NY Giants Mailbag: What is Shane Bowen’s NY Giant Future?

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The only question I have is, when are we going to realize that playing 15 yards back from the opponent's receivers will get you beat? Oh yes, one more thing. WHEN WILL WE GET A "REAL" Defensive Coordinator? With all the talent on defense, this outcome is unacceptable. – Bob P.

Will New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll stick with Shane Bowen if the defense continues to underperform? | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Bob, I agree with you 100%. And as I believe I have said before, if this defense doesn’t get into the top 15 league-wide, if I’m the Giants, I seriously consider making a change, as this cannot continue given the talent on this defense.

If the Giants were to fire Shane Bowen, who do you think they’d appoint as the defensive coordinator? – Alan G.

Andre Patterson, New York Giants defensive line coach | Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Alan, my best guess is they would elevate defensive line coach Andre Patterson to the role and bring in a consultant — I’d have to see who’s out there at the moment to give you a name.

I believe they’d bring in a consultant who they want Patterson to continue developing Darius Alexander. However, if he were named interim defensive coordinator, I question how much time he’d have to work with Alexander during the day.

I don’t get something. Shane Bowen had a good run defense in Tennessee. He has comparable talent now with the Giants, so why is the run defense still a problem? – Larry M.

Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen during his days with the Titans. | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Larry, a couple of thoughts here. Was the system run in Tennessee all Bowen's or was it Mike Vrabel's? I’ve often wondered about that, since you know Vrabel is a defensive-minded coach.

As for the current Giants’ run defense, I spoke with Justin Tuck about that, and among the things he mentioned was that he didn’t feel like the linebackers were coming up and filling holes as quickly as they could be to help stop the run.

I also think you can point to Dexter Lawrence not being in football shape at the start of the season–remember, they held him out of the preseason games and had him on a managed workload.

I get it, he was coming off an elbow injury, but if he was well enough to partake in tug of war at the Pro Bowl, why did they need to treat him with kid gloves?

Serious question. If the Giants are not going to play Evan Neal or Jalin Hyatt, why are they still on the roster? – Daniel Y.

Aug 4, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (13) reacts during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Daniel, I’ve wondered that myself. I could understand this if they were rookies, but they’ve been here multiple years. I can understand Neal’s situation since he’s trying to convert to guard, but you’d think by now Hyatt would be a lot further along than he is.

Do you agree that the Giants should start Marus Mbow on the offensive line? – Lisa J.

Aug 4, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants guard Marcus Mbow (71) on the field during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Lisa, I would like to see Marcus Mbow get a starting job, but the question is, where do you play him? Brian Daboll said today they’re going to leave him at tackle, so if you have Andrew Thomas coming back and you also have Jermaine Eluemunor, who’s been your best offensive lineman at the other tackle, where do you put Mbow?

My guess is that the Giants might not bring Eluemunor back after this year as he’ll be a free agent who should draw a nice contract, and they’ll replace him with Mbow at right tackle.

Personally, I hope Eluemunor re-signs here, but from a business perspective, I see where it makes sense to go with the kid on the rookie contract over the veteran who is likely to earn a big payday.

Has Schoen explained why there's a WR not playing and they're dressing 3 QB's when they are so short at DT? Makes it a 51 man roster and the fitness of early season defensive lines across the league show there's depth needed, imo #askPTrain
— JR (@HennySkyWalker) September 19, 2025

JR, the Giants kept three quarterbacks last year, and I believe the year prior. Why is this now a problem in your eyes? You’d rather they put one on the practice squad and risk him being poached?

Also, they don’t technically dress three quarterbacks–Jameis Winston has been the emergency quarterback, which has allowed them to carry an extra player. And they have done that, elevating Elijah Garcia, whom I suspect could be elevated again this week.

If you weren’t covering the Giants, which of the beat writers would you trust the most to read? – Sal K.

Sal, I don’t have much time to read all of my colleagues’ work to make a judgment–I barely have time to finish the three books I started reading over the summer. That said, I believe each one of them delivers solid coverage so I’m not sure I can give you an answer here.

Long before I got into this business, I regularly read columns by Steve Serby, Dave Anderson (New York Times), and Jerry Izenberg (Newark Star-Ledger).

I grew up in a house where the Newark Star-Ledger was my dad’s paper of choice (the Post was his Sunday reading). Just about all the writers I grew up reading have either retired or passed away.

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