New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen gets a lot of heat—and most of it is deserved. He gave Daniel Jones a four-year, $160 million deal. He let Saquon Barkley walk to the Eagles, which is basically a war crime in New York. And his first-ever draft pick, Evan Neal, has been nothing short of a disaster.
But even with all that, Schoen still might get one-upped as the worst GM in the NFL.
That’s because Dallas Cowboys owner and de facto GM Jerry Jones refuses to give up the title. If Schoen is struggling through some questionable moves, Jerry is out here making sure the Cowboys do something just as ridiculous. And right on cue, he struck again.
Dallas just traded for Kaiir Elam, one of the least productive cornerbacks in the league, despite having no business giving up draft picks for someone Buffalo couldn’t wait to get rid of.
Elam, a 2022 first-round pick, struggled mightily in Buffalo. He barely saw the field, got cooked when he did, and never developed into the player the Bills thought they were getting. And yet, here comes Jerry, ready to throw draft capital at a corner who literally ranks 127th out of 129 CBs with 800+ snaps since 2022 in pass breakups, according to The 33rd Team. Masterclass.
The Bills say, “Jump!” Jerry Jones asks, “How high?”
The Cowboys lost veteran cornerback Jourdan Lewis in free agency, leaving a hole in their secondary. Logical move? Sign a cheap and capable free agent or use an early-to-mid-round pick on a young prospect in a pretty deep CB draft class. Jerry’s move? Use draft assets to trade for a draft bust and hope a change of scenery reverses his fortune.
Dallas gave up a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 seventh-rounder to Buffalo in exchange for Elam and a 2025 sixth-rounder. On paper, it’s a minor trade. But when you remember Dallas already wasted a fourth-round pick on receiver Jonathan Mingo at last year’s trade deadline, it becomes downright comical. Mingo played eight games for the Cowboys and finished with five catches for 46 yards.
Mingo should have been a cautionary tale for Jerry and Co., not an inspiration to try again. However, they’re doubling down on questionable trades for underwhelming players. At this point, it's just organizational malpractice.
Elam has struggled with injuries and inconsistency. He played in only three games in 2023, got leapfrogged on the Bills’ depth chart, and was barely used even after Buffalo lost Tre’Davious White. If the Bills had any faith left in him, they wouldn’t be dumping him for a couple of late-round picks.
According to The 33rd Team, Elam ranks 127th out of 129 cornerbacks that have played 800+ snaps since 2022 in pass breakups with four. That's a yucky number.
Listen, Schoen has had his moments. The Barkley situation was brutal. The Darren Waller trade turned into a disaster. Drafting Evan Neal instead of, say, Garrett Wilson was painful. But at least he’s not out here handing over draft picks for a player who was already halfway out the door.
That being said, Schoen isn’t off the hook yet. The Giants still don’t have a starting quarterback, and if he whiffs in free agency, he'll likely reclaim his podium status. The bar is on the floor, but it still exists.