2024 NFL Offseason Primer: New York Giants

New York Giants

Projected Cap Space: $24.8 million

Draft Picks: 7

• 1st (No. 6)
• 2nd (No. 39)
• 2nd (No. 47, SEA)
• 3rd (No. 70)
• 4th (No. 108)
• 5th (No. 140)
• 6th (No. 185)

Notable Free Agents: 

• RB Saquon Barkley
• S Xavier McKinney
• CB Adoree’ Jackson
• QB Tyrod Taylor
• DT A’Shawn Robinson
• LB Isaiah Simmons
• OLB Jihad Ward
• WR Parris Campbell
• LB Jarrad Davis

Top Three Needs

1 – Wide Receiver

Narrowing down the list of needs for the Giants to just three was more challenging than it was for other teams. Giants GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll have been in charge for two seasons and there are still a litany of holes perforating the roster, particularly at premium positions. That includes quarterback potentially, as QB Daniel Jones had just about the worst-case scenario season for New York in the first year of his $40 million per year extension. 

Contractually, the Giants can’t do anything with Jones until 2025. From a personnel standpoint, they could draft a quarterback to give them options, but the only other alternative is building up the team around Jones to give him (or a successor) the best possible chance to succeed. That could start with adding a No. 1 receiver, most likely with their first pick at No. 6 overall. 

Three prospects stand above the rest in a loaded wide receiver class this year; Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., LSU’s Malik Nabers and Washington’s Rome Odunze. There is a great chance one of those players is still on the board following an early run on quarterbacks (and if that’s not the case then that means one of the top three quarterbacks is available for the Giants). All three would instantly be the best receiver on the Giants’ roster and push players like Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton and Jalin Hyatt into complementary roles that they’re better suited for. 

The Giants could also wait until the second round, where they have two picks in the top 50, and still get a starting caliber player. That’s how stacked this upcoming class is, which is a needed bit of good news for New York. 

2 – Edge Rusher

Former Giants DC Wink Martindale was known for his creative blitz schemes to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks. However, that meant he relied less on his edge rushers defeating blocks and more as jack-of-all-trades type players. It allowed the Giants to put a slightly lower premium on the position than most teams. 

That should change with new DC Shane Bowen, and reports indicate the Giants are looking to get a lot better at edge rusher. They have former top pick Kayvon Thibodeaux at one spot, and the new scheme might unlock a new level for him in 2024, but sparse options at the other edge rushing position across from him. Former second-rounder Azeez Ojulari had eight sacks as a rookie but has played just half of the possible games over the past two seasons and is in the last year of his rookie deal. 

The Giants could always dip back into the draft for help, but every year it seems like solid veteran pass rushers are available in the third wave of free agency or later. That might be the better move to fill out the room around Thibodeaux and Ojulari. 

3 – Offensive Line

The Giants struggled yet again on the offensive line in 2023, and it’s a position that has remained a sore spot despite no shortage of investment. New York used No. 4 and No. 6 picks on LT Andrew Thomas and RT Evan Neal respectively. Thomas has turned into a top tackle but played just 10 games and was limited in others thanks to a gnarly hamstring injury (suffered while trying to tackle someone on a blocked field goal; it was that type of season for the Giants). Neal has struggled to find his footing in the NFL through two seasons, to the point where the Giants will have to consider whether a move inside to guard is necessary to save his career. 

The Giants took C John Michael Schmitz in the second round last year, and he’ll get at least one more season to prove he can work through his own rookie struggles. Both guard spots are huge question marks. New York has been linked to some of the top guards slated for free agency, which could take care of one spot.

Shoring up the line is extra important because of the way Jones plays. Not only does he hold onto the ball for a while, but his mobility could be impacted in 2024 as he recovers from a torn ACL. 

One Big Question

Can Schoen and Daboll turn the clock back to 2022?

I think if you shot Schoen and Daboll up with truth serum — or waited several years for time to provide perspective — and asked them if they would handle the last 12 months differently, they’d admit they got suckered by the Giants’ 2022 playoff run. The two took over a team that was supposed to be a major rebuilding job with a quarterback who was playing out the final year of a disappointing rookie contract after his fifth-year option was declined. 

Instead, Daboll worked some magic on an overmatched roster and helped Jones look like a real-deal NFL quarterback. Not only did the Giants make the playoffs, but they won a game too, upsetting the 13-win Vikings on the road. All of a sudden, New York’s timeline was accelerated. 

Looking to build on the success of 2022 rather than continue a deliberate rebuild, Schoen and Daboll made keeping both Jones and Barkley a huge priority. That meant acquiescing to the demands from Jones’ camp for $40 million a year to keep the franchise tag free for Barkley, as opposed to giving Barkley $13 or $14 million a year to keep the tag free for Jones. With those two sucking up most of the Giants’ budget, Schoen flipped a third-round pick to the Raiders for veteran TE Darren Waller to give Jones a No. 1 target and help him maintain his success. 

The magic ran out in 2023. The offensive line was hit with injuries and poor performance, leading to a regression from Jones and then another neck injury. When Jones came back from the neck injury, he tore his ACL, reinflaming the durability questions that were part of the reason his option was initially declined. Tensions on the coaching staff that were masked by winning in 2022 became irreparable schisms in 2023. Had the Giants not blocked OC Mike Kafka from taking a lateral move, Daboll would have had to replace all three coordinators. 

All of a sudden, it’s gotten late early for Schoen and Daboll. Last year was bad enough to exhaust all of the positive vibes the two accrued in their first season, whether it was Schoen’s personnel miscalculations or Daboll’s temper alienating other coaches. The two have to make 2024 feel more like 2022, and with all the question marks on the roster, they have an uphill road ahead of them.