Big Blue View mailbag: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Jaxson Dart, Brandon Scherff, more

George Sucato asks: My question is this. Do you think the Giants should try to sign Brandon Scherff? I think he would be a good pick up, especially with the killer schedule the Giants have this year.

Ed says: George, I think you will find your answer in here. I would have no problem with that move.

---

Bob Brodman asks: The Giants have less than $2M in cap space and need to clear $22M (according to Spotrac) to sign their draft picks, practice squad, and transition from the top 51 salaries to the full 53 + IR. People are still talking about which free agents to sign but no one is talking about what they can clear from contract restructures and who might be released to save cap space. Some of this has to be done before summer training camp. Who do you think that they will let go?

Ed says: Bob, the Giants don’t necessarily have to let anyone go to save cap space. Yes, as I answer this they are last in the league with $1.103 million in cap space, but it can — and will — be dealt with.

The Giants have a number of contracts they can restructure. I did some of that here. Andrew Thomas, Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, Bobby Okereke and a few others have contracts that can be re-structured.

If the Giants want or need to cut a couple of players, placekicker Graham Gano and defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches are still possible. Maybe even Okereke, if the prior reports that they have mixed feelings about him are true.

---

Jeffrey Jacobs asks: When reading about defensive players, particularly edge rushers, you and other writers often talk about their “bend”. What exactly does that mean?

Ed says: “Bend” is how quickly and sharply a defensive player, usually a defensive end or edge defender, can turn a corner in his effort to rush the passer. Here is the definition from our Glossary of Terms:

“A pass rusher’s ability to contort his body, lower his center of gravity, and maintain speed while cornering sharply around an offensive tackle and into the pocket.”

---

Jonas Estrada asks: Going to preface this by saying that I think we all know that Schoen and Daboll clearly felt a certain way about Sanders and so this question is likely moot. Also, I understand that there was no way they would know that Sanders would fall to the 5th round.

That said, as a thought exercise:

Do you think that the Giants would have created more value if they had not traded into the 1st round for Dart and instead picked BPA/filled other needs through the 1st 4 rounds of the draft and then selected Sanders at the top of the 5th?

At the risk of answering my own question, I understand that that this probably boils down to a “Is Dart in Round 1 better than Sanders in Round 5” type of question – which is completely subjective. But it’d still be interesting to get your thoughts on it.

Ed says: On a pure “value chart”, sure, drafting a player like Sanders with a Round 1-2 grade in Round 5 rather than giving up the 99th pick to select a player at No. 25 with a similar draft grade would produce a better score.

In reality, Jonas, you can’t think that way. Joe Schoen wasn’t drafting players to accumulate points on a pre-determined value chart. He was drafting players to try and build the best football team he could.

Rightly or wrongly, the Giants determined that Dart was the available quarterback they wanted to add to their team in the draft. That being the decision, they did what they believed they had to do in order to make that happen.

As you said, there was no way they could have known Shedeur Sanders would fall to Round 5. We don’t even know if the Giants would have selected him at that point if he were available and they still had not addressed quarterback in the draft.

The Giants made the move they thought was best for the franchise. Now, we just wait to see how it works out.

---

Mark Belkin asks: I have a question about Kayvon Thibodeaux. Now, Dexter Lawrence will be a starter with either Roy Robertson-Harris, or Lawrence at DT and NT. I’m hoping and fairly certain that Burns and Carter are the starting OLBs/Edges.

People keep saying “They’ll find a way to get everyone on the field”, and when I bring up Kayvon Thibodeaux being the starter at DE next to Lawrence and whomever, people say he’s too small. But Chauncey Golston is basically the same size, and I’ve heard he could be a DE.

So the question is, if Kayvon Thibodeaux isn’t a DE, and doesn’t start, will that bruise his ego to where he might be a distraction. And if Golston and Thibodeaux are only OLBs, even in creative schemes, will that be enough reps for everyone?

Ed says: Mark, let’s start here. I don’t know why you are “fairly certain” Brian Burns and Abdul Carter will be the starters on the edge. Right now, nobody, not even Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen knows how this will play out. The Giants have not been on the field for a practice yet.

Let’s correct something else — Kayvon Thibodeaux and Chauncey Golston are not the same size, not close. Thibodeaux is 6-foot-5, 258 pounds. Golston is 6-5, 277. This is a big difference.

Golston has spent a great deal of time in his career lined up as a defensive end or defensive tackle, and that is where he seems likely to find most of his playing time with the Giants.

Carter has off-ball linebacker flexibility, which is something head coach Brian Daboll mentioned after the Giants selection of Carter. He probably steals some snaps from Micah McFadden or Bobby Okereke, as well as rotating on the edge with Thibodeaux and Burns. All three will likely be on the field at the same time quite often.

As for Thibodeaux’s ego, I suppose if he is only playing 40-50% of the defensive snaps that might be an issue. I don’t see that happening, though. He will likely lose some playing time, but he won’t be the only one.

Is it possible that if Carter becomes the player the Giants think he will become that Thibodeaux is eventually the odd man out? Sure it is. If Thibodeaux wants his best chance at a big second contract, from the Giants or someone else, he won’t complain. He will do everything he can to wreak havoc while playing 65-75% of snaps instead of 75-85%.

---

Michael Tintrup asks: I have been reading that the Giants will have one of the most challenging schedules this coming season, with a majority of their opponents having made the playoffs in 2025. This started me wondering about the process the NFL uses for formulating each team’s schedule, and whether a team’s prior season record is factored into the selection of next seasons opponents. I understand that a team’s conference opponents are automatically locked into the schedule, but, in the interest of parity, wouldn’t the league want to level the playing field for teams that are less competitive?

Ed says: Michael, the NFL schedule is an incredibly complicated beast. The league DOES do the best it can to level the playing field, but teams chance from year to year. A team that is bad one year may be good the next. Also, the divisions outside its own that a team plays against are done via a rotation. The league can’t do anything about whether one division is strong and another division is weak. There has to be some sort of starting point for figuring it out, and for making sure fans in opposing cities get to see team outside its division or conference every few years.

From NFL Operations, here are the factors that make up how the schedule is formulated:

• Six games against divisional opponents — two games per team, one at home and one on the road.
• Four games against teams from a division within its conference — two games at home and two on the road.
• Four games against teams from a division in the other conference— two games at home and two on the road.
• Two games against teams from the two remaining divisions in its own conference — one game at home and one on the road. Matchups are based on division ranking from the previous season.
• The 17th game is an additional game against a non-conference opponent from a division that the team is not scheduled to play. Matchups are based on division ranking from the previous season.

The fifth bullet point is how the Giants ended up playing the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers this coming season. Those teams finished last in their divisions. The final bullet point is how the Giants ended up facing the New England Patriots, who finished last in the AFC East.

I am really not sure what else you would have the league do.

---

Doug Mollin asks: Curious if there are updated stats on the use of voided money in the NFL?

As of February (before free agency), the Eagles were far and away the largest ($390M). The Giants were at $0.

This is probably not the year for the Giants to push their chips all in but … why not use this strategy even a little?

Ed says: Doug, since the publication of the February numbers you mentioned I have not been able to find any updated totals.

The Giants, though, still have $0 tied up in void years. I thought Joe Schoen might embrace the void year trend this offseason, but he did not. He clearly prefers the shortest-term contracts he can sign players to, with the ability to cleanly get in and out of contracts with as little dead money as possible.

We have asked him about the use of void years, but I’m still not certain why he has avoided them.

---

Ray Kochert asks: Do UFDA need to be under contract to participate in rookie mini-camp? How about draft choices?

Ed says: Ray, teams sign a number of undrafted free agent rookies after the NFL Draft. Those “signed” rookies are part of a team’s 90-man roster. They aren’t participating without a contract. There are also “tryout” players. Those players are not part of a team’s 90-man roster. They do not have a contract and are invited to participate in the hope of earning one.

Draft choices do not need to have a signed contract in order to participate in a rookie mini-camp. They will sign a Rookie Participation Agreement, which essentially means the player will get the standard rookie contract for his draft slot even if he is injured during a mini-camp or rookie development program before signing his deal.

---

Gregory Kolton asks: Do you think the Giants would be interested in Gabe Davis since he was released by the Jags today, and there is a Bills connection? I know the Giants appear to be churning the bottom of their WR roster, and Davis could help, but I’m not sure he would be willing to play for what the Giants could afford to pay him given their salary cap situation. He’s only 26, though, so a 1-year prove it deal with incentives could make sense for both sides. Thoughts?

Ed says: Gregory, I addressed that in this post. Yes, it would make sense. Davis wouldn’t be expensive, coming off a torn meniscus and his least-productive season.

Mitch Morse, who played with Davis in Buffalo and Jacksonville, wasn’t thrilled by the Jaguars’ decision.

---

Mark Cicio asks: I’ve read so many articles that say Dart is in an odd situation because if the Giants don’t make the playoffs there will be a new staff and he will have to learn a new system next year. I think that’s a bit stretched.

John Mara has been around the game his entire life. I’m sure he also knows that at the moment the NFC East is stacked, with (I hate to say this) champion Eagles, serious up and coming strong Commander team, and the still strong Cowboys.

With that said, and being as you’ve been following this team for quite a long time, can you put on your Mara hat and give your opinion on what this season needs to look like if you were to keep Daboll, or even Schoen?

For what it’s worth, I think wins aren’t as important as growth for this season. Not that 3 wins would be acceptable, but around .500 with an obviously better team on the field and the look of an up and coming team would give me faith in this staff.

Ed says: Mark, I get questions like this almost every offseason. The answer is never “X number of wins” or “make the playoffs or you’re fired.” It is always more nuanced than that.

Of course another three-win season probably gets Daboll and most of his coaching staff fired. I’m not so sure about Schoen. I have the impression he is on firmer ground than Daboll.

In the end, what happens does not depend on a specific number of wins. It depends on what the season looks and feels like.

Are Schoen and Daboll right that most of the offensive problems in 2024 were quarterback-related? Does this rookie class live up to the hype? Are they competitive on a week-in and week-out basis? They lost four games last season by 21 or more points, and only three teams had a worse point differential. Do they play with more discipline? They had 56 pre-snap penalties a year ago, third-worst in the league. They went 1-9 in one-score games. Do they show the discipline, execution and play-making to win a few of those games in 2025?

Do they win a few games they aren’t expected to win? Does it look like they are on the right path with Jaxson Dart?

All of those things will play into whatever happens.

---

Dennis Norton asks: There’s rumors that Kayvon Thibodeaux and Breece Hall both may be traded. What do you think of the Giants and the Jets getting together as rare trade partners and making a deal? I like Kayvon, but he’s never lived up to being an overall No. 5 Draft pick. I also like Tyrone Tracy, but I question his durability. Teams need two legitimate starting running backs and a strong running game would be a big plus for our eventual starter, Jaxson Dart. Your thoughts?

Ed says: Dennis, Breece Hall is a good player but I don’t know why the Giants would do that.

First, I don’t think the Giants should be — or are — in any rush to dump Thibodeaux. If they were, they would not have picked up his $14.8 million fifth-year option. With Thibodeaux, Abdul Carter and Brian Burns, along with Dexter Lawrence and the other pieces they added on the defensive line, they now have depth in the defensive front seven that is likely the envy of teams around the league outside of Philadelphia.

Why would they break that up before they even get on the field and see if defensive coordinator Shane Bowen can make all the pieces fit?

As for Tracy, what injury has he suffered that causes you to question his durability? He played in all 17 games last season. He has no notable injury history from his college days.

Add Hall and you have Hall, Tracy, fourth-round pick Cam Skattebo and Devin Singletary. What do you do with Skattebo? And, you take a financial bath if you cut Singletary. Even as a post-June 1 cut designation, the Giants would incur a $4.75 million cap hit while saving just $1.5 million on the cap.

To me, Thibodeaux for Hall is not a deal that makes sense.

---

David Silver asks: He was the number 3 pick. He asked LT to give up his number, then did the same to Phil Simms. What is Abdul Carter doing?

Ed says: David, he is being an excited 21-year-old kid, that’s what he is doing. None of us knew everything, or understood how everything would be viewed, at that age. He thought wearing LT’s number would be honoring him. It was, of course, taken in a different way.

Honestly, I am going to blame the Giants for this one. Maybe it seemed cool that the Flaherty family allowed Malik Nabers to wear the No. 1 jersey that had been retired in honor of Ray Flaherty, but that never should have happened. Retired jerseys are retired jerseys. The Giants opened this door. Now, how do they shut it?

As for the Simms thing, I need to clarify. Nabers did not ask for Simms’ No. 11. Simms pre-emptively said that IF Nabers asked, he would give it to him. My understanding is there was then a discussion that Simms’ wife and daughter squashed.

---

Submit a question

Have a Giants-related question? E-mail it to [email protected] and it might be featured in our weekly mailbag.