Jeffrey Jacobs asks: Hope you were able to enjoy a Giants-free weekend. I have another Joe Schoen question. Could you give us a peak behind the curtain as to how the Giants divide responsibilities between Schoen and his assistant GM Brandon Brown? What exactly does the Assistant GM do – is he like the Vice President who basically sits around and waits for the President to give him a task, or does he have a specific area of responsibility? While watching the train wreck that was ‘Hard Knocks’ last year, I came away impressed with Brown and have thought that if/when Schoen gets fired the Giants might just promote Brown to the top spot which would insure some level of continuity (arguably that might not be as good thing, but that’s a whole other question). I do feel that Joe Schoen needs to go, with his biggest failure being an almost criminal lack of depth on the roster – as soon as a starter goes down, that unit is basically doomed.
Ed says: Jeffrey, I don’t know the nitty-gritty details of what Brown does every day. I know that when Schoen was hired by the Giants he credited Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane with preparing him for the job by letting him on every aspect of it, not hiding any information from him or keeping him from learning every piece of the GM role. He promised to do the same for Brown.
When he was hired, Brown described his job this way:
With the Giants, Brown described his job in two words: “football solutions.”
“It’s overseeing the pro personnel department, the college scouting department and also just being the checks and balances with Joe on the football operations side,” Brown said.
Brown takes part in all of the major decision-making discussions. He makes a lot of scouting trips, sometimes with Schoen and sometimes without him. He has a voice in everything, he just doesn’t get to make any of the final decisions.
Dennis Norton asks: If the decision is made to replace Joe Schoen, why not Brandon Brown? Brown has interviewed for other GM positions in the past and is seen as an up and comer. Brown’s elevation would not disrupt the this year’s scouting process and would provide for an easier transition to a new regime. I realize the argument against Brown is that he may be part of the problem. However, his experience as Assistant GM and time spent with the Eagles lead me to believe that his time has come. Elevate him and let him be part of the process to hire a new Coach. Your thoughts?
Ed says: Dennis, that is a natural question. Brown has gotten some interviews for other general manager openings.
You actually, though, answered your own question. We don’t know how much influence Brown has had on many of the biggest decisions that have been made the past few years. What has he agreed with? What has he not agreed with? What would he have done differently? Maybe ownership knows the answer because Brown does have a voice in the organization and is involved.
If ownership feels Brown would have made some different decisions in the past, and is better-suited to be the decision-maker going forward, fine. But, we can’t know for sure he is or isn’t “part of the problem,” to use your words.
John Fritz asks: My question is with JS future uncertain with the Giants if there are or aren’t any moves during their bye week be it player extensions or any additions, would that tip where ownership is leaning?
Ed says: John, I don’t think anything that did or did not happen during the bye week gives us any insight. I think that what happens over the final four weeks, when the Giants don’t play a single team that has a winning record, will be something that might weigh into ownership’s thinking. Especially if the Giants don’t win a couple of those games.
Gino P. asks: You explained well why the hit on Olszewski was not a helmet to helmet penalty. My question is if that WAS called a penalty, would that override the turnover? I have not seen that situation arise in a game before.
Ed says: This is a good question. As I often do with rules questions, I turned to Cyd Ziegler of Outsports.com for clarification. Cyd has refereed games at the high school and college levels.
His answer:
“Yes, the offense keeps the ball. The offense may need to accept the penalty – which they obviously would – and the enforcement spot would be the spot of the foul, given it was during a “running play.” I’m not sure there’s a specific “if the fumble is caused by a foul the fouled team keeps it,” but if you think about it, a foul before the change of possession… everything that happens after that foul is moot as long as the penalty is accepted.”
So, had a penalty been called the Giants would have maintained possession.
Robert Forgione asks: How much can Schoen and the ownership “search” for a new coach as the season is still going on. I thought you could only talk to coaches that were eliminated from playoffs or on a bye? What exactly are they doing if not able to talk to potential coaches.
Ed says: Robert, interviews with candidates already employed by other teams cannot be conducted until after the season or during designated windows during the playoffs. That is correct. That doesn’t mean back-channel calls to intermediaries, like agents, can’t be made to get an idea who might or might not be interested in the job. It also doesn’t mean some vetting of people you might have interest in can’t occur.
Edward McGowan asks: In listening and watching the Giants’ games this year, I heard a lot about how Dexter Lawrence has faced a double team in over 70% of the plays he has been involved with. I never gave it much thought. Then, I watched how Steve Spagnuolo schemed to get Chris Jones single covered and basically take over the second half of the game for the Kansas City Chiefs. OK, the Chiefs didn’t win but Jones was dominant. Is this a failure of the defensive coordinator? Standing by and letting the other team take away your best defensive player or did Bowen think this was a good use of Lawrence. I know Dexter was much better last year and he was probably double-teamed just as much, but it seems to me this is a clear indictment of Bowen’s inability to leverage the pieces of his defense. I know he’s gone, but Monday night made me resent him all over again.
Can we expect to see any changes in scheme that might light a spark on the defensive side or it too late in the season to change what has been baked into Bowen’s defensive strategy?
Ed says: Edward, the only thing I can say is I guess we will find out over the next four weeks. Interim defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen can’t throw everything out and install a new scheme. He can turn to some unused pages in the playbook and call things differently than Bowen did. He showed a willingness to do that against the Patriots, dialing up some blitz packages and efforts to disguise coverages or who was/was not rushing that we did not see from Bowen.
Can he create more one-on-one opportunities for Lawrence? It will certainly help if Kayvon Thibodeaux comes back and Abdul Carter starts making the kind of plays he was drafted to make. Those developments might force offense to make more decisions about allocating blocking resources.
One thing about Chris Jones is that he is much smaller than Lawrence, which gives the Chiefs the ability to align him in more places than the Giants can align Lawrence. Kansas City has used Jones as an edge or defensive end more than 200 times this season. I don’t think you can do that with a 350-pound man.
Christopher Trappe asks: Given your journalistic experience covering the Giants, your proximity to the team and your knowledge of Giants operations, do you think the 2025 Giants are better than last year’s team?
Ed says: Christopher, I think they should have been better. I think the pieces were, and in many ways still are, there for them to be better. I think all the blown double-digit leads they have blown tell you the opportunity was there for them to be better.
I think, though, that Jermaine Eluemunor’s answer to this question was the right one.
“2-11 sucks, period. I’m not going to look at this record and be like, yeah, we’re 2-11 now, we’re 2-11 last year but it’s different. No, it’s not different. It’s the same. We’re 2-11,” Eluemunor said earlier this week. “Like, you did things last year that got you to 2-11. We did things this year that got us to 2-11. I can say that our play is different. We’re in close games, but we didn’t finish those games. I’m not the type of cherry-pick at things and look at the positives. I’m a positive guy by nature, but at the same time we are 2-11 still. So, obviously there’s a lot of things for us to improve as a team and me individually, but there’s no cherry-picking at the record. I feel like that’s kind of like a losing mentality to be like, oh yeah, let’s look at this, look at that. No, we’re 2-11.”
Don Barone asks: Just want to get your opinion on the head coach search. Many are saying two things I disagree with. One, that it needs to be an offensive minded coach to develop Jaxon Dart. Two that Dart or any other player should have a big say on who the choice should be. I couldn’t disagree more. I think it should be a CEO type to oversee the entire operation. Discipline and structure top my list. Let the OC and QB coach develop Dart. Two, the inmates are already running the asylum. Please let the qualified people within the front office and ownership make the right choice. I get it that they’re hard to trust but they are more qualified than a 22-year-old player who’s been with the team for nine months.
Ed says: Don, where did this idea come from that Jaxson Dart is going to get to pick his next head coach? I know that isn’t fully what you are saying, but it seems to be what some fans think.
Dart has been an NFL player for less than a year. He has won TWO games. In no way is he picking the next head coach. Now, how the next head coach fits with Dart, whether or not he is all-in on Dart as the guy to build around, what his plan is for developing Dart and running an offense with him at the center of it, is critically important. Dart is the biggest piece of the Giants’ puzzle.
Finding the right head coach is not about which side of the ball he comes from. It is about whether he can lead men. Can he put a structure in place and hold players to a standard? Does he understand the kind of football the Giants have always won with? Can he excite quality assistant coaches and get them to come work for him?
Ed Helinski asks: What should Santa bring the Giants this Christmas? And who might be in line for coal in their stocking?
Ed says: Ed, it will be a late Christmas present but the Giants should hope Santa brings them the right head coach. Oh, and good health news for John Mara.
Coal in their stocking? The easy answer is Eagles fans.
Roger Mazone asks: Giant 2026 Draft Needs?
The Giants have many holes to fill going into next season, many of these needs outside of the quarterback position, are the same needs the Giants had last year. On defense, a defensive tackle to aid Dexter Lawerence to help the run defense, more athletic inside linebackers for the same purpose, and help on the backend with a topflight cornerback.
On offense we need a 1B/2 WR (not sure how effective Nabers will be coming off a major injury especially early next season) and an interior offensive lineman/guard to compete with Van Roten. Also, the Giants need a new placekicker for the 2026 season.
Obviously, some of these needs can be met on the free agent market, but the GM hasn’t had a stellar record with free agent acquisitions on defense.
What positions would you prioritize in the draft based on this large requirement list?
Ed says: Roger, I think it is too early to set priorities in any type of order.
It is apparent that on offense the Giants are likely to need wide receiver and interior offensive line help. They might need tackle help, too, if they decide not to pay Jermaine Eluemunor.
On defense, they need help everywhere except edge. Defensive line, off-ball linebacker, cornerback, safety if the right one is available.
All of this, though, is putting the cart before the horse. We don’t know who the coach will be. We don’t know if there will be a new GM. Thus, we don’t know what the decision-makers will think of the existing roster, and how deeply they will cut into it.
Also, as you said, free agency comes first. The priorities will shift based on what happens in that market.
Jason Brown asks: I notice that some players may be considered a ‘bust’ while with one team, then thrive on another team after the original team moves on from them. Is it the fault of coaches on the original team for not being able to tap into the player’s ability or is it really change of scenery in some cases? I’m asking this in the event the Giants move on from Evan Neal and somehow he does well in his eventual landing spot.
Ed says: Jason, there is no one size fits all answer to that question. It might be coaching. It might be that a player is just not a fit and does not feel comfortable with a certain team or in a location. Sometimes, a coaching change leads to a player not fitting with the new staff. Sometimes, it is on the player for faulty work habits or lack of maturity. Sometimes a guy accepts a position change to keep his career going in a new location that he might not have been willing to accept from his original team.
I can tell you the Giants are aware they could end up with egg on their faces if Neal goes somewhere else and plays well. But, they tried to make it work for almost four years in New York and it just didn’t.
Ken Moskowitz asks: Ed, I’ve been a die hard Giants fan for over 50 years. If a team does not provide the supporting cast around the QB, it doesn’t matter who is back there. Daniel Jones never had the support from both coaching and personnel to give him a chance to be successful. The decision to keep Daboll after he treated Daniel Jokes the way he did shows a lack of leadership by both ownership and the GM. This organization has taken a turn in the wrong direction from all levels. What is your thoughts as to what really needs to happen to get them back on track?
Ed says: Ken, I hate to oversimplify this but they need the right coach. They need a guy who is going to set an standard, hold players accountable, build a clear identity and be there for 8-10 years to establish some consistency.
When you keep changing … and changing … and changing some more you don’t get where you want to go. You just keep going back to the beginning and starting over.
Lawrence Kenney asks: I’ve continued to read the commentary about changing Dart’s style of play, but I’m of the opinion that there’s only so much that can be done in season
During the offseason, whoever is coach should mandate that Dart watch tape of Patrick Mahomes. He is, arguably, the best quarterback in the league and has a tremendous talent for knowing when to slide and/or step out of bounds without significant contact.
What do you think?
Ed says: Lawrence, if you have listened to Dart speak he is already well aware of Mahomes’ play style. He has already spent considerable time studying Mahomes and other top quarterbacks.
I worry about Dart’s future, but I quite honestly think that the narrative around him has jumped the shark and is really becoming a lot of noise. Yes, everybody would like to see him choose to protect himself a little more often. But, do you want all the constant headlines and chipring about his play style to change who he is, to make him hesitant, to take away the competitiveness and play-making ability that can make him special?
He is a 22-year-old kid. He will learn. As his career moves along, he will run less often. He will gain more understanding of what plays he can and cannot make. Hopefully, the Giants will also continue to build around him so he doesn’t feel he needs to do so much by himself.
Chris Butters asks: I think we can all agree the season is over, and Kafka probably isn’t getting the H/C gig.
In your opinion is there now some merit to giving rookie/2nd year players some game time to see what we’ve got? I was thinking about Mbow and Alexander specifically.
Ed says: Chris, this “play the young players” stuff is a typical narrative at the end of a losing season. Tell me, though, aside from Marcus Mbow what young player who should be playing is not already getting significant snaps?
The quarterback is a rookie. Darius Alexander, a third-round pick, sees significant snaps most weeks. Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo are hurt. John Michael Schmitz, Tyrone Tracy, Abdul Carter, Cor’Dale Flott, Tyler Nubin, Deonte Banks, Dane Belton, Dru Phillips, and Korie Black are all getting a lot of playing time. Micah McFadden and Darius Muasau are hurt.
Who else is there?
As for Mbow, that is a tricky one. Jermaine Eluemunor is having an outstanding season. If you bench him now to “see what you have” in Mbow, I can almost guarantee that Eluemunor will sign elsewhere in the offseason. If that is the outcome you want, fine. But, you have to understand that. Eluemunor is a proud man who has fought through a lot to become a very good NFL right tackle. If you insult him, there will be plenty of other teams happy to have him at right tackle.
Can Mbow play guard? Maybe in the long term, but I have no idea if he has being taking guard reps in practice. He is small for a guard, just 300 pounds, and the reality that his play strength was a question even before the draft indicates he would need to add bulk and strength to play in there.
So, again, what young players aren’t already getting significant opportunities?
Douglas Furth asks: If Phillip Rivers is not on the Hall of Fame ballot this year, does that improve Eli’s chances?
Ed says: Douglas, I wish I believed it did. No one will ever convince me that Eli Manning does not belong in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. If the playoffs and Super Bowl are more important than the regular season, which they are, what Manning did when given an opportunity in the postseason must be weighted more heavily than perceived regular season mediocrity.
I don’t think that Rivers, if he ends up on the Indianapolis Colts’ 53-man roster, being off the ballot is going to matter. Drew Brees is on the ballot, and I can almost guarantee Brees will get more support than Manning. With the limited number of players enshrined each year (four to eight) I seriously doubt two quarterbacks would be voted in.
Ronald Buchheim asks: Koo claimed the ball was wobbling so he pulled up and didn’t kick. Let’s disregard the fact that the ball was ultimately stable after wobbling slightly. Why didn’t this highly experienced professional attempt the kick regardless of the ball’s motion? Doesn’t he understand that a poor kick is better than no kick at all? Isn’t he coached on what to do in this common situation? Did anyone ask him or his coach about this? Is it another reason, along with the other special team failures last week, to fire yet another coach?
Ed says: Ronald, if you watch the play back you clearly see that the hold by Jamie Gillan was not clean.
Now, should Younghoe Koo followed through and kicked the ball, anyway? Probably. It looked ridiculous and Gillan ended up with a knee injury that to the end result.
Now, as far as firing Michael Ghobrial I do hope you have calmed down since you sent this question. The Giants special teams have, for the most part been really good this season. The placekicker issue is not on Ghobrial, and the Week 13 game was not good overall.
All NFL teams absolutely practice what to do in situations like this. There are several things that could happen. Ghobrial addressed the play with Koo this week. Here is what he said
“It doesn’t happen very often, but you do see missed snaps, you do see missed holds, and sometimes there’s just a variety of different outcomes when it comes to that. Sometimes the kicker sees that the ball is replaced and is able to kick through it. Sometimes they kick through it and it hits the o-linemen in the back of the head because it’s not placed the proper way. Sometimes there’s a fire drill where they’re obviously trying to just throw the pass and sometimes guys just dirt the ball. So, it does happen.”
Bob Conyea asks: How important do you feel it is for the next Giants head coach to have prior head coaching experience? The coordinator route seems to be very hit and miss. Some of these guys are great with the x’s and o’s but they lack the ability to run the whole program and often show little interest or ability with the “other side of the ball” (Daboll). In military parlance, good staff officers don’t necessarily make good commanders. Isn’t that ability perhaps one of the more important traits that Mike Kafka must demonstrate in his stint as interim head coach? The Giants need a leader more than they need a thinker.
Ed says: Bob, I fully agree that leadership — the ability to get dozens of well-paid men with fairly substantial egos to buy in to your message, to be accountable and toe the line of the standard you set, is more important than ability to scheme offense or defense.
It might be easier to know if a veteran coach does or does not have that ability. It does not, though, mean a first-time coach can’t have it. Bill Parcells had it. Dan Campbell has it. Sean McVay has it.
Both avenues can be hit and miss. To me, though, the leadership aspect is more important than the Xs and Os aspect.
Submit a question
Have a Giants-related question? E-mail it to [email protected] and it might be featured in our weekly mailbag.
See More:
