3 Moves the New York Giants Must Make This Offseason
How New York Giants can Rebuild on The Fly
John Mara has put general manager Joe Schoen, head coach Brian Daboll, and the New York Giants into a bind.
By bringing Schoen and Daboll back, following a woefully disappointing 3-14 season, with the mystifying handling of Daniel Jones’ dismissal as the seminal moment of the campaign, Mara has essentially forced his general manager and head coach to emerge with a clear plan at quarterback this offseason and progress with said quarterback by season’s end.
That’s a difficult way to do business as a front office and a coaching staff, for a franchise that has won just nine games over the past two seasons, combined.
But, Schoen isn’t without blame for his circumstances, after passing on Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix, and J.J. McCarthy to select Malik Nabers, even if Nabers has the traits, profile, and skills to be one of the game’s truly elite talents at receiver. The Giants saw firsthand last season how much having inept quarterback play can lower Nabers’ ceiling and diminish his impact on the outcome of games, during his stellar rookie season.
Here’s a full breakdown of the Giants’ assets to rebuild with this offseason, and three moves that could turn the tide in New York.
New York Giants Cap Space
Fortunately for Schoen and the Giants, money shouldn’t be much of a hinderance this offseason.
As free agency looms, New York is projected to have upwards of $32 million in effective cap space, with few marquee in-house free agents likely to chew significantly into that figure.
Ultimately, Isaiah Simmons, and homegrown talents like Darius Slayton and Azeez Ojulari are going to be the Giants’ biggest pressure points before free agency gets underway, but this is a franchise that should be looking to get much younger, quickly, and would be better off allocating its cap space to ascending players at premium positions.
New York Giants Draft Picks
For the second season in a row, the Giants are selecting inside the top 10 picks.
Had it not been for the Giants nonsensically playing to beat the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17, amid a 10-game losing streak, Schoen may have had his pick of Miami quarterback Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Alas …
First Round, No. 3 overall
Second Round, No. overall
Third Round, No. overall
Fourth Round, No. overall
Fifth Round, No. overall (via Seattle)
Seventh Round, No. overall
Seventh Round, No. overall (via Buffalo)
Between The Hashmarks is independent and reader-supported NFL journalism. If you’re a football fan who enjoys in-depth coverage of NFL news, with analysis and insights from sources across the league, please consider becoming a subscriber today!
Three Moves the Giants Must Make for this Offseason to Be a Success
Trade Up to the No. 1 Pick
Joe Schoen’s own son recognized Jayden Daniels’ upside, when he was seen on camera during filming of MAX’s Hard Knocks series imploring his father to trade up to select the eventual NFL Offensive Rookie of The Year.
Who knows if the Commanders ever seriously considered Schoen’s overtures, or if the Giants made any.
But, given that the Titans are reportedly open for business when it comes to moving down from the top spot, and the Giants’ colossal need at quarterback, Schoen needs to move heaven and earth to get up to the No. 1 selection both to ensure he gets his pick of Sanders or Ward and guarantee that he emerges from this draft with one of them in tow.
There are some nice pieces in place on this offense, already, with Nabers and Jalin Hyatt at receiver, emergent rookie running back Tyrone Tracy, who rushed for nearly 839 yards and five touchdowns in 2024, as well as finally a couple of offensive linemen with upside.
The Giants are still fairly far behind the Philadelphia Eagles, Commanders, and probably even the Dallas Cowboys, with a healthy Dak Prescott, in terms of being built to compete within the NFC East. However, nothing is going to matter or get this entire franchise out of purgatory until they have a potential franchise quarterback to build around.
Break The Bank for CB Charvarius Ward
There are few positions more vital to success on modern NFL defenses than at cornerback, and the Giants’ secondary was repeatedly exposed last season, underscoring the need for Schoen to add a dynamic playmaker at the top of the depth chart at cornerback.
Ward is a physical presence, and while his production dipped a bit in 2024, he’s just one year removed from finishing as Pro Football Focus’ third-highest graded cover corner in the league.
The combination of Ward’s big-game experience in San Francisco and his unrelenting competitiveness for contested passes in coverage could make him a centerpiece of a Giants rebuilt secondary.
Sign Chris Godwin
Nabers’ presence is going to help hasten the development of whichever quarterback the Giants wind up selecting in the first round this April, but, few things are more potent at igniting an explosive offense and helping a young quarterback build his confidence and effectiveness than a dynamic duo of receivers.
Chris Godwin is among the most reliable and sure-handed veteran receivers in the league, with a knack for finding his way open.
Before dislocating his kneecap in Week 7 this past season, Godwin caught 50 passes for 576 yards and five touchdowns, as Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield posted a stellar 127.5 passer rating when targeting him. Godwin would have finished as the Giants’ third-leading receiver in 2024, and second in receiving touchdowns, and he only played seven games.
Coming off an injury, Godwin may be available for less than market value, but his steadiness, consistency, and reliable hands make him perhaps exactly what a young quarterback needs in his arsenal.
In Case You Missed It:
I’m always a little wary of seeing a team in desperation mode like the Giants draft a rookie QB that high up, because it almost always still ends with everyone getting fired and the new regime being stuck with the kid they didn’t draft. But I agree the Giants probably have no choice here, as the only thing that will save jobs is nailing this offseason. And since Daboll’s whole rep is built on developing Josh Allen he should be able to do it with Cam Ward, right?