Giants GM Joe Schoen Gets Brutal Review in New NFL GM Rankings

NFL general managers aren't often put under the microscope by the national media. They do their work in the shadows, quietly building a roster capable of winning on Sundays.

Joe Schoen is a bit different. The New York Giants general manager is constantly scrutinized, every decision getting examined by the public.

It's what makes him one of the most controversial general managers in football. He's made a handful of quality moves, especially in recent years, but his overall resume with the Giants leaves plenty to be desired.

If there are Schoen apologists out there, Patrick Daugherty of NBC Sports isn't one of them. In Daugherty’s annual ranking of every NFL general manager, Schoen ranked 25th.

Is Schoen That Bad?

New York Giants General Manager Joe Schoen | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Daugherty’s review is a brutal one, especially for a general manager who has held his job since 2022.

But it needs to be put into context. While Schoen made multiple questionable decisions early in his tenure, which included letting talent like Saquon Barkley, Julian Love, and Xavier McKinney walk out the door, giving Daniel Jones a big contract that the team ultimately had to swallow, and some disappointing draft classes, including 2022 and 2023, he has slowly begun to turn things around.

The 2024 and 2025 classes have been much better, forming a core group of talent on both sides of the ball. The 2026 class also looks far better so far.

Schoen also managed to get Big Blue its franchise quarterback, and he has sought to vastly upgrade the veteran talent to give new head coach John Harbaugh the pieces he needs to be successful.

Not that this has convinced Daugherty, who wrote, “Joe Schoen found his quarterback. It may cost him his job.

“Welcome though Jaxson Dart’s addition was, it didn’t lead to any better returns in 2025. That got Brian Daboll fired but was undoubtedly part of the reason John Harbaugh was hired."

Schoen, who is in the final year of his contract, has yet to get an extension. It’s possible ownership is waiting to see whether he and Harbaugh, who seemed to work so well together building the roster in the offseason, can handle the ups and downs of the regular season.

While a No. 25 ranking feels harsh, perhaps the biggest justification is that in the four seasons Schoen has been in charge, the Giants are 22-45-1.

Should the product on the field improve, expect Schoen’s ranking to improve this time next year, but until such time, it’s hard to argue against the current ranking.

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