Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports He expects to Joe Schoen offered a simple, declarative “Yes” when he was asked during his bye week press conference on Tuesday if he expected to be retained as New York Giants general manager after this season. “I communicate with ownership all the time. I know Dabs [head coach Brian Daboll] talks about that continuously each time these questions come up,” Schoen said. “And we have a really good relationship with ownership, and we communicate constantly with them. And there’s confidence in the plan and where we’re heading.” Should Schoen get a fourth season to continue trying to build the Giants? Vote in the poll below and let us know how you feel about that? “We’re not far off” Schoen said on Tuesday. His argument despite the Giants’ 2-8 record this season, and their 6-11 mark in 2023, is that there is a good nucleus of young players and a good group of young-ish veteran leaders in place. That the Giants, 1-5 in one-score games, could be in a much different place this season had they made a couple of plays in at least some of those games. “We have 19 of 22 starters under contract for next year. I believe it’s 41 players on the 53 (man roster). So, there is a young nucleus of players here, and some veterans, that are going be together,” Schoen said. “We’re finally in a position where there will be some continuity year over year. “I’m excited about the young players that we have. The build’s tough. It hurts sometimes as you’re going through it. But, you got to go through it to get to the other side. I like the young foundation that we’ve put in place … There’s some young pieces here in place in terms of the foundation that we’re going to continue to build on. Another year of free agency and another draft, we’re not far off. We’re not far off.” In my view, Schoen — and by extension Daboll — should be given more time. Both the GM and head coach have made mistakes, but the 2024 rookie class is outstanding and it’s hard to argue that the overall talent on the roster and the organizational structure have not improved since 2022. While there are other issues, finding a difference-making quarterback remains the biggest one. And the toughest one to solve. The next seven games might change my mind, but right now I believe the GM and coach deserve a chance to try and identify and develop that quarterback. What, though, do you think? Vote in the poll below.
Poll: Does Joe Schoen deserve to continue as New York Giants GM?
Five Things I Think I Think About the Miami Dolphins – Week 10
Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images meliorate (verb) – to make better Hey all you cats and kittens! Remember? Tiger King? Whatever, shut up. I’m out of Dolphins related intros. Strong starts are becoming a theme Unlike this article, Miami started strong again on Monday night, in prime time. The Fins’ offense came out hot against the Rams with a 5 play, 70 yard touchdown drive and the defense backed them up right away with a 3 and out. Then, the offense, much like a thing with a weak middle, had a weak middle. Man, I am not used to coming up with stuff after wins. I don’t care for it. Thankfully, the defense kept their momentum going, restricting St. Louis to drives of 6 plays or fewer on all but one first half drive (nabbing an INT and forcing a fumble along the way, to boot) en route to two field goals by halftime. The offense was again shot out of a cannon to start the 3rd quarter, going 53 yards on 6 plays for another touchdown. How can I find a negative in this? I guess I can ask: Are they becoming a scripted offense? Is that a thing? They seem to do really well on their opening drives, i.e. ones that could possibly be scripted and then just okay on the remainder. Could it be that Mike McDaniel isn’t decisive enough when calling plays that aren’t pre-planned? The calls do get in late sometimes and blowing timeouts sure seems to be scripted. That said, I’m not going to get bogged down in criticism after a win. I’ll just say that if the opening drive(s) offense showed up every drive, why, they’d score 70 points against the Broncos. Tua showed some escapability A big knock against one Tubert Tagovailobert is his supposed immobility in the pocket. Now, I watched Ryan Tannehill get wrecked like a freshman at the first frat party of the year every time he put on a Fins uniform, so I know what immobility looks like. (In a magnificent example of Dolphins’ coaching prowess, he started his career extremely mobile and they taught that out of him immediately). Tua isn’t exactly Lamar Jackson with his legs, but he can make some nice moves here and there and Monday was a little here and a little there. He extended a couple of plays with his feet and made some great throws outside the pocket. Then there were the times where he seemed to stare at the defender from 10 yards away, wait patiently for him to get up to speed, drop the needle on a vinyl copy of Chariots of Fire, and get blasted into the stratosphere. I’m not sure why he’s so boom-or-bust on working the pocket. He either looks like Jon Heder in Blades of Glory or the mom in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? Ask your parents. He also made a ridiculous choice to try to tackle Rams linebacker Mumford Andsons after an interception, receiving a knee to his famously fragile head for his trouble. Tua’s not perfect (a slogan built for t-shirts), but it’s nice to see him manage a collapsing pocket and look a little more like the mobile QBs he’s compared against. Even if it’s only some of the time. Pass catchers are floundering a bit “Why do you always have negative things to say after a win?”, you ask, wasting both of our time. Because I have nothing but hate in my cold, dead heart and it’s in the shape of a dolphin wearing a football helmet. Buy me therapy about it. I rag on Julian Hill a lot, but that’s only because he deserves it. He’s like Eustace Scrubb in that way. Ask your parents. Just to prove that J-Hill isn’t the only J-man who could stand to improve, Jaylen Waddle dropped a freebie and Jonnu Smith, well, he actually looked just fine. But to prove that J-Hill isn’t the only Hill who can underperform, Tyreek Hill caught 3 whole passes for 16 whole yards. Yes; one was a touchdown. Yes also; that was his first since Week 1. Malik Washington seems better than OBJ, but that’s a low bar so far. But it’s something. For such a vaunted and capable passing attack, Miami’s pass catchers have been nearly M.I.A. this year, it feels. Maybe it’s just the mismatch of reality to expectations, but I really hope to see them turn it on like we all know they can. Julian Hill too. Defense is defending Okay, here it is. Just plain old good stuff. The defense. After being pretty paltry the last two weeks, Anthony Weaver’s group got it together (with help from returning stalwarts Zach Sieler, Kader Kohou, and Jevon Holland). They stifled the Rams ‘Greatest Show on Paper Only, Since about 2001’ (consciously ignoring 2019 and 2022), holding them to 15 points off of 5 field goals. You’ll note: that’s 0 touchdowns. Quarterback Matthew Stafford was hit 6 times and sacked 4. Chop Robinson seems to be finding his footing a bit, getting his second sack in as many weeks, adding 2 QB pressures, and a TFL. Sieler wreaked havoc and Calais Campbell continued to tell the Grim Reaper to shove it, making his presence felt. The secondary had some injury issues with Kendall Fuller missing time, as well as Kohou briefly. Cam Smith got meaningful reps as a result, which should only help in the long run. Jordan Poyer is still out there, though. So. Can’t win ‘em all. But they did win this one. Mostly because of the defense. The climb is still steep So we’ve made it. The Dolphins won, they’re heading to the playoffs, and the Superbowl is imminent. Or. Miami has to basically win out just to squeak into the postseason. However, I’ve seen this story play out before. Teams with good rosters and bad streaks strike it hot at the exact right time and noodle their way into history. It’s not
Reacts Survey: What are your expectations for Za’Darius Smith’s Lions debut?
David Reginek-Imagn Images Checking in with Detroit Lions fans for our latest SB Nation Reacts survey: What are your expectations for Za’Darius Smith’s Lions debut? Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Detroit Lions fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. Each week, in our SB Nation Reacts Survey, we will provide readers with a question or two specifically geared toward Detroit Lions fans, with an article exploring the results released later in the week. In this installment, we have two questions: the first being a recurring weekly question, and the next being designed for Week 11: 1. Are you confident the Lions are headed in the right direction? (weekly poll)2. What are your expectations for Za’Darius Smith’s Lions debut? Fans confidence in the direction of the Lions (8-1) has landed between 96 and 99% over the last seven weeks and currently sits at 99% after dispatching the Packers in Week 9. Now, after a comeback win over the Houston Texans on “Sunday Night Football,” it’s time to vote again. Our second question centers on the highly anticipated debut of Za’Darius Smith in the Lions’ defense. Through his first nine games with the Browns, Smith was credited with 27 pressures and 5.0 sacks, which averages out to three pressures and just over a half-sack per game—numbers we used to create our three options for this week’s survey question: What are your expectations for Za’Darius Smith’s Lions debut? Fewer than 3 pressures 3+ pressures, no sacks 3+ pressures, 1+ sack Could Smith’s lack of experience in the Lions scheme limit his early impact? Will he hit the over on his average in pressures but fail to record a sack? Or will he run the table and get the whole enchilada? There will be a bunch more articles breaking down the Lions and Jaguars throughout the week, but for now, it’s time to vote in the polls below and keep an eye out later in the week for the results. Please take our survey
The Detroit Lions keep proving Jerry Jones wrong
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images Cowboys owner Jerry Jones keeps putting his foot in his mouth, and the Detroit Lions just keep proving him wrong. As if the dysfunction of the Dallas Cowboys couldn’t get any more delicious, owner Jerry Jones just keeps putting his foot in his own mouth. And I’m not even talking about his ridiculous takes on the sun and the moon and the complete disregard he has for the performance of his own players. No, he keeps saying stuff that the Detroit Lions almost immediately prove to be false. This week, the Cowboys got blasted by the division rival Philadelphia Eagles. In the game, Dallas turned the ball over five times: four fumbles lost, plus a late-interception from third-string quarterback Trey Lance when the game was already well over. Here’s what Jones had to say after the game. “The last two games here (at home) we’ve had five turnovers each game. We played a good team that was out there today. We’ve got some more of them to play, too, but you can’t win games turning the ball over five times,” Jones said. It’s funny you say that, Jerry. Because just a few hours later, the Detroit Lions would, in fact, win a game against a “good team” while turning the ball over five times. Despite Jared Goff throwing five interceptions, the Lions clawed their way back into the contest and ended up winning it with a 52-yard field goal as time expired. You see, if your team is actually good enough, they can overcome when one unit is struggling. But if you’re the Cowboys—and not a good football team—you can’t overcome those mistakes. The two games they had five turnovers in resulted in 47-9 and 34-6 losses. Believe it or not, this is the second time this year Jones has been proven wrong by the Lions. Back during the offseason, Jones was catching heat for the Cowboys’ lack of extensions for their key players. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was one of the last receivers to get an extension this offseason (August), and they couldn’t come to terms with Dak Prescott until September. They never got a deal done for Micah Parsons. That delay arguably cost the Cowboys money, seeing as they had to reset the market from deals that already got done. So what was Jones’ excuse? “I just think it’s very unique that you have a top quarterback on your team as well as two players on either side of the ball that feel like, and rightfully so, they’re the best non-quarterback players in the league. It stresses the cap,” Jones said back in July when none of the deals had been done yet. Of course, the Lions didn’t have that problem at all. They got mega-contracts done for Jared Goff, Penei Sewell, and Amon-Ra St. Brown all done in April. Sure, the finances of each team are far from identical, but the overall point stands. While the Cowboys were twiddling their thumbs and trying to figure out the market to get the deal they wanted, the Lions wasted no time to show that they valued their players. No wonder one team is 8-1 and the other is 3-6.
New York Giants have clearly improved at off-ball linebacker
Bobby Okereke (58) | Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images The Giants have real players at the position, something they did not have when Joe Schoen became GM There is little question that the New York Giants’ longstanding issues at inside linebacker have improved since Joe Schoen became general manager in 2022. The signing of Bobby Okereke to a four-year, $40 million free agent contract before the 2023 season was thought by many to be an overpay. Okereke, though, had a terrific 2023 season and is the quarterback of what Schoen on Tuesday made sure to remind everyone is the youngest defense in the NFL. In the draft, Schoen has not used premium resources. He has used a fifth-round pick (No. 146) on Micah McFadden, and sixth-round picks on Darrian Beavers and Darius Muasau. McFadden, while his pass coverage sometimes leaves something to be desired, has been a two-year starter after an up-and-down rookie season and has far outplayed his draft slot. Arguably, the only 2022 fifth-round picks who have exceeded McFadden’s contributions to the Giants are running back Tyler Allgier (Atlanta Falcons, No. 151), cornerback Riq Woolen (Seattle Seahawks, No. 153), DaRon Bland (Dallas Cowboys, No. 167), and offensive tackle Braxton Jones (Chicago Bears, No. 168). Current roster: Bobby Okereke, Micah McFadden, Isaiah Simmons, Darius Muasau, Matthew Adams Injured reserve: Diontae Johnson Players drafted since 2022: McFadden (Round 5, No. 147, 2022); Darrian Beavers (Round 6, No. 182, 2022); Darius Muasau (Round 6, No. 183, 2024) Biggest free agent signing: Bobby Okereke Biggest losses: Tae Crowder Verdict As I said at the beginning of this post, the Giants are clearly better at off-ball linebacker than they were when Schoen became GM. It might be nice to find a more dynamic player who was better in space and coverage than McFadden, but he is a good player. Muasau looks like good depth, perhaps more than that eventually. Simmons is a sparingly used situational sub-package player I would guess the Giants move on from after the season. The real question for this group, to me, is figuring out why Okereke has not been as impactful this season as he was last year. Is it the paucity of defensive line talent, other than Dexter Lawrence, in front of him? Is it the change in scheme from a Wink Martindale defense to one coordinated by Shane Bowen? Is it something else? Okereke had 149 tackles (37 solo) in 2023. He is on pace for 127.5 this season — a nice number, but it would be the lowest 17-game total of his career. He is on pace for 63 solo tackles, which would also be his lowest 17-game total. Okereke’s Pro Football Focus grade is down from 74.4 to an OK but not special 63.0. His missed tackle rate up from 7.7% to 10.8%. His STOPs are down slightly. After a career-high 56 last season he is on pace for 49 this year. Okereke was a Wink Martindale devotee. Last season, he called Martindale “legendary” and said he was “a great, elite coach.” “Wink is a phenomenal leader,” said Okereke at the time. “Even above a football coach, he’s a great human being. He really knows how to bring a group of guys together. And, we talk about competitive spirit all the time, but it really starts with Wink. He has that fire, he has that passion that makes an elite football coach. So every day in practice, every game we’re all excited and fired up to go to war for him. So we love him as a coach. We love him as a person, and I really just feel blessed to come here and be, be under him.” Martindale is gone after last season’s riff with head coach Brian Daboll. Bowen runs a different scheme. During the summer, Okereke explained the difference in the two schemes this way: “Wink kind of wanted you to play hard and fast. You know, just play physical, downhill, figure it out. Here it’s a process of elimination. If this guy goes vertical, you check two; if two does this, you check three. You kind of put it in buckets, and that’s the process of decision-making I was talking about.” For whatever reason, Bowen isn’t getting the best version of Okereke this season. Why is probably the biggest thing the Giants need to figure out at this position.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73720614/1763619882.0.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1 "The Linc – Can the Eagles’ much improved secondary slow Terry McLaurin?")
The Linc – Can the Eagles’ much improved secondary slow Terry McLaurin?
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links … Eagles-Commanders preview: Five things to watch – PhillyVoice 4) Eagle killer Terry McLaurin. As always, McLaurin is the Commanders’ most dangerous and productive receiver, by far. We say this in every Eagles-Commanders preview, but see No. 17 to right? He’s waving at you. COVER THAT GUY, and make anyone else beat you. In 10 career games against the Eagles McLaurin has 58 catches for 847 yards and 4 TDs. In years past, the Commanders lined him up all over the place, trying to get him matched up against a weak link in the Eagles’ secondary, oftentimes against their slot corners. This season, the Eagles don’t have as obvious a weak spot in their secondary, as rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean have been major upgrades over James Bradberry and Avonte Maddox. What makes Eagles’ secondary truly remarkable – NBCSP Their coverage has been impeccable. Their playmaking has been otherworldly. Their communication has been flawless. They’re one of the best secondaries in the NFL and they’ve been together all of five weeks. It was during the bye week that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio replaced Avonte Maddox with rookie Cooper DeJean, giving the Eagles the final piece in a revamped defensive backfield. “Definitely feels like more than five weeks,” DeJean said at his locker Tuesday. “It feels like it’s been a couple years.” The Eagles ranked 31st in the NFL in pass defense last year and 29th in opposing passer rating. They allowed 35 touchdown passes, 2nd-most in the league, and had just nine interceptions, 26th-fewest. Say good-bye to Kevin Byard, Bradley Roby and Justin Evans, among others, and welcome DeJean, Quinyon Mitchell, Isaiah Rodgers and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. Just like that, everything changed. Spadaro: How the Eagles quickly retooled the defense – PE.com They lined up for Super Bowl LVII an experienced, cohesive unit that ranked as one of the best defenses in the entire NFL—first in the league in pass defense, first in quarterback sacks, tied for third with 17 takeaways, tied for sixth allowing just 18.9 points per game. For all of the offensive highlights the Eagles provided that season, the defense was the backbone. And the starters, well, they were ready for anything. Up front, the Eagles went with Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, and Josh Sweat. At linebacker, Haason Reddick (edge) teamed with T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White. Darius Slay and James Bradberry started at cornerback, Avonte Maddox was the nickel corner, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Marcus Epps started at safety. Only two seasons have passed since that 2022 defense lined up together for the final time in Super Bowl LVII, but the changes have been substantial. Graham remains part of the rotation up front. Sweat is still a starter and playing outstanding football. Slay and Gardner-Johnson start – with CJGJ having left for a season only to return as an unrestricted free agent for the 2024 campaign. Bradberry suffered an injury in the preseason and is on Injured Reserve. Add it all up and the Eagles have eight new starters – Graham has one start and has played 46 percent of the defensive snaps through nine games – and how they’ve remade the defense is a remarkable story. Best 2024 NFL rookies: Jayden Daniels, top 10 rankings – ESPN 7. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles. Mitchell has shown more of a comfort level in man-to-man coverage than some expected, simply because of how often he played off the ball at Toledo. He has played well enough that opposing quarterbacks don’t spend a lot of time looking his way despite his inexperience. Mitchell has played 96% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps and has not surrendered a touchdown as the nearest defender in coverage. Among all corners who have been targeted at least 40 times in coverage, Mitchell ranks eighth in completion percentage allowed (52.3%). Eagles-Cowboys Film Review: Jalen Hurts seemed to be hampered by the sun – BGN The Cowboys did a few things schematically that the Eagles last had to deal with a while ago. Cowboys’ defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer showed a lot of “Double Mug” looks with his linebackers standing in both A-gaps. Zimmer is known for this, and I expected the Eagles to be a little bit more prepared for it. The Eagles struggled with who to protect in pass protection, and it led to the running back dealing with a linebacker far too often, even when the Cowboys only sent 4. Surprisingly, the interior offensive line had their worst game in a while in pass protection, and Cam Jurgens, in particular, struggled. As well as this, I thought the Eagles’ offense was too focused on taking shots down the field and didn’t give Jalen Hurts a lot of easy answers. If you add all of these things up, including some poor individual pass protection reps such as the one below from Kenneth Gainwell, then you get some poor reps. The offense took 5 sacks in the first half, which is not good enough. Some were on Hurts, some were on the scheme, some were on the protection and some were possibly because of the sun! (I’m not joking). Jayden Daniels’ first game in Philly: “I’ve heard they’ve got very passionate fans so I can’t wait to get out there and find out.” – Hogs Haven Jayden Daniels spoke to the media after practice as the team prepares on a short week for a Thursday night game against the Philadelphia Eagles. This will be Daniels’ first time playing the Eagles, and playing in Philadelphia. He’s ready for the division road game in hostile territory, and he’s heard about their “very passionate fans”. Daniels is excited for another chance to play ball, and this will be one of the most important games of the season. Daniels is still dealing with the lingering effects of a rib injury from last month, and he said he’s learned from some vets about recovery at
Eagles rookie storylines for the Commanders game
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images It’s been a while since an Eagles vs. Commanders game has had stakes for both sides. This game will determine control of the NFC East with the winner taking pole position for division lead. The Commanders are an excellent football team with an explosive offense and a scrappy defense, so the Eagles will need all hands on deck to win this one at home. Here’s what I am looking for from the Eagles rookies. Quinyon Mitchell v. Terry McLaurin Terry McLaurin has been one of the most underrated players in the NFL his whole career and now he finally gets to show out with Jayden Daniels tossing him the ball. McLaurin is having a career year, averaging over 15 yards a catch while scoring six touchdowns through 10 games. While McLaurin will line up all over, Quinyon Mitchell has to win his reps against him to avoid Washington winning on the big play. Cooper DeJean might have to contain Jayden Daniels Jayden Daniels has been good in all sorts of ways in his rookie year. It will be difficult to keep the first-year phenom down, but the Birds will do their best to try. Cooper DeJean’s role in this game will be interesting. He will need to limit the short passing game of Washington, while possibly being responsible for keeping Jayden Daniels from running all over the Eagles offense. A tough task, but he’s been nailing his assignments so far. More reps for Jalyx Hunt? Jalyx Hunt had some great snaps against Dallas on Sunday. The Eagles are heavily rotating their edge defenders with Nolan Smith, Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham, and Bryce Huff all playing, but Hunt could continue to contribute. Hunt’s athleticism is a serious asset and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some more of him on Thursday. Johnny Wilson and the WR3 by Committee Johnny Wilson had his first career touchdown against Dallas. The Eagles have been looking for receiver production outside of AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith all season and Wilson might be a great guys to rotate in with Jahan Dotson. His size is a serious advantage, especially in the red zone. While he won’t get a ton of snaps against Washington, he could be used as a mismatch player in special situations.
The Eagles had fun beating the Cowboys
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images The vibes are back for Philly, and were on full display during their 34-6 win in Dallas. Jalen Hurts was smiling, the defense was dancing, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson was singing a song about Cooper DeJean locking up CeeDee Lamb. The vibes are back for the Eagles and were on full display during their big win Sunday over the Cowboys. It was the first time the Eagles have won in Dallas since 2017, and things started off with a fiery speech from LG Landon Dickerson. Nothing gets the blood pumping quite like a “F*** the Cowboys on three.” Landon Dickerson with some HEAT F**k the Cowboys on THREE!! #Eagles pic.twitter.com/kjXaTOPDcC — Philly Talk Podcast (@Philly_Mike25) November 13, 2024 The offensive and defensive lines had great games on Sunday, but the secondary was playing lights out — although the sun helped them a bit because Jerry Jones doesn’t understand what home-field advantage means. C.J. Gardner-Johnson ran a long way to celebrate Zack Baun’s takeaway with his teammates, and made sure Dallas knew there was a new sheriff in town. (Also, Quinton Mitchell is hilarious.) There’s a new sheriff in town @CGJXXIII | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/oDHEBMMYxs — Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 12, 2024 When CJGJ wasn’t celebrating on the field, he was gassing up his teammates on the sideline. The veteran, who is also a rapper, put together a nice little tune about rookie Cooper DeJean. Sing it, Ceedy pic.twitter.com/xpV5BwmllA — Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 12, 2024 All of these things might be small individually, but together they paint a picture of a team that has a strong bond on and off the field. Playing football should be fun, and winning certainly makes it more enjoyable, but that energy definitely translates into tangible results. As the Eagles get ready for a Thursday night game against the Commanders, hopefully they keep this momentum and gain an extra lead in the NFC East with a win over Washington.
Giants 4-round mock draft: Will New York get its quarterback?
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images Can the Giants find a franchise quarterback in the 2025 draft? The New York Giants are, finally, on their bye week. This is the time of the year when we can all take a breath and collect ourselves before the stretch run to the playoffs. For the Giants, the playoffs are only a mathematical possibility at this point and extremely unlikely in any rational universe. So we once again find ourselves turning to the NFL Draft before Thanksgiving, though this time it’s with the feeling that we could be in for a true course change for the Giants. Making things more interesting — and possibly setting the stage for a fast turnaround in 2025 — is the fact that the Giants’ roster isn’t far off from the top teams in the NFC. They can play with anyone, and may only be a couple pieces and a bit of development from contending. The Giants currently hold the second overall pick following their Week 10 loss to the Carolina Panthers. So with that in mind, I ran a four-round mock draft to try and address the Giants’ needs and set them up for future success. The results Round 1 (No. 2 overall) — Cam Ward, QB, Miami The Jaguars picked Missouri wide receiver Luthor Burden (the top player on PFN’s board) in almost every mock I ran. That left Cam Ward for me, and it was a pretty easy decision to take him. Ward has solid size, good pocket presence and short-area quickness, great field vision, and one of the most elastic arms I’ve ever seen. He might not have truly ELITE arm strength, but he can challenge all areas of the field and do so from off-platform and out of structure. Ward is pretty solidly my QB1, but he isn’t without risk. Ward’s willingness to go big play hunting, and his ability to do so successfully, is an undeniable asset to his game and one of the things that will make him attractive to the Giants. But they’ll need to strike a balance in his development between aggressively attacking and taking what the defense gives him. I did consider a small trade back here, on the supposition that the Giants could fall in love with Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe. If I was able to trade back within the Top 5, odds are that one of Ward or Milroe would still have been available. In one mock I ran, the Raiders offered me their entire draft plus their 2026 second-round pick to move up to No. 2 overall when the Jaguars passed on Burden. That was fun, but not realistic, so I didn’t use the results for this piece. Other considerations Will Johnson (CB, Michigan) Trade back (small trade) Round 2 (No. 33) — Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky As I said in a recent College Football Primer, the Giants need to find an answer next to Dexter Lawrence. Dex may be the best defensive tackle in the NFL, but that won’t last if he has to play every snap, take on double or triple teams every time, and is generally exposed to excessive amounts of wear and tear. The duo of Walker and Lawrence would give the Giants a truly hilarious amount of size, power, and athleticism on the defensive interior. Defensive line coach Andre Patterson has excelled at honing natural traits, and Walker is a 6-foot-6, 350-pound behemoth with absurd quickness and athleticism for his size. He might not fix the Giants’ run defense all by his lonesome, but I wouldn’t envy any interior line unit that would have to go against Lawrence and Walker. I’ll note that my preferred route would be to address the cornerback position with this pick and look for a defensive tackle in Round 3. However, there weren’t any cornerbacks who provided good value here, and Walker is too good to pass up. Other considerations Jonah Savaiinaea (OL, Arizona) Donovan Jackson (OG, Ohio State) Kyle Kennard (Edge, South Carolina) Round 3 (No. 66) — Tate Ratledge, iOL, Georgia Ratledge is a bit taller than I prefer for offensive guards at 6-foot-6, but he’s pretty athletic, a powerful blocker, and boasts a mean streak a mile wide. Greg Van Roten isn’t a long-term answer for the Giants at right guard, and Ratledge has the ability to play both left and right guard. He also has a high football IQ and solid initial quickness to go with his play strength. The Giants use a pretty diverse rushing attack, and Ratledge should have scheme versatility at the next level. Other considerations Rod Moore, S, Michigan Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss Dane Key, WR, Kentucky Round 4 (No. 102) — Keon Sabb, S, Alabama I don’t know if GMJoe Schoen would draft another safety after selecting Tyler Nubin in the second round of the most recent draft, but Sabb sticks out like a sore thumb on the board here. That’s partly because he suffered a broken foot earlier in the season, but he’s a versatile safety with good size, high football IQ, and plenty of toughness (he played three quarters against Tennessee with that broken foot). He also has a nose for the football, with four interceptions (one returned for a TD), and nine passes defensed over the last two years. Sabb started his collegiate career in Michigan and was an important role player in their great 2023 defense. He transferred to Alabama this year and immediately became a starter. The Giants could use his traits on the back end of their defense. Other considerations Tyler Baron (Edge, Miami) Jabbar Muhammad (CB, Oregon) Barion Brown (WR, Kentucky) Fourth round (No. 134) — Ephesians Prysock, CB, Washington I didn’t want to leave the draft without adding to the cornerback position. The good news is that Shane Bowen’s defense doesn’t demand the same elite athletic traits as Wink Martindale’s does. That said, Ephesians Prysock has some very intriguing traits that could make him a steal at
Diving into Chargers QB Justin Herbert’s recent run of dominance
The Chargers are flying high at 6-3, and a large part is due to the exceptional recent play of Justin Herbert.
