How do you feel about the Giants future?

[Doc16LT56]

I put myself at a 3.

QB-  Jones' health issues combined with a poor 2023 performance makes him unlikely to be the team's long term answer


Overall talent level-  Bottom 5 in the league, potentially bottom 3

Since the trenches are very important-

O-line-  Still a real mess with the need to add at least 2 starters and a swing tackle capable of starting

D-line-  Need at least one more quality edge rusher and a replacement for Williams

Cap Space-  The Giants are middle of the pack with about $17.5 million in effective cap space (the Giants may be able to boost this a bit).

No indication the team is parting ways with Ronnie Barnes, but at least there will be a new S/C coach

Coaching overall, they are replacing their two worst in BJ and their ST Coordinator, so there could be improvement there.  Hitting on their O-line coach could give this team a real lift

Young talent in the pipeline-  There is some in Hyatt, W. Robinson, Banks, and KT, but I would say it's a source of great optimism

So I am not seeing many reasons to be optimistic about this team's prospects.

That said, you never know what knock-it-out-of-the-park draft could drastically change this team's fortunes.

Great post. I agree with every word.

[kartanoman]

I'm a slightly generous 5.

Our three biggest issues for me are OL bar AT, DE/DT post Leo and QB.

Edge 2, CB and a WR1 would all be nice to have but I don't think upgrading any of them would have quite the same impact as better trench and QB play would give us.

We have quite a few young players with upside who have flashed at times this year but still too few established playmakers. Our depth is improving though and back-ups have contributed.

We generally play hard and compete against 'mid' teams but the talent deficit to eg Dallas, SF has been gargantuan. Coaching has been up and down but they never lost the team. Effort remained strong. This matters moving forward.

It would be interesting to retain all our thoughts and then revisit in May post FA/draft and again next season. Right now I could see us as anything between 5 and 10 wins next year and would not want to be try to be more precise.

I completely agree with your statement I highlighted above in boldface and this can be both a blessing and curse depending on how Schoen and Daboll manage their risk in either playing it conversative, let the kids develop, but may not do so at a pace to close the gap with the Eagles, Cowboys or 49ers. On the other hand, would they be willing to let potential or established talent leave the team, to free up cap space, and make some big name acquisitions in the offseason? Perhaps pull off a trade or two? Package a deal during the draft to get "their guy(s)" who will be impact players with a higher level of confidence?

The 1-10 score must be predicated on the GM and HC's offseason. It will start with the new coaches added to Daboll's staff. It will continue with how they handle their free agents. It will be defined by the 2024 draft. Finally, the perception will be rounded off by the new FA players they sign as well as those they resign already on the team.

But as to how I feel about the future of the Giants under Schoen and Daboll right now, I must admit I feel they are at the crossroads and next season is the one where they must start demonstrating synthesis of the strategy they sold the Mara and Tisch families, respectively, when they were given the job in 2022. I cannot quantify that at this time but to suggest that Daboll has used his learning curve in 2023 and is now a battled hardened head coach who will be expected to deliver an improved result from what has been achieved over this past season. To me, it means:

1. "Close the Gap" between the Giants and their key division rivals (i.e. Dallas and Philadelphia)
2. If you're going all-in for "your guy" at the QB position, GET YOUR GUY!!! Otherwise, improve the talent on your team across the board (NOTE: personally, I feel they need to fix and upgrade their offensive line, starting with the best available coach in the business to turn their fortunes around).
3. Analytics and Medical teams MUST continue to identify root and/or direct causes to injuries (NOTE: especially 1. non-contact injuries, 2. soft tissue injuries, 3. joint injuries) and relentlessly pursue corrective/preventive actions as well as guidance from the league's medical board and industry's best practices.
4. No sacred cows in the locker room. Performance-based evaluations that determine who is getting it done and who isn't (e.g. the old Parcells saying, "You don't get any medals for trying, only for results.").

Until players realize that their job DEPENDS on getting after Dak Prescott and Jalen Hurts, or blowing their opponent off the line, or making that extra effort that's going to break the will of their opponent, they will never close the gap with their divisional rivals which means they'll never finish any better than third in the division. If Washington manages to bring in a new head coach, drafts a big name QB, and begins to close their own gap in the division, the Giants may be headed for the cellar and we'll be rinsing and repeating the process with a new GM and Head Coach next year.

It's like the late Lou Saban's famous quotes, "We're at the crossroads, and there's no doubt about that! You can get it done. You can get it done! What's more, ya GOT to get it DONE! You're KILLING me, Whitey, you're KILLING me!"

I digress. But Daboll's at the crossroads and there's no doubting that.

Peace!

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I'm an eternal optimist and think the future's bright! This was a 3-year building process and we have a great defensive foundation and some pretty good offensive players. Get a good ST coach and OL coach...fix the O-line once and for all and add a couple of more playmakers, and we're off to the big show