Giants Country

New York Giants Mailbag: Post Free-Agency Edition

Let's see what's on readers' minds this week.

Patricia Traina

New York Giants Mailbag: Post Free-Agency Edition
New York Giants Mailbag: Post Free-Agency Edition /
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If you'd like to submit a question for the mailbag, please use this link to avoid having your question land in spam. You may also post your questions on X (formerly known as Twitter) to @Patricia_Traina, hashtag #askPTrain. Please note that letters may be edited for clarity/length.

(From John S.) With the Giants trading second-round pick #39 to Carolina and expressing interest in drafting a quarterback, the second-tier quarterbacks may be off the board when they next pick at #47. What do you think?

John, it's anyone's guess as to how the board falls, but given the depth of this class, I think there will be options left on the board in the second round.

(From Andrew G.) I was listening to "Big Blue Banter" with Nick and Dan. They said something interesting: the Giants were not happy with Jones' throwing motion post-second neck injury. Have you heard anything about this, and what are your thoughts?

Andrew, I agree with Nick's and Dan's observations. Having dealt with a neck issue for months myself, I noticed a significant loss of strength in my affected arm. So, I would believe that if Jones's throwing arm was affected, he, too, lost strength and tried to compromise with a different motion that might have created problems for him.

(From Jonathan T.) What would Schoen say about drafting Chop Robinson, DE Penn State? He ran a 4.49 40-yard dash. I, Jonathan T., am the biggest Jerusalem, Israel-based Giants fan.

Welcome Jonathan! I hope you and yours are safe, and thanks for being a reader! I think at this point, Joe Schoen would be open to drafting Chop Robinson, but it will all depend on how the board falls. I don't think you can go into a draft saying you're going to draft Player X because what happens if Player Y has a higher grade on your draft board?

(From Dave S.) The Giants didn’t get a #1 WR or a CB with free agency. They traded two top-five players’ money (X and Saquon) to get one guy with fewer sacks than Kayvon. They got rid of Glowinski for another middling guard and a cheaper swing for the OL. Now, DJ and the front seven are where the big contracts reside. Sure, it looks like rearranging the deck chairs for the best positional view. Do you think any of this made them significantly better?

Dave, we'll have to see if they're better—championships aren't won in March, as I'm sure you know. But that said, I like that Schoen is approaching this rebuild the way it should have been, and that is from the inside out. How many more years did we need to see this team getting its backsides beaten in the trenches before realizing that something needed to change in the roster construction?

(From Howard D.) 1- How does the contract the Eagles gave to Saquon Barkley compare with the last multi-year contract the Giants offered? 2- Did the Giants offer any contract to Barkley after the end of the 2023 season?

Howard, I can't make a straight-up comparison because the guaranteed money in the deals the Giants put on the table was never disclosed, and that's what you have to put at the core when comparing deals. As for your second question, my understanding is the Giants met with Barkley's agent during the combine but that no proposals were exchanged.

(From Mike Z.) Is there any scuttle from the Giants about what O-line coach Bricillo thinks about who can be “fixed”?

Not yet, Mike. The players can't work with the position coaches until week 2 of the off-season program, which starts after the draft. At this point, all Bricillo likely has to work with is last year's film, but until he gets them on the field, it's too soon to speculate on anything else.

(From John M.) What do you make of Cowherd’s accusation that ownership has forced Jones on Schoen & Dabs? I find it strange because we know Mara loves Saquon & he didn’t intervene there, but what do you think?

John, I think you answered your question. Yes, John Mara has opinions on players, but he didn't hire Joe Schoen just to tell him how to do the job. I think John feels remorse over how Jones's Giants career has gone--he's said as much. And I think they want to give him every opportunity to succeed.

That said, at what point do you just own up to the fact that even when things have been good for Jones, he's still been inconsistent, and his injury history is a huge concern moving forward?

Andrew, I suspect the Giants are tapped out financially and have completed the bulk of their free-agency signings. There might be one or two more "minor" moves, but I'm not expecting any shockers unless we're talking about a draft trade.

Ed, ask any coach, and he'll tell you a CB4 is just as important as a CB1. That said, if you're talking about "value" contracts, they vary each year and by each team. It's virtually impossible to put a number or percentage on them.   

I think so. Truth be told, free agency pretty much went the way I thought it would: veterans for the O-line, edge, and running back, another blocking tight end, and a veteran backup quarterback. The Giants still need a WR1 and, in my opinion, a developmental quarterback who can sit for a year while he acclimates.

This is just a guess, but I think the Giants intended to roll with Darius Slayton, Wan'Dale Robinson, and Jalin Hyatt as their primary three, while guys like Hodgins, Parris Campbell, and Sterling Shepard were the backups. That Slayton, Robison, and Hyatt stayed healthy is probably why the others didn't get many snaps.

I hope so, but I doubt it. I've heard whispers that he is not an ideal fit for the new system that Shane Bowen is bringing in.

I actually do another exclusive video mailbag for my "Blue Crew" community members. If you'd like more info, visit https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonnygiants. Plenty of other perks are included for Blue Crew members.

(From Raymond S.) Patricia, years ago, it was fun to watch your sports team and root, not only for your team but for certain individual players on the team that you felt a connection to. Real or imagined, you felt some of the players truly felt connected to the fans and the organization. It may have been an illusion on my part. While I do not begrudge a player for going for the money, the loyalty factor no longer exists between management and player. Can you even remember a player giving an organization a home team discount? The romance of sports is dead.  

Raymond, this is why, growing up as a kid, I never really invested in player jerseys. Even now, if I were in the market for a jersey, I'd probably get one with my own name on it rather than a player's name because, to me, you're a fan of the team, and whoever just so happens to be on the team is an added bonus.

I don't know. The players aren't back in the building until next month for the start of the off-season workout program. We'll hear from Daboll later this month at the league meetings.  

No. The Eagles, if proven that they tampered, would be docked a pick.

I'd be shocked if the Giants traded for Justin Fields. Again, this is a deep quarterbacks class, and if I'm them, I'm taking a quarterback from the second tier. People seem to forget that a decision needs to be made on Fields' fifth-year option by this May. Just as the Giants didn't exercise Daniel Jones's option year when they inherited him, I can't see them doing so for Fields, even if they were to acquire him.

LOL! Nah, using logic and doing the job the right way is way more challenging. 

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Don't the Giants need a quarterback as well? But seriously, it really depends on who's on the board. 

The simple answer is that the Eagles put in a club option bonus in each year of his deal. If they exercise the option, the cap number goes up. Also, they staggered guaranteed money, so for example, if he's on the roster on March 18 of this year, $165 million of his total base salary becomes guaranteed. And the base will include the option year money. If the Eagles pick up the option, then the rest of the money gets tacked on. 

Signing bonuses can only prorate over a max of five years of any given contract. That's why there isn't any dead money from 2028 onward.

(From Joe G.) My needs for the Giants are 1 & 1A, a # 1 WR and CB. There is just too much WR talent on other teams to not find a good young CB. Next for me are DT and S, and now an RB. Positional needs should all be addressed in the draft. What is your priority list?

Joe, my priority list, in no particular order, includes WR (I'd double dip here), quarterback, and cornerback (preferably a CB2 candidate). I think they're set at OL, and if they add one more running back (as is rumored to be the case), they'll be set there. I'd also add to the D-line and inside linebacker.   

(From Kevin C.) Patty—I'm one Giants fan who has a mostly positive reaction to Saquon signing with Philly. We all hate the Eagles, and we certainly don't want to see the addition of Barkley make them better. But I think it's just as likely that their new running back will be a major disappointment.

If you consider Barkley's age and the number of seasons he's played, then factor in his injury history, no one should be surprised if he misses time next season and if his skills regress over the next couple of years. We shouldn't be mean-spirited enough to wish him injury or failure, but it seems fairly likely that he won't live up to Philly's investment. By the time his three-year contract expires, I think Giants Country will look back on it with no regrets. Do you agree?

Kevin, first, I completely agree that we shouldn't be wishing for Barkley's injury or failure. Goodness, last I checked, this was a free country and people were allowed to change employers, especially if they had a contract that wasn't renewed.

And yes, I question whether Barkley is going to pay the dividends Philly seems to think he will. I personally think they overpaid for him and I was quite surprised by how the contract was structured. That said, who knows? Maybe playing behind that offensive line will be the difference. 

(From Nick W.) In assessing the moves the Giants have made so far and the related dollars spent/saved, I think the bottom line is whether the Giants would be a better team with Burns or Barkley plus McKinney plus the 39th pick in this year’s draft plus a fifth-round pick in next year’s draft. While Burns’ average annual salary is about the same as Barkley’s plus McKinney’s, Burns’ guaranteed money is about $36 million higher. What do you think?

Nick, I'm not quite sure what your question is--are you asking about the better value or the better personnel? If it's the latter, the way I see it is Barkley was a luxury that the Giants were unwilling to spend on. Ditto McKinney. Burns fills a glaring hole that I've personally been screaming about for multiple years, so I'm fine with the swap  Joe Schoen made. 

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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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