3 reasons for optimism amidst a truly forgettable NY Giants' season

The New York Giants' 2024 season reached a new low point as they dropped their sixth straight game, looking almost lifeless in a 30-7 blowout at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This season has been a true nightmare for New York, now sitting at 2-9, with their latest loss and effort being labeled as "soft" by some Giants players.

There really has been nothing positive to take away from this Giants season, as they are once again on pace for another 10 plus loss season, making it seven in the last nine years. While the future for Big Blue remains unclear, with a new quarterback search looming this offseason along with plenty of other roster holes to address, there is still some reason for optimism for this Giants squad.

3 reasons for optimism admist a truly forgettable NY Giants' season

3. The G-Men may have found their new RB1

Losing Saquon Barkley to the Philadelphia Eagles continues to haunt the Giants and their fans, as the Pro Bowl running back rushed for over 250 yards against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday and is putting together an MVP-level season in his first year as an Eagle. While his absence is clearly felt in New York's offense, which ranks at the bottom of the league in scoring, this season has also seen the emergence of rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. as a starter in the backfield.

Heading into this season, Tracy, a fifth-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft, wasn’t listed as the starting running back. The Giants had signed Devin Singletary to a three-year deal to replace Barkley as the number-one option in the backfield. However, Tracy has surprised many and is making a strong case to be the Giants’ starter. The rookie has totaled 587 rushing yards this season with three touchdowns while averaging over five yards per carry. The 24-year-old also has three 100-yard games under his belt and has been nothing short of a pleasant surprise.

Despite back-to-back games with a fumble loss during critical moments in New York's matchups, it’s hard not to feel encouraged by the start of his NFL career. Sure, the fumbles are an issue, but it’s a problem he can fix. As a rookie, he still has plenty of time to grow and develop.

2. The potential for a fresh coaching staff and front office

Despite John Mara’s insistence that Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen will return next season, it’s hard to imagine them both staying. With the Giants on a six-game losing streak and some labeling their effort, or lack thereof, as the worst performance by any NFL team this season, Giants fans have reason to feel optimistic that change could still be coming.

Despite Daboll and Schoen delivering a playoff berth and a postseason victory for the Giants in 2022, the team has since regressed at an alarming rate, with Schoen making several questionable offseason moves. Most notably, they chose to sign Daniel Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract, only for him to go 3-13 since signing the deal before ultimately being released.

The G-Men also let the aforementioned Barkley walk in free agency, and he’s now having a career year in Philadelphia, of all places. Additionally, Schoen and Daboll allowed star safety Xavier McKinney to leave this past offseason, and in his first year with the Green Bay Packers, he leads the league with seven interceptions, while the Giants, as a team, have managed just one.

Daboll has also been making questionable play-calling decisions, and his decision to take over those duties from offensive coordinator Mike Kafka has made little difference. With a tough schedule ahead, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Giants lose out. If that happens, however, firing both Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen might give Giants fans a glimmer of hope for the future of the franchise.

1. The Giants will get a top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft

While no NFL team likes being 2-9 or worse at this point in the season, there is always one silver lining: a high draft pick. The Giants have been in this position before, as they’ve picked high in the NFL Draft several times in recent years. However, this upcoming draft should have Giants fans feeling more optimistic, as the team will almost certainly be targeting a quarterback.

This upcoming draft is loaded with talented quarterbacks, and Big Blue is expected to have its eyes on many of them. From Jalen Milroe of Alabama to Cam Ward of Florida and, of course, the highly touted Shedeur Sanders of Colorado, Giants fans have every reason to be excited about the potential of landing one of these promising signal-callers.

All of these quarterbacks would be an upgrade over what the Giants currently have and what they’ve had over the past six years with Daniel Jones at the helm. After six years of mediocre quarterback play from Jones, the team may be heading toward another lengthy rebuild, but securing a top draft pick is still something fans can feel optimistic about.

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