The Giants have made improvements to the roster across the board
The New York Giants had a productive offseason of roster building, but whether or not they are considered an offseason “winner” depends on who is doing the judging.
Sports Illustrated’s Gilbert Manzano says the Giants are among the winners. Bucky Brooks of NFL.com did not include the Giants in his list of five offseason winners. Josh Edwards of CBS Sports left the Giants off his list of 10 offseason winners.
Here is Manzano’s reasoning for listing the Giants among his “winners”:
If the Giants show substantial improvement, even if the wins don’t come, that could be enough for coach Brian Daboll to keep his job past 2025.
This might be a stretch, but Daboll’s situation is reminiscent of Kyle Shanahan’s early years with the San Francisco 49ers. Even with missing the playoffs three times in four years, Shanahan had job security because of his offensive prowess. Many have forgotten about what Daboll did in his first season in New York, taking a bad roster to the divisional round of the postseason.
After failing to make it work with Daniel Jones, a quarterback Daboll inherited, this coaching staff will get to develop first-round selection Jaxson Dart, who will start training camp behind Russell Wilson. If Dart shows flashes like Maye did last season with a bad team, that might be enough to keep Daboll around for another season.
Defensively, New York has a loaded defense after adding No. 2 pick Abdul Carter and veteran defensive backs Jevon Holland and Paulson Adebo.
So don’t be surprised if the Giants are competitive.
Valentine’s View
I think the Giants are unquestionably an offseason winner in the area they could control, improving the roster.
In my position by position “better or worse?” series this offseason, I found that an argument can be made that the Giants have improved at every single position.
On defense, the Giants added potential game-changing players in Abdul Carter, Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland. They added front seven depth with Chauncey Golston, Roy Robertson-Harris and third-round pick Darius Alexander.
On offense, the Giants are in a far better situation at quarterback. Russell Wilson may not be what he once was, but he offers the Giants the likelihood that they will have their best quarterback play this season since the days of Eli Manning. We have no idea when or if rookie Jaxson Dart will play, but his presence brings hope that the Giants may have their quarterback of the future.
Wilson should make the receivers better, and there is improved depth at tight end, running back, and the offensive line.
What the Giants couldn’t control is the schedule they will face. Whether judging by opponents’ 2024 win percentage or 2025 projected win totals the Giants have, on paper, the league’s most difficult schedule.
That schedule, which right sees the Giants favored in only one game, is something they could not control.
It will temper optimism, and probably dim the results of the 2025 season, but it doesn’t change the reality that the Giants had an excellent offseason.
Whether you consider them a winner or not.
