INDIANAPOLIS — Giants basic supervisor Joe Schoen predictably was bombarded with questions on quarterback Daniel Jones and operating again Saquon Barkley throughout his information convention on the NFL mix on Tuesday. The statuses of these impending free brokers will dominate the dialog across the crew till there’s a decision. But Schoen touched on quite a lot of different matters throughout his first assembly with reporters because the quick aftermath of the Giants’ playoff loss to the Eagles.
Here are some non-Jones/Barkley takeaways from Schoen’s state of the union deal with:
• After Jones and Barkley, a lot of the eye this offseason has been centered on the Giants’ quest to bolster their extensive receiver corps. Schoen has persistently tempered expectations about how a lot shall be invested within the place, which has a weak crop of free brokers.
“I understand there’s somewhat of an obsession with the receiver position,” Schoen stated. “Again, we still have to build a team. That’s an important position, I get that. But the value has to match up and we still have several other holes that we have to fill.”
The Giants uncovered a gem once they landed extensive receiver Isaiah Hodgins off of waivers halfway by way of final season. But Hodgins, who has 37 profession catches, is the one wholesome receiver signed for subsequent season, as 2022 second-round choose Wan’Dale Robinson is rehabilitating a torn ACL.
Affordable free brokers and the draft look like Schoen’s most popular path to deal with the receiver place this offseason. Schoen made it clear what kind of receiver he’ll be focusing on.
“(Coach Brian Daboll) wants guys that can separate,” Schoen stated. “If you can separate, no matter how tall, short, wide — whatever it may be. As a quarterback, you prefer that. You’d rather throw to a guy that’s open versus a guy that’s being covered by a (defensive back). If they can separate, we’ll find a way to utilize them within the offense, whether it’s outside or inside in the slot.”
• One participant who received’t be a part of the extensive receiver corps subsequent season: Kenny Golladay. The Giants will launch Golladay, in keeping with a crew supply.
The launch received’t change into official till the brand new league 12 months begins on March 15 as a consequence of wage cap accounting for the $4.5 million roster bonus that grew to become assured for Golladay final 12 months. It’s unclear if the Giants will make Golladay a normal launch or a June 1 launch.
A regular launch would create $6.7 million in quick cap financial savings, whereas leaving $14.7 million in lifeless cash. Golladay could be utterly off the books after 2023.
If Golladay is designated as a June 1 launch, the Giants would create $13.5 million in cap financial savings this 12 months with a $7.9 million lifeless cash cost. There are two catches with a June 1 launch. First, the Giants would wish to hold Golladay’s complete $21.4 million cap hit till June 1, in order that they wouldn’t recoup any cap financial savings till lengthy after free company is over. Second, a June 1 launch would push $6.8 million in lifeless cash onto the 2024 cap.
• Schoen has a full itinerary exterior of the first function of the mix, which is scouting and interviewing draft prospects. With 21 impending free brokers and different younger stars eligible for extensions, Schoen’s week is stuffed with conferences with brokers.
Schoen stated he plans to circle again with Drew Rosenhaus, who represents security Julian Love. There had been preliminary extension discussions in the course of the bye week and people continued on the Senior Bowl.
Schoen stated he loves Love and the 2019 fourth-round choose has expressed his want to stay with the Giants. But it looks as if there’s a gulf in negotiations. Schoen talked about that experiences of different safeties getting launched — Cleveland’s John Johnson III, most notably — might create a surplus on the place in free company.
The Giants determine to set a tough line in negotiations after which let Love take a look at the market if he’s not glad with their supply.
• Schoen stated “you have to make sure you don’t let a lot of leadership walk out of the building” when discussing veteran middle Jon Feliciano. That looks as if a robust indication that the Giants plan to re-sign the 31-year-old, who has spent the previous 4 seasons with Schoen, Daboll and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson.
Feliciano migrated to the Giants from Buffalo final offseason on a one-year, $3.5 million contract. His price ticket must be decrease this 12 months after a middling efficiency in his first season as a beginning middle.
Schoen stated he’s already had talks with guard/middle Nick Gates’ brokers a few return. Gates ought to come low cost after battling again from the catastrophic leg damage he suffered early within the 2021 season.
• If re-signed, Feliciano and Gates will present extra competitors among the many crowd of choices at middle and left guard. The Giants have Andrew Thomas and Evan Neal locked in on the deal with spots, and Mark Glowinski shall be again at proper guard.
The Giants have 2022 third-round choose Josh Ezeudu and 2022 fifth-round choose Marcus McKethan as choices at left guard. Ben Bredeson, who began eight video games final season, and Shane Lemieux, who has been a starter in every of the previous two offseasons earlier than lacking important time as a consequence of damage, can play guard or middle.
“We have really good depth,” Schoen stated. “It won’t prevent us, if there’s a guy out there in the interior that we would want to sign, from doing that. But I think we have some pieces there.”
• Outside linebacker Jihad Ward additionally falls into a budget management class. Schoen described the colourful Ward as a “unique personality,” however stated the veteran performed an essential function in first-round choose Kayvon Thibodeaux’s improvement.
Ward is a favourite of defensive coordinator Wink Martindale from their two seasons collectively in Baltimore. Ward was on a minimal contract final season, so it must be a no brainer to re-sign him with the intention of lowering his function with a wholesome Azeez Ojulari and upgraded exterior linebacker depth.
• There’s urgency to deal with the approaching free brokers, however Schoen is also maintaining a tally of extending Thomas, defensive deal with Dexter Lawrence and security Xavier McKinney.
Schoen stated he’s already had discussions with Lawrence’s agent about an extension. The 25-year-old Lawrence is getting into the fifth-year choice of his rookie contract. He’s as a consequence of have a $12.4 million cap hit, so an extension might produce some quick cap financial savings despite the fact that Lawrence is in line for an enormous payday.
“That’s a little bit trickier,” Schoen stated. “The (defensive tackle) market, when you look at the gap in between the highest paid and then the next guy.”
All-time nice Aaron Donald has a $31.2 million common annual wage. The next-highest-paid defensive tackles are the Giants’ Leonard Williams and the Colts’ DeForest Buckner, who every have $21 million common annual salaries.
There’s a large candy spot between the Donald and Williams/Buckner contracts that younger defensive tackles like Lawrence determine to focus on this offseason.
Schoen handled McKinney’s former agent final season when the protection suffered a hand damage in an ATV accident in the course of the bye week. McKinney switched to agent David Mulugheta, who represents lots of the prime safeties within the league, after the season. Schoen stated a gathering with Mulugheta is on his agenda this week.
McKinney is in an fascinating spot as a promising younger participant getting into the ultimate 12 months of his rookie contract who has missed important time in two of his three seasons as a consequence of damage, together with the damaged fingers that occurred away from soccer.
Like McKinney, Thomas was a 2020 draft choose. But the Giants have larger contractual management over Thomas as a result of he was a first-round choose. That provides the Giants the fifth-year choice to retain Thomas by way of the 2024 season. There’s a profit to extending Thomas early earlier than different tackles inflate the market, however that didn’t sound like a prime precedence for Schoen.
• Schoen is planning to fulfill with Williams’ brokers this week to attempt to discover a method to scale back his $32.3 million cap hit within the remaining 12 months of his contract. Schoen spoke extremely of Williams’ play, so an extension that would vastly lower his 2023 cap hit looks as if the popular route. Another choice could be restructuring Williams’ contract to push extra lifeless cash into 2024, which is already a void 12 months carrying a $6 million lifeless cash cost.
Cutting Williams doesn’t seem like an choice. That would create $12 million in cap financial savings whereas leaving $20.2 million in lifeless cash. More importantly, it might additional weaken an already skinny line of defense.
“Not great,” Schoen responded when requested how he felt about his crew’s line of defense depth.
Schoen stated will probably be essential to improve the line of defense depth so Lawrence and Williams received’t have to play as many snaps. Lawrence was tied for the second-most snaps amongst defensive tackles earlier than he was rested for the common season finale. Williams had been an ironman for his first seven seasons, however he missed 5 video games final season and labored by way of a neck damage down the stretch.
• Schoen continues to maintain the Giants’ shocking nine-win season in perspective.
“We had a good season,” Schoen stated. “We still have several holes on both sides of the ball so we still have a ways to go and several holes to fill.”
That understanding suggests a restrained strategy to free company, particularly with a lot of the Giants’ cap area earmarked for retaining their very own gamers.
(Top picture: Trevor Ruszkowski / USA Today)
