New GM Joe Schoen will be tasked with overseeing an overdue rebuild for the New York Giants, primarily through the NFL Draft, beginning this spring
The New York Giants will likely begin an overdue rebuild with general manager Joe Schoen aiming to clear $40 million in new cap space this offseason, from a roster that has many glaring holes.
So it goes, for an organization that just suffered through five consecutive double-digit loss campaigns.
But, with Schoen and new head coach Brian Daboll in tow, there’s a good chance that the Giants will follow the Buffalo Bills’ blueprint to building through the draft. Each of the past five seasons, the Bills invested at least one pick in the first two rounds of the draft in an offensive lineman, defensive lineman, or pass-rusher.
The belief in Buffalo, that Schoen seems to share, is protecting your quarterback and relentlessly pressuring your opponent is the key to sustained success.
But, the New York Giants have holes throughout the roster, and as Pro Football Focus points out, none are as glaring as the weaknesses along the interior of the offensive line or in the linebacking corps:
"New York Giants: Interior offensive lineman, linebacker, EDGE rusher Some teams have several needs listed but may only have one that is pressing. For New York, these three position groups are all massive issues. The interior offensive line ranked dead last in unit pass-block grade, the linebacker corps was the third-lowest-graded and the edge group ranked fourth-to-last in pass-rush grade. The cap situation is a disaster for the Giants, but they are rich in draft capital, anchored by two top-10 picks."
Unfortunately for the New York Giants, offensive linemen and linebackers are premium positions in free agent market, and New York currently sits approximately $5 million over the salary cap, which could lead Schoen to target the biggest needs through the draft.