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New York Giants Reader Mailbag: The "More Free Agency" Edition

Let's check in with the readers to see what's on their minds this week.
Patricia Traina|
NYG-ONSI Mailbag
NYG-ONSI Mailbag | Patricia Traina, New York Giants On SI

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If you'd like to submit a question for the New York Giants On SI weekly mailbag, please use the link below or post your questions on X (formerly known as Twitter) to @Patricia_Traina, hashtag #askPTrain. Please note that letters may be edited for clarity/length.

Note: We ran a bonus mailbag this week which you can find here.

Great question, Audi. I hope to do an article that goes into this a little more, but the top mistake that Joe Schoen made in his first couple of seasons is this obsession with building from the outside in. When that didn’t work, he switched gears and now builds in the trenches, which is how it should be done.

Has his execution been spot on? No. While I understand why he went all veterans for the offensive line, at some point, you need to draft guys and develop them at that spot, and in my opinion, that continues to be a weakness in his roster-building approach.

I don’t disagree with the decision to let Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney walk. I think anyone who was tuned into what was happening knew that Barkley and the Giants were done with each other after contract talks broke down in 2023.

McKinney? I think people forget that he started the 2023 season slowly to the point where people were screaming about trading him, so when he left the team in free agency (which you think back, the signs were all there), and then had his great season last year, now all of a sudden some are upset because how dare Schoen let them walk out the door?

I’m pretty sure Barkley wouldn’t have had the year he had in Philly had he stayed. I also question if McKinney would have had the year he had in Green Bay in this current defensive scheme the Giants are running. 

So, this year, Schoen is finally doing the smart thing. He’s building up the depth in the trenches, an area where the Giants have historically been beaten repeatedly. 

How many times does it need to be said that it doesn’t matter who your quarterback or skill position players are if your offensive line can’t protect them? 

How often does it need to be said that if your defensive front can get home and move the opposing quarterback off his mark, that will make everyone’s life easier?

Much as I hate to throw credit the Eagles’ way, they were living proof of what I’m saying, and I think Schoen finally understands that you can have the fanciest car in the world, but if the engine is from some old beaten-up jalopy, the car is worthless.

While I agree that jobs are on the line, I don't think this is equivalent to what Reese did. Schoen has spent money to upgrade the biggest spots on the team that lack quality depth. He has also stopped doubling down on some of their past mistakes and reshaped their thinking. 

For instance, they finally addressed a swing tackle vacancy that had existed for at least two years after realizing that Joshua Ezeudu wasn't the answer. They also stopped letting homegrown leadership (Darius Slayton) walk out the door. 

Once they get the quarterback situation squared away—and I question whether the remaining options are going to be the long-term answer—I think this team will be back on track if it stays healthy.

I don't like that scenario. If anything trade down, get an extra first rounder next year (though I have to admit that the potential trade-down options are drying up) and use that to move up in the order if you don't get the quarterback you want.

Why bring in another tight end when you have Theo Johnson at the position and receiver Malik Nabers, the latter of whom is going to get most of the pass targets?

The benefit is that Rodgers has been to the top of the mountain, whereas Winston has not. This is not about cost–the cap can be manipulated. Just look at the names of quarterbacks they’ve been linked to. They ALL have Super Bowl wins on their resume.

Schoen and Daboll apparently want someone who’s been to and won a  Super Bowl to mentor a potential draft pick. This has nothing to do with them thinking they’re a quarterback away from making a run. I think they’re realistic about where they are. 

This is all about setting up an ecosystem for whoever the rookie they end up drafting to have success.

What impressed me is that they attacked their most significant weaknesses (defensive secondary, defensive line depth, swing offensive tackle). Get a quarterback in here, and this will have been, at least on paper, a solid offseason.

What hasn't impressed me are the moves they haven't made. Why, for instance, is Rakeem Nunez-Roches still on the roster after they upgraded the depth and have a deep talent pool at the position to choose from? Why not let Nacho catch on with another team if he's not in the long-term plans?

Kris, I think it depends on who the quarterback is. If it's Joe Flacco, he's a statue back there, so how much will that necessitate cutting out the designed runs? 

If it's Russell Wilson, the Steelers had him mostly doing the short stuff last year, so will that take away the deep shots that they've been itching to run? 

And if it's a rookie, how soon will he be ready to execute the full playbook? Let's let the dust settle at that position, and perhaps the answer will become clearer.

Good question, Aaron. Wentz has won a Super Bowl, so he'd check off that box. The only thing I can think of is that his struggles have led to him being relegated to backup duty, and the Giants probably want someone with a stronger history as a starter.

That said, I suspect the next veteran bridge will come down to Russell Wilson or Joe Flacco—I don't think Aaron Rodgers is coming here.

I don't think it will. It really depends on the structure of the quarterback's contract and whether they get a franchise quarterback in the first round.

As I've said before, the first year of a player's multi-year contract is generally low because they get the signing bonus up front as a cash payment.

And with the cap skyrocketing each year, I wouldn't worry about finances in the medium term, which I assume you mean to be next year.

Before receiving a compensatory pick the Giants had pick #134, which is now gone. Did 99 replace 134? I thought compensatory picks were in addition to existing picks. -- Michael F.

Michael, comp picks move everyone down in the round's order; they don't replace previous picks. So if you are tenth in the order and five teams in front of you get comp picks, that means you're going to drop from 10 to 15.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston
Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Why wouldn't the Giants want to sign Jameis Winston, then pick Travis Hunter with the third pick and grab Jalen Milroe in the second round as their future quarterback? -- Robert C.

Robert, as I wrote here, every quarterbak that has been linked to the Giants has been to and won a Super Bowl. Winston doesn't meet that criteria, hence they're exhausting all their Tier 1 options before having to pivot to the next tier.

As for Travis Hunter, if they view him as a full-time cornerback, I'm not sure where he would fit in now that they added Paulson Adebo.

And I don't think Jalen Milroe is among the top three on their board—I believe the order is Ward, Sanders, and Dart. But we'll see how the board shapes up--pro days and top 30 visits are still happening.

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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