The New York Giants had some big decisions to make in free agency in 2024. General manager Joe Schoen was entering his third year with the team. Two of the Giants best players, running back Saquon Barkley and safety Xavier McKinney were set to become free agents. Schoen had to decide whether to re-sign them, give them the franchise or transition tag, or let them walk.
Schoen was featured on Hard Knocks Offseason with the New York Giants on HBO Max. Fans got an in-depth look at the Giant’s free agency process. I recently watched the entire six-episode show. I was curious to see what led both Barkley and McKinney to sign with new teams.
2022 Season
Let’s go back a bit. In 2022, after four years as the Bills assistant GM. Schoen was hired by Giant’s owner John Mara to be the team’s new general manager. Schoen brought Brian Daboll with him to be the Giant’s head coach. Daboll was coming off a successful run as Bill’s offensive coordinator.
The tenure for both Schoen and Daboll got off to a promising start. After five straight losing seasons, the Giants finished 9-7-1 which included a wild card berth. They won a playoff game, beating the NFC North champion Minnesota Vikings 31-24 on the road. The Giants would lose the next week to the Eagles 38-7, but things were looking up. Daboll even won AP NFL Coach of the Year.
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones was coming off his best season and was due to be a free agent. Schoen has a huge decision to make. He ultimately decided to give Jones a four-year, $160 million deal. $40 million a year is a lot to give a quarterback who only threw for 15 touchdowns in 16 games.
A lot of people around the league were shocked. Jones was not considered to be a franchise QB let alone worth $40 million dollars a season. Jones had not played as well in the previous three seasons. He had struggled to stay healthy and wasn’t effective when he was on the field.
I am not sure why he paid Jones as much as he did. The only thing I can think of is he believed he couldn’t do any better than Jones in the draft or free agency. He also likely thought another team would have given Jones the same contract. Whatever the reason, the contract has been a total disaster. According to Overthecap.com, Jones’ cap number this season is a whopping $47.855 million.
Saquon Barkley Decision
Owner John Mara admitted on Hard Knocks that Saquon Barkley was the Giant’s best player. Mara made it clear he wanted Barkley back on the Giants. On the show it was obvious it was Schoen’s decision and Mara just wanted to be kept in the loop. Schoen decided not to pay Barkley top running back money and let him test free agency. He hoped no one would match Barkley’s asking price and then he and his agent would circle back to the Giants.
Schoen believed it was worth the risk. There were several talented running backs in free agency including Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, De’Andre Swift, and Tony Pollard. Schoen underestimated Barkley’s value. Barkley wasn’t just a great player but the face of the franchise. The division rival Philadelphia Eagles recognized his value and signed Barkley to a three-year, $37.75 million contract.
Things have gone well for Barkley in the City of Brotherly Love. He’s enjoying his best season and is not only third in the league in rushing but is second in rushing yards per game. This past Sunday, the Giants lost at home to the Eagles 28-3. Barkley had 189 total yards in the game. The Giant’s entire team gained just 119 yards.
This is not sitting well with the Giant’s fans. Several have called for Mara to fire both Schoen and Daboll. Some even want Mara to sell the team. It got so bad that Mara had to give both of them the dreaded “vote of confidence.” He would go on to say he doesn’t see himself firing either Schoen or Daboll during the season or even in the offseason. Whenever an owner has to make this statement, you know the franchise is in a downward spiral.
Xavier McKinney Decision
Safety Xavier McKinney was coming off a career year and was only 25 years old at the start of free agency. The former second-round pick out of Alabama was poised for a big payday. Like most people, I assumed he would get either the franchise tag or the transition tag. The franchise tag would have kept McKinney with the Giants for one more season. They could then work out a contract extension. The transition tag would have allowed the Giants to match any offer McKinney got from another team in free agency.
Like Barkley, Joe Schoen decided to let McKinney test the open market. Once again, Schoen made a terrible decision. The Green Bay Packers had a huge need at safety and signed him to a four-year, 68-million-dollar deal. On Hard Knocks, Schoen was shocked that McKinney would garner $17 million a year.
Just like Saquon Barkley, McKinney is off to a tremendous start with his new team. He currently leads the league in interceptions. The Packer’s defense under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley looks like one of the most improved units in the NFL. Xavier McKinney has been a huge part of that and has helped make the Packers a contender.
What Schoen Did in Free Agency
Joe Schoen prioritized the offensive line in free agency. He signed Jon Runyan Jr to a three-year $33 million deal to play guard. He also signed Jermaine Eluemenor to a two-year $14 million deal to play tackle. Both filled huge needs but neither one is an elite player. Runyan was coming off his worst season as a pro. Eluemenor is a good pass blocker but struggles to block in the run game.
To replace Barkley, the Giants gave Devin Singeltary a three-year $16.5 million contract. Singletary has had a decent career for the Bills and Texans but is not nearly the playmaker Barkley is. He is undersized for the position and has managed just 239 yards in five games.
These three moves have not had the impact Schoen would have hoped. The offensive line has struggled and the Giants are 25th in rushing yards per game. If Schoen can spend $23.5 million a year on these three players, why couldn’t he spend $30 million on both Barkley and McKinney? I am sure Giants fans would like to know the answer.
Reason For Optimism
I didn’t want to spend this entire article looking at all the bad moves Schoen made. His offseason was not a total loss. The Giant’s draft class is a home run so far. 1st-round pick Malik Nabers already looks like a star. Tyler Nubin and Andru Phillips should be starters in the secondary for years to come. Tight end Theo Johnson and running back Tyrone Tracy are already contributing and look like Day 3 steals.
Final Thoughts
The Giants are one of the most successful franchises in NFL history. They have won eight league championships including four Super Bowls. Their fans expect to compete for a title year in and year out. That has not happened under Schoen. He let two of the team’s best players walk away for nothing. Maybe if Schoen hadn’t given Jones 40 million a season, he could have kept Barkley and McKinney along with everyone else they added in the offseason.
Not only were Barkley and McKinney great players, but they were also team captains. There’s no doubt the Giants are worse without them. They currently sit at 2-5 and it’s looking like yet another losing season. Mara will have some decisions to make in the off-season. If Joe Schoen is retained, he will be tasked with picking the team’s next quarterback. That decision will likely determine his fate as general manager.
For More Great Football Content
Follow me on Twitter at @Footballcheez for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in college and professional football, click here!