Big Blue Huddle

I hope I'm wrong, but Bobbie Johnson feels like a bit of a scapegoat.

Now - I'm not saying he's a good OL Coach. All evidence points to the contrary. His guys had no idea what they were doing.

But just like any business, sh#t rolls uphill. Just like it probably does at most of our jobs. The OL struggled from the opening bell last year. Where was the Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka when it became clear Johnson was getting poor results? If he couldn't fix it, where was the Head Coach Brian Daboll? This was a problem that derailed the entire season and got their million dollar QB hurt. None of them could fix it.

Now Bobbie J's gone, and we're just hoping Bricillo waves a magic wand and they start playing better. I'm skeptical.

Produce.

I was going to say "win games" but I think there's a scenario where he produces but the team doesn't win, and he still comes out looking favorably.

The winning thing isn't just a Daniel Jones problem. That problem existed before DJ arrived. The most you can say is he couldn't elevate them out of the dysfunction. Few QBs (if any) would've. You've got to be careful reading too much into that, given the overall state.

However - careers are short and struggle is real. As Perry Fewell told Justin Tuck once (after his shoulder injury) "you don't get these years back". First time in his career he's got a legit WR1. Good slot WR. He's set up to have success in the passing game. I myself have defended him many times pointing out the impossible nature of having a bad OL w/bad skill players.

If he fails to produce, there's no more wondering what if. He's got enough now.*


*Provided Nabers isn't a bust, of course.

Like the offense as a whole, I'm willing to give him a mulligan for last year.

The entire year, from the start of camp, was a calamity.

Sometimes a team just has a "bad year". What can you say when, in less than 20 days, you lose Darren Waller, Andrew Thomas and Saquon Barkley? I realize there's not a lot of patiences for that given the larger picture/10+ years of futility.

As for Neal - he got a concussion that lasted a while (I was disappointed with missed practices vs. Hutchinson), then more injuries. If you watch some of the film breakdowns by knowledgable OL people (like Skinner on Talkin Giants) - it appears he started settling down and was showing improvement over year 1. (Trending in the right direction.)

I think there's reasons to be optimistic and pessimistic, and I agree with the above comment if he struggles early again, you've got to pull the plug. The goal isn't Evan Neal at RT, the goal is to win football games.

The other performance driver is Schmitz. Quite frankly, it's tough not to be underwhelmed by his play last year considering the hype. He does things well, but looked like a liability in other areas and his play declined as the year went. For me, it was shades of Weston Richburg just never quite making it. Big year for him, to prove he can get this thing turned around.

We're at the point now where either the seeds sprout, or they don't.

For years, and certainly as Schoen's taken over, the Giants have been one of the youngest teams in the league:

RB - Drafted Gray (25) and Tracy (25) last 2 years. Are they players or do they suck? RB depth will be needed to do anything meaningful.
WR - If Nabers (21) and Hyatt (23) pop, and Robinson (23) keeps going, they could have one of the best trios in the league. If they don't, the worst.
TE - Bellinger (24) & Theo Johnson (23) are the potential difference makers. How good are they?
OL - The performance of the group swings on Schmitz (25) and Neal (24). 2 premium investments. 
CB - Banks (23), Flott (23), Robinson (26), Phillips (23) & Hawkins (24) are 5 planted seeds. This could sprout into a great situation or completely suck. 
S - Investments made in Nubin (23), Pinnock (25), Belton (24) & Owens (25). Solid 4-man group or a weakness?

Almost every position group hinges on how these youngsters (acquired by Schoen) come around. We could get a bumper crop, or starve to death.

It's amazing. They've picked Neal, Ezeudu, McKethan and Schmitz, and barely have anything serviceable to show for it.

They better hope Bobby Johnson was a terrible OL Coach.

Bricillo provides some sort of hope, but at this point, the OL situation defies logic. Multiple schemes, coaches, coordinators, play callers & GMs. Even with a great LT they are still scary bad. That almost doesn't make sense. Part of me thinks we sold our souls for those Super Bowls.

In any event, I'll play it straight and say Neal and Schmitz are the swing states. You can go from bad to good quickly in the NFL. If those 2 guys live up to their draft status, the Giants will have an excellent OL.

Thomas
Runyan
Schmitz
Eleumunor
Neal

Those are all Schoen's guys. This is on him now.

Imagine if the draft plays out this way based on current rumors?

1-CHI: QB Caleb Williams
2-WAS: QB Jayden Daniels
3-MIN: QB Drake Maye (trade up, 3 #1 picks + 2nd round pick)
4-AZ: WR Marvin Harrison, Jr.
5-LAC: WR Malik Nabers
6-DEN: QB J.J. McCarthy (trade up, Giants receive DEN's 1st round pick (#12 overall), 3rd round pick (#76 overall), 2025 1st round pick and CB Patrick Surtain)

This might be the dream scenario: McCarthy slides to #6 and they're able to get a king's ransom to trade down. Surtain and Burns gives the D a new look, with Surtain and Banks the most physical CB duo in the league. And with a bounty of picks, a path forward plugging all the holes and lack of playmakers. The Giants may still have a shot at Bo Nix or Michael Penix at #12, too, if they like them.

I respect JJM as a prospect, and the importance of the QB position, and I'd be stoked to get him. But I think I'd rather get the bounty from DEN. It would be a ballsy move of the Giants not to take him, but just one fan's thoughts as I nervously await the draft. The good news is, they can't lose. They are either going to get a QB, a stud WR or trade down for a bunch of picks. That's pretty exciting.

There are lots of QBs that produce with bad OLs and good skills. That's all I meant. Herbert has a terrible OL and puts up big numbers too.

Now - if we're talking about team-building and being a Super Bowl contender, I agree 100%. It's no coincidence most of the best teams in the league have good OLs. 

RB - Audric Estime, Notre Dame
Jack-hammer with a nose for the end zone. They've been missing a back like this for years. Had a private visit with the Giants.

3T - Johnny Newton, Illinois
Giants like this kid, I've heard he's a target if they trade down. Had a private visit with the Giants.

CB - Max Melton, Rutgers
Physical CB who can support vs. the run. Shows starting ability, would pair nicely with Banks. Good value in round 2. Had a private visit with the Giants.

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I think at least 1 of these guys is going to end up in blue.

That's a great way of articulating it.

I've been saying this for a long time, in "defense" of Jones.

You can get by with a bad OL and good skill players, or a good OL with bad skill players. But you won't get by with a bad OL & bad skills. NFL is too good for that.

The Giants can barely hold up for 3-step drops right now. As Schoen said - it's embarrassing. If the Giants truly want to be a passing team, Joe Alt makes a ton of sense.

You can say that's too much spent on the OL, but if that's the cost to finally being allowed to run your offense, so be it.

Technically, the farther and more lateral he has to go, the less effective. Good drive blocking and combo blocking and I like how busy he was in pass pro. Always looking to help G's and hit somebody.

The negatives I saw? Outside zone liability. With OZ you gotta stay even with the LOS and start arcing up the field. I saw him consistently taking false steps backward (bad trajectory out of his stance) and getting beat by the DT. That's a tough block - the reach block - against some athletic DTs who are sometimes already shaded ahead of you. If the C can't cut the guy off (or loses depth) the play is ruined by penetration.

This was a key play in the Daboll/Barkley offense (it was considered Barkley's best play) even though they sucked at blocking it. When you look at the G's they added, maybe they are going to more of a gap scheme this year, which seems to fit Neal better too. 4 of the 5 projected starting OL do not move laterally well.

To me, it looks like an OL that is going to struggle again picking up stunts and twists if they try to throw the ball without establishing the run. If they pound downhill with gap runs and Singletary keeping them on schedule, it can be an effective OL IMO.

I do think PSUBeirut made some nice points though, it's not these guys fault where they're drafted and Barkley clearly did the best he could.

The Giants stupidly drafted this guy #2 with no plan. That will always infuriate me. You wanna take Barkley at 2? Fine. Build a fully comprehensive run game with the QB up under center and an unusual amount of resources on run blocking OL. Capitalize on the significant, out-of-the-box direction you've chosen.

Instead, just like with Jones, they surrounded him with a terrible run blocking OL, "blocking" TEs like Evan Engram, Lawrence Cager and Darren Waller, and shotgun inside hand-offs up the wazoo. He was running into a meat-grinder and got physically destroyed, right before our eyes, just like DJ.  It's been ugly to watch.

With all due respect to Banks, I think everyone appreciates what Barkley did (and didn't) do here.

But he soured on the Giants last year and because of all the ineptitude, guys like him and DJ don't think much of Giants fans either. It's a tough town - it's win or go home. His goodbye to the Giants community was pretty lame and now he'll continue to chirp.

I'm not going to "bash" him but I have the same evaluation of him now that I've had for years here: he's a mental headcase, he's compromised due to injury, he makes mental mistakes in pressure situations and he does not do a good with situational football or keeping the offense on schedule. Despite his reputation he's clunky and robotic in the pass game. What made this guy special is the gamebreaking ability and that's been gone for years now, and isn't coming back.

Business move rooted in emotion, both parties trying to stick it to the Giants. The Eagles were getting smacked around by everyone down the stretch. It's over. He'll have a couple big games and the fans will go crazy, but they'll regret the contract and booing the #^@$ out of him by the end of year. 

He just knows what to do. He plays with a calmness that allows him to make tough catches.

The comparison to Larry Fitzgerald is good. Big, great hands, perfect technique and a natural football player. Odunze or Nabers would be very exciting, but if the Giants somehow got MHJ I'd be over the moon.