Giants’ Boldest Offseason Decisions: Why Extending Schoen and Trading Lawrence Made Sense

ESPN's Bill Barnwell named Joe Schoen's extension the team's biggest offseason mistake — but the reasoning behind it tells a different story.

New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence against the Philadelphia Eagles. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The New York Giants have made many major decisions since the end of a dismal 4-13 2025 season, starting with the hiring of head coach John Harbaugh and a commitment to becoming bigger across the board to fulfill Harbaugh’s vision of developing a bully in the trenches.

But while many of the decisions made by the team have been widely applauded, there have been some that haven’t.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, in drilling down on the team’s best and worst offseason decisions, named extending general manager Joe Schoen as the franchise’s worst move and trading defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence as its best.  

Was Joe Schoen’s Extension Really That Bad of an Idea?

New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The crux of Barnwell’s question regarding Schoen’s extension boiled down to the fact that the fifth-year general manager, who signed a multiyear deal on May 21, was that the team could have waited to see how the upcoming year with Harbaugh played out.

"Were the Giants really going to be stuck if they let Schoen play out the final year of that contract before deciding whether he was an essential part of the organization and in need of an extension?

Would anybody be surprised if Harbaugh wants to bring in some Ravens executives 12 months from now?"

What Barnwell didn’t take into account is that team ownership made a commitment to stick with Schoen on the day they fired head coach Brian Daboll.

By keeping Schoen on board to lead the head coaching search, it was clear that they were looking for Schoen and the new head coach to work together.

In addition, Schoen and Harbaugh seemed to collaborate well in their first offseason, a factor that was certainly noticed by ownership.  

“I was happy,” Harbaugh said when asked about Schoen’s extension. “He's a good guy. Enjoy working with him and looking forward to what we all can do together. That's a good thing.”

Harbaugh also admitted that ownership asked for his input.

“They asked me if I liked Joe, and I thought he did a good job, and I said yeah. It's the decision of the people I respect -- I respect the ownership group.

“It's their call, and that's their call, and they made it, and I respect it. I think it's a good decision. I agree with it, but I think that's good. I'm excited.”

Indeed, the multiyear extension Schoen received is a sign that the Giants entrust him with the vision of the roster moving forward.

To some, it might be a risk to keep him on board given the team's lack of success over the last three seasons, but the front office believes he has the right vision to get the Giants where they want to go.

Bottom line: If extending Schoen is considered the "worst" move of the offseason, the Giants are in a good spot. 

Trading Dexter Lawrence Came at Right Time

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love scrambles away from New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

It’s hard to argue with Barnwell’s choice for the best move of the offseason, which is the trade of unhappy defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals in exchange for the tenth overall pick in the draft.

The Giants used that pick to acquire Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa, a move that solidified their starting offensive line.  

"Although Lawrence is likely to be the better player in 2026, Mauigoa's salary will be a fraction of Lawrence's over the next four years, allowing the Giants to address other parts of their roster in the seasons to come,” Barnwell noted.

“Right now, the priority has to be surrounding quarterback Jaxson Dart with a reliable offensive line."  

Lawrence is one of the premier defensive tackles in the league, but going into his age-29 season, his value may not have been higher than what it was this offseason.

For as good as he was for the Giants, the team still struggled on defense, particularly against the run, which, while not necessarily Lawrence’s fault, made his high cap hit not worth the return on investment.

The Giants have instead sought to add veteran depth that offers flexibility and choices for defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson. The majority of that depth came from inexpensive contracts, making the value even more compelling.

As for Mauigoa, it remains to be seen how he does as he converts from tackle to guard and whether he can live up to his top-10 pick status, but so far, so good.

“Of course, he's a rookie and, you know, you're always scared to death with, with freshmen, freshmen in college, rookies in the NFL, it's like the old scary movies, right?” said offensive line coach Mike Bloomgren.

“Sisi is doing a great job of not making the same mistake twice,” he added. 

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