It took 23 years, however the NFL lastly acquired the New York Giants on HBO’s Laborious Knocks.
We discovered that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are Joe Schoen’s go-to when on the street. He stated that he ate PB&J sandwiches whereas driving as an space scout, and in addition ate them when driving to New York after being employed because the Giants’ new GM in 2022.
However whereas that’s a enjoyable anecdote, it wasn’t the massive story from the primary episode.
The true meat of the primary episode was the peek behind the scenes of the Giants’ free company course of, notably with respect to star operating again Saquon Barkley.
The worth of Saquon Barkley
“Sure positions have excessive greenback factors as a result of they’re positions of influence,” stated assistant GM Brandon Brown “You wish to be sure to get return in your funding.”
The massive query for the Giants was whether or not Barkley — and the operating again place basically — is price that funding.
Schoen stated early within the episode that the operating again place turned much less and fewer of a necessity for the Giants compared to the remainder of the roster. He noticed that the Giants wanted so as to add a cornerback, a go rusher, and a primary receiver, saying “that operating again retains taking place.”
“We’re not going to franchise him,” Schoen stated, noting that the workforce wasn’t going to be real looking to franchise and commerce him. The Giants didn’t anticipate anybody giving up draft picks for Barkley in addition to signal him to a $12 million per 12 months contract. They regarded a possible tag and commerce situation as a “Hail Mary”.
The Giants’ entrance workplace members additionally appeared skeptical that any workforce with a $20 million per 12 months receiver would pay Barkley what he was asking. Because it so occurs, the Philadelphia Eagles have been prepared to offer Barkley that contract. And in gentle of how the Giants’ brass values the operating again place, the Eagles signing Barkley doubtless got here as a shock.
Schoen questioned how Philly would allocate their funds given their very own wants. That’s notably true provided that their divisional rival would additionally need to pay receivers DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, each who whom would garter excess of $20 million per 12 months.
Changing Barkley
With respect to the category of operating again free brokers as an entire, Schoen stated, “There’s going to be saturation within the operating again market, there may very well be some worth guys there.”
He later stated to John Mara that he believed that the Giants wouldn’t have to draft a operating again extremely to interchange Barkley, however that they’d be capable of handle the place with a excessive worth participant within the second week of free company.
The Giants’ mind belief mentioned a number of free agent operating backs. From Zack Moss and Tony Pollard to Devin Singletary, who they finally signed.
We all know that Laborious Knocks is edited in such a manner as to offer us a glimpse behind the scenes, however with out making a gift of a lot of something to future opponents. Even so, we acquired some fascinating perception on the operating again place, and maybe into the offense as an entire.
The dialogue round Singletary famous that (in distinction to Moss) he’s extra of a receiving menace, and a display screen participant specifically, on third downs than a go protector. That may very well be a touch that the Giants will look to emphasise operating again screens within the upcoming season. In addition they famous that Moss was a “banger” on first and second downs, whereas Singletary is extra of a finesse participant. In gentle of that — and naturally the choose of Malik Nabers at sixth total — that the Giants are going to be extra pass-heavy than in earlier years.
Schoen additionally famous that the Giants aren’t paying Daniel Jones $40 million handy the ball off. It appears clear that the plan has been so as to add weapons within the passing sport, and put the offense wholly on Jones.
Put merely, the primary episode makes clear that this wasn’t Saquon Barkley’s workforce anymore. 2024 is all about Daniel Jones.