We've got to give it to Joe Schoen, the man has been cooking for the NY Giants this offseason with some tough decisions. Plenty of people were furious with him letting Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney walk, but all has been forgotten since he traded for Brian Burns.
The improvements for the offensive line also have people happy, while bringing in Devin Singletary on an affordable deal was smart too. However, Schoen is not done grinding this winter and spring - nope, not by a long shot. With that said, here are seven moves the young GM still needs to get done for this team:
7. Restructure the deals of Andrew Thomas and Dexter Lawrence
To start us off, Schoen needs some more cap space and he needs it fast. After the recent moves he's made, including giving Burns a $150 million extension, the Giants only have a little more than $6 million in cap space for the 2024 season. Luckily, though, Schoen can add a handsome amount of dough with two simple calls.
That'd be to restructure the long-term deals for star offensive tackle Andrew Thomas and standout defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. These are two of the best players for the Giants and they're not going anywhere for a long time. Thomas signed a five-year extension worth $117.5 million, while Lawrence put the pen to paper on a four-year, $90 million extension.
Heck, the Giants could also re-work Bobby Okereke's deal too to open up more money. Lawrence and Thomas have the bigger cap hits, which is why Schoen doing a restructure with the two is an absolute no-brainer. We're a bit surprised the Thomas news hasn't dropped yet, but let's hope that happens as soon as possible.
6. Figure things out soon with Darren Waller potentially retiring
This is a bit out of Schoen's hands, but it doesn't have to be. At the NFL Combine, news dropped that Darren Waller was going to be back with the Giants in 2024 and they had no problem taking on his $14 million cap hit to see if he can live up to his potential with this team. Fans were pumped, as they would like to see Waller return to his Pro Bowl form.
However, a few hours later, a new report from Ryan Dunleavy dropped saying that Waller actually is unsure of his future and he's considering retiring. The mental toll the 2023 season took on Waller has him thinking that he may want to hang up his cleats. You can't blame the guy, as he just can't seem to stay healthy and his hamstring injuries keep piling up.
While we do feel bad for Waller, the fact of the matter is that Schoen needs to start planning even further for the 2024 campaign. If Waller is 50-50 on playing, it feels like him not suiting up for the G-Men this fall may be the best call. Regardless, Schoen will need to find a replacement either in free agency or the NFL Draft. Waller needs to let him know ASAP - maybe Schoen should even give him a deadline date.
5. Find a Xavier McKinney replacement early on in the NFL Draft
As you all know by now, McKinney, a star safety for Big Blue in 2023, won't be back with the team next season. McKinney had the best year of his career and he cashed in big time, signing a four-year, $68 million contract with the Green Bay Packers. There was just no way Schoen was going to come close to that deal for the defensive back.
With that going down, there's a sizable hole in the middle of the secondary for new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. The Giants signed veteran DB Jalen Mills to a one-year deal, and he has the ability to play either safety or cornerback. However, more speed/talent is needed to help out Jason Pinnock and Dane Belton.
That's where the NFL Draft comes into play. The Giants won't use a first-round pick on a new safety, but Day 2 could be where a youngster hears his name called by New York. Washington State's Jaden Hicks and Georgia's Javon Bullard are two playmakers we're quite high on for the second round. If either are available, we'd like to see Schoen bring one of them to town.
4. Sign a veteran cornerback to help mentor Deonte Banks
Speaking of the secondary, can we get some experience at cornerback, please? Adoree' Jackson is a free agent and the expectation is that he will be with a new team in '24. The Giants need some depth. Former first-round pick Deonte Banks was as good as advertised last season, already showing he's going to be a brilliant CB1 in this league.
However, as great as his rookie year was, we have to remember he's only getting ready for Year 2 in the NFL. Fans can't expect him to stop opposing passing attacks by himself. That's why signing a veteran CB on an affordable deal needs to happen. Could Bills' free-agent CB Tre'Davious White be the one who Schoen lands?
According to Adam Schefter, the Giants will be bringing in White for a visit. The former All-Pro CB will also be meeting with the Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Rams. All three teams would be solid fits for White, but Giants Nation wants to see him in East Rutherford. White is coming off a torn ACL in 2021 and torn Achilles in 2023. Injury concerns are there, but if the money makes sense on both sides, he'd be our No. 1 target leading up to the draft to help out the CBs room.
3. Finally bring in a WR1 this offense has been begging for
Stop us if you've heard this before, but the Giants don't have a true No. 1 wide receiver on the roster. Yes, this has been the case since Dave Gettleman traded fan-favorite Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns. This team has been begging for a speedster on the outside and it's time for Schoen to deliver.
The most sensible decision would be to use the No. 6 overall pick on a wideout. The two main names discussed have been Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze. We love both of these guys and they'd be game-changers for Daniel Jones, assuming he's the starter from start to finish this upcoming season for Brian Daboll.
In a new mock draft from Pro Football Network, though, a trade for Tee Higgins was pitched. In this scenario, the Giants and Bengals would swap first-round picks, with Cincy also receiving a 2025 second-round pick. Schoen would then have to give Higgins a big-time extension. Higgins is a beast, but a lot of people would prefer Nabers or Odunze to be the guy who helps transform the Big Blue offense. Either way, a WR1 is needed - no more excuses.
2. Sign another running back to help out Devin Singletary
With Barkley, one of the best running backs in the game, no longer in East Rutherford, it's a major void for the offense. Singletary rushed for a career-best 898 yards last season, but he's simply not the same kind of electric player that Barkley is. That's why additional help is needed at the position for new RBs coach Joel Thomas.
The Giants could look to use a mid-round pick on a RB, with Wisconsin's Braelon Allen being among the intriguing targets. However, it'd be wise for Schoen to ink another veteran to help out too. Schoen was reportedly interested in A.J. Dillon, a complete and total bruiser. However, he ended up re-signing with the Packers.
There are still other free agents out there, including former first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Edwards-Helaire flashed a ton of potential early on, but injuries prevented him from reaching his ceiling. Isiah Pacheco has since made his way to KC and taken over. Still, CEH could make an impact in his next stop if he's sharing the workload. He'd arrive at MetLife on a cheap deal too.
1. Make a tough decision at quarterback with Daniel Jones
This really could go either way. On one side of things, there's buzz that the Giants are planning to move into the Top 3 to take either Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels. With the Bears trading Justin Fields to Pittsburgh, it feels like a lock that they're planning to use the No. 1 overall pick on USC signal-caller Caleb Williams.
If Schoen goes after Maye or Daniels, then we'll know for sure this will be Jones' last season with the team and because of his injury guarantee in his contract, we may see very little of him in 2024. However, some experts, including Mel Kiper Jr., think the Giants and Schoen are ready to give Danny Dimes one last shot to prove he can be the kind of QB they thought he'd be when they gave him his $160 million extension.
Jones has gotten plenty of help with the offensive line additions, including Jon Runyan Jr. and Jermaine Eluemunor. If Nabers or Odunze is brought in at No. 6 overall, one of them would be a monster addition for Jones to work with. This won't be an easy decision at all, but it's why Schoen's in the big-boy chair. Come late April, we'll know for sure what he has in mind for the future of this team.