Joe Schoen didn’t exactly inherit a dream scenario when he took over as general manager of the New York Giants in 2022. Four years later, it’s still hard to sell fans on this regime as one worth extending. The roster’s starting to take shape, thanks mostly to rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart looking like the answer, but there are still just as many questions as there were back then.
Schoen isn’t sitting comfortably — another slow start to the season will do that. However, the Giants’ impressive 21-18 Week 4 stunner over the previously undefeated Los Angeles Chargers might be the turning point he needs to get back in the good graces of fans.
Some moves fell flat. Others gave this team a fighting chance to climb out of the pit it’s been stuck in for years. And Schoen’s swing-for-the-fences trade for pass rusher Brian Burns is proving to be one of the smartest moves of his tenure.
Giants’ trade for Brian Burns is aging better than anyone expected
At the beginning of the 2024 offseason, Schoen swung a deal with the Carolina Panthers to bring Burns to East Rutherford. Big Blue gave up second- and fifth-round picks, along with a fifth-round pick swap, to get the deal done.
At the time, reactions were mixed. Teams don’t usually part with Day 1 or 2 picks in the middle of a rebuild, but Schoen believed the two-time Pro Bowler was worth it. Not only did it cost them draft capital. It cost them financially, too.
They immediately signed Burns to a five-year, $141 million deal, making him the second-highest paid edge rusher behind Nick Bosa at $28.2 million per year. Some saw it as a long-term investment, others questioned his fit on a rebuilding roster, and whether his production justified the price.
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Burns' first season with the G-Men was good. He recorded 8.5 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, 16 quarterback hurries, and an 82.9 pass-rushing grade, per Pro Football Focus. That alone wouldn't necessarily make the Giants big winners of the trade.
But in Year 2, he’s turning the Panthers’ decision into an outright embarrassment.
The 27-year-old is on an absolute tear to start 2025. Through four games, he leads the league in sacks (5.0), has six tackles for loss, 13 quarterback pressures, and an 88.7 PFF grade (ninth out of 165 defensive ends).
He’s just off pace to challenge Michael Strahan’s single-season sack record (22.5). If he keeps this up, he’s looking at his third Pro Bowl, his first All-Pro nod, and maybe even Defensive Player of the Year... though team success will have something to say about that.
With the Panthers sitting on just two lowly sacks through their first four games, you can guarantee they’re kicking themselves for sending Burns away. With No. 0’s ascension and Carolina struggling laughably, Schoen and Co. are looking like bigger winners by the week.
Hindsight’s a funny thing. There were doubts early on. But now, it’s pretty clear — this might be one of Schoen’s best calls yet.