“What I find missing as I watch the show is there’s no identity for the Giants. There’s no systematic ‘this is who we are'”
Now I’m just a fan. I don’t know more about the league’s inner workings than Lombardi. And while his record in two seasons as an NFL GM was 11-21, with fewer wins and more losses than Joe Schoen had during his two seasons at the helm of the Giants, I won’t say he doesn’t have a right to his opinion. But when he says no identity, he’s just flat-out wrong.
Joe Schoen has had three off-seasons calling the shots for the Giants. He has drafted offensive linemen with a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th round pick. This off-season alone, he has signed four offensive linemen with at least 1 season of double-digit starts under their belt, and 3 of the 4 had double-digit starts as recently as last season. The two projected starters from that bunch were both rated better pass blockers than run blockers. He also gave 2 of his three biggest contracts as GM to a left tackle and quarterback.
On top of that, Schoen has now used a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round pick on wide receivers. All guys are known not for their size but for their speed and quickness. He used two 4th round picks on tight ends and traded a 3rd rounder for Darren Waller, who had two 1,100+ yard seasons under his belt. At the same time, in three drafts, Schoen has yet to use anything higher than a 5th round pick on an RB, even after losing star Saquon Barkley and replacing him with Devin Singletary, who has never rushed for even 900 yards during his five seasons in the league.
On the defensive side of the ball, Schoen has used a 1st to draft Kayvon Thibodeaux, who had 11.5 sacks as a sophomore, and a 2nd round pick to trade for Brian Burns, who has at least eight sacks each of the last four seasons, including a 12.5 sack campaign in 2022. His 2nd and 4th highest contracts as Giants GM were given to Burns and DT Dexter Lawrence, who ranked 3rd last season in defensive tackle pass rush win rate only behind Super Bowl Champions and likely Hall of Famers Aaron Donald and Chris Jones.
The lone 1st round pick I’ve failed to mention from Joe Schoen was CB Deonte Banks. Schoen has also drafted DBs with a 2nd, two 3rds, a 4th, 5th, and 7th round picks. While injecting youth into the secondary, Schoen also lost his three most proven members, as Julian Love left for Seattle last year, Xavier McKinney signed with the Packers this year, and Adoree’ Jackson is currently a free agent.
You can question the specific people Schoen chose to exact his vision, and you’d be well within your rights to do so. I personally don’t think Daniel Jones has been a QB worth $40+ million per season so I get it. Evan Neal has so far been a complete bust of an offensive tackle. The Darren Waller trade was a flop after another predictable injury-plagued year and early retirement for him. But what you can’t do, if you’ve actually paid any attention to what this team has done, is say they have no identity.
It is crystal clear this team wants to win by protecting the QB, throwing to speedy, quick WRs who can get yards after the catch, and attacking opposing QBs with a stud front seven guys who can beat most blockers one on 1.
Don’t get confused; I’m by no means saying this formula is sure to work. But if it doesn’t, it’ll be because Schoen picked guys who either weren’t good enough or weren’t healthy enough. It won’t be because of some identity crisis and the Giants not knowing who they want to be.
That’s just nonsense. That’s just Michael Lombardi. He is a bitter ex-GM who seems to be suffering from the disease of me and jealousy that he’s not getting a third season to build a team in his image like Schoen.
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