For much of the last decade-plus, the New York Giants have been “pretenders”—a team that looked good on paper in the off-season but fell apart when it came time to play the games.
While championships are never won in March and April, sometimes certain moves can signal a change in the tide for a team that has struggled to consistently post winning records year after year.
That said, things are looking bright for the Giants after the first wave of free agency, during which general manager Joe Schoen heavily addressed the offensive line and acquired stud pass rusher Brian Burns via trade. Those moves have Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon feeling bullish about the Giants’ chances of changing their misfortunes.
That said, no one is ready to declare the Giants a finished product before next month’s draft or training camp competitions open. Kenyon correctly notes that “the Giants are otherwise banking on a ton of internal development” for their roster, and therein lies the coaching equation.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll has a new defensive coordinator in Shane Bowen and a new offensive line coach in Carmen Bricillo, among the changes made in the off-season either due to resignations or dismissals. They also have quite a bit of young talent on the offensive and defensive lines, cornerback, and running back, which need to be developed into viable contributors that can fill out depth roles.
The other concern of Kenyon’s is how much the loss of running back Saquon Barkley, arguably the Giants’ best offensive skill player last year, might affect an offense that will once again have the inconsistent Daniel Jones at quarterback once he’s recovered from a torn ACL.
“Not re-signing running back Saquon Barkley probably stung, but it’s a defensible choice,” noted Kenyon. “New York, nevertheless, is putting a lot of trust into fringe improvements sparking the roster. Daniel Jones should be healthy after a knee injury, which limited him to six starts, but he’s still unproven.
“Jones hasn’t shown the potential to legitimately carry a roster without star power. He’s never averaged more than seven yards per attempt—a number, by the way, that ordinarily is a tick below the league average.”
That all being said, Schoen hasn’t finished revamping the roster. The Giants are all but certain to add a potential No. 1 receiver to an already solid group that includes Darius Slayton, Jalin Hyatt, and Wan’Dale Robinson.
They are also widely believed to be planning to add a quarterback by the end of Day 2 of the draft, as they are well aware of the concerns that come with Jones’s injury history, particularly his two neck injuries over the last three years.
Again, championships aren’t won on paper, and certainly not in March or April. There is still much work to be done, but Schoen’s moves so far definitely underscore a sense of urgency to move this rebuild along to the next level.
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