, the exposure to the players.”

Roster needs will likely take a backseat if one of the three top quarterbacks — USC’s Caleb Williams, Drake Maye of North Carolina, and LSU’s Jayden Daniels — falls to them at No. 6.

It would be interesting to see what Schoen does in free agency. He could land a veteran quarterback (Tyrod Taylor?) and take his chances with him along with Daniel Jones and Tommy DeVito for one more season.

But, playing along with the masses — what would it take for the Giants to move up from, let’s say No. 6 to No. 3? Jeremiah believes it would be a “steep price to pay.”

“For the Giants to get up to the third pick, you’re talking about the sixth overall pick this year. You’re talking about your second-round pick, No. 39, this year, your second-round pick this year at 47, and next year’s (second),” he said. “So it really would cost you three 2s, two this year and one next year.”

For a rebuilding team such as the Giants, is it worth it to take a few steps back in hopes of taking a huge step forward down the road? We’ll soon see.



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Daniel Jones’ injury history an issue New York Giants can not ignore

With the 2024 NFL Combine underway in Indianapolis, all eyes will be on the cluster of future franchise quarterbacks on display. Although some of them won’t throw at the event, it’s still the first leg of the run-up to April’s NFL draft.

The New York Giants could be in the market for one of those quarterbacks with the sixth overall pick after five seasons of Daniel Jones under center.

Jones has shown flashes of being a top quarterback but his injury history and inconsistency have made the Giants twitchy regardless of what general manager Joe Schoen says in public.

The fact is, the Giants have compiled the worst record in the NFC over the past decade, much of which can be credited to Schoen’s predecessor, Dave Gettleman.

Why they thought Jones — who had a 17-19 record at Duke — would be the answer at quarterback remains unclear. In five seasons, Jones has played just a few outstanding games and has just one playoff win to his credit.

But the painful reality is the Giants are in the NFC East, which contains postseason staples Philadelphia and Dallas, and now Washington is under new management and in a position to take one of the top quarterbacks in this draft with the second overall pick.

Jones has a disastrous record against Dallas and Philadelphia (3-10 as a starter) and rarely records wins against elite teams. The Giants have to be looking to move on if the situation presents itself.

As it turns out, they are.

“We’re going to look at everything,” Schoen told reporters in Indianapolis this week. “We’re going to look at all positions. You hope you’re not up there again; you don’t want to be picking in the top 10, but it’s a good draft. It’s a solid draft across the board, and we’re going to have an opportunity to get a good player, and we’re going to evaluate all the positions and take the best player we can.”

But Schoen also alerted the media pool that he is looking deeper into the draft for a quarterback as well as at the top.

“It’s a good quarterback draft. It’s not just at the top,” he said. “There are some guys that are mid-levels that I think will be good number twos. There are some guys that can be number threes in the draft. So yeah, I mean, I think it’s a solid draft all over.”

 

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Joe Schoen using old Bill Parcells philosophy to build Giants roster

The New York Giants will head into the 2024 season with new leadership on defense after hiring former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen to replace the departed Wink Martindale.

Martindale’s scheme was all about the blitz and applying pressure, which did not work out as well as planned. Under Bowen, the Giants will look a bit different on defense going forward.

“We’re probably not going to blitz as much as we did in the past,” general manager Joe Schoen said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

“But we’re going to be very sound, it’s going to be very similar to what they did in Tennessee. I think the up-field pass rush is going to be more of a premium versus the read and react. Maybe a little bit less man coverage, but we are going to be physical, fast and we’re going to be sound in our assignments.”

Schoen, however, is not getting locked into added players that will fit Bowen’s scheme. He learned that lesson from his mentor, a man Giant fans hold in high regard.

“Bill Parcells told me a long time ago, coaches come and go, so you better not pick (players) scheme specific, Schoen said during a fan Q&A. “Because if we had scheme-specific guys, now they are no good to this new scheme. So, as we picked players, or signed them in free agency, the versatility is very important to these players. The ability to play in multiple schemes is always in the back of our minds when we pick these guys. So, it shouldn’t really affect the current roster.”

Schoen worked for Parcells early in his career with the Miami Dolphins when he was a scout and Parcells ran the team’s football operations.

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‘No tension’ between Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka

When reports surfaced last season suggesting there was a growing tension between head coach Brian Daboll and Wink Martindale, the New York Giants swiftly and emphatically denied it.

“I’d say the biggest argument that Wink and I have had is who has the last piece of pizza,” Daboll said after a Week 12 game. “I got a lot of respect for Wink. He’s done a good job. I’ll leave it at that.”

One high-ranking Giants official told the New York Post that any reports to the contrary were “complete bulls–t.”

Over time, it became apparent that their pants were on fire.

The moment the regular season ended, that tension between Daboll and Martindale boiled over, and the two sides eventually “parted ways.”

But it wasn’t just Martindale who reportedly had issues with Daboll. Special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey apparently wanted out and got his wish when he was fired on Black Monday.

Meanwhile, there were also mounting reports that offensive coordinator Mike Kafka was so dismayed that he was willing to move laterally if it meant escaping East Rutherford.

The Giants blocked those attempts and later rewarded Kafka with the title of assistant head coach.

On Tuesday, while meeting with reporters at the 2024 NFL Combine, general manager Joe Schoen insisted there are no issues between Daboll and Kafka and that any reports to the contrary were agenda-driven.

Where have we heard that before?

“There is no tension there,” Schoen said, via Giants Country. “Mike’s a really good coach; he’s a great teammate. He’s an asset around the building, and he’s a young coach who’s been a coordinator for two years; we elevated him to a new title because we will continue to develop him as a head coach.

“There is a lot of like for him around the league; he’s in demand. He was a finalist for two jobs over the last couple of years, and he’s earned it; he’s a really good coach with a bright future and an asset to the organization. There’s no tension between Mike and (Daboll).”

One of Kafka’s reported gripes is over play-calling duties, which Daboll stripped from him several times throughout the 2023 regular season and may take over in 2024.

However, given that Kafka is such a “good coach” who excelled at his job, surely the Giants won’t reduce his role despite giving him a promotion. Right?

Well…

“I’m never going to tell (Daboll) what to do,” Schoen said when asked if Kafka would maintain play-calling duties. “That’s his world. I’ll be a sounding board and give advice, but I’ll never tell him what to do as a coach. So, if he decided he ever wanted to do that, that’s up to him. I’m never going to tell him one way or the other what to do on the field and whatnot. That’s his world.”

If the Giants are “developing” Kafka into a future head coach, not committing to him as a play-caller amid reports of frustration is an interesting and never-before-used tactic.

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Giants to meet with Tyrod Taylor’s representatives before free agency

The New York Giants could be in for some big changes at quarterback this offseason.

Or maybe not.

On Tuesday, during his session with the media at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, general manager Joe Schoen outlined his plans for the team’s unsettled quarterback position.

Schoen is looking to add a quarterback either through the draft or free agency but gave a rundown of his current quarterback room which consists of starter Daniel Jones, who is rehabbing a torn ACL that ended his season after eight games last year, and folk hero Tommy DeVito.

“We’ve had good conversations, and he understands where we are,” Schoen said of Jones. “He understands that we’re going to need to add a quarterback. He’s coming off an injury… he actually started throwing. He’s been throwing for about two weeks stationary. Now, he’s not dropping back or doing any of that stuff. So, he is on track. He’s doing everything he can to get back. We’re optimistic about where he is.”

Schoen mentioned the possibility of bringing back Tyrod Taylor for a third season. The 35-year-old Taylor will be a free agent in two weeks when the new league year begins.

“We’re going to talk to Tyrod’s representatives this week, and Tyrod’s a true pro. He has been really good for not only Daniel but Tommy DeVito and his progress throughout the year,” Schoen said. “He’s a true pro. So, we’ll address the position. Again, it can be through free agency, and it doesn’t preclude us from doing it in the Draft as well.”

Schoen had to throw that last tidbit in there to keep the notion alive that the Giants are open for business this offseason. They own the No. 6 overall selection in the upcoming draft and want to maximize the pick’s value.

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Giants may recalibrate free agent approach with higher-than-expected cap

The news last week that the NFL was raising the salary cap to $255.4 million per club this season (up from $228.4 million in 2023) was music to many general manager’s ears.

For New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen, that gives him additional ammunition to attack his many roster needs this spring.

The Giants will have an estimated $39 million in available cap space when the NFL new year begins on March 13.

Scheon told reporters at the NFL Combine on Tuesday that the raise was a ‘pleasant surprise’ and he will recalibrate their finances to see how it affects their offseason plans.

The Giants have two major contract decisions coming up in the next two weeks — running back Saquon Barkley and safety Xavier McKinney — who are eligible for free agency this spring.

It looks like they might have to slap the franchise or transition tag on at least one of these players if they can’t get them under contract by the March 5 deadline. That’s where the extra money is going to come in handy.

Barkley will cost around $12-13 million to franchise tag again while McKinney will cost $17 million to franchise and $13.8 million to transition tag.



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