Giants' offseason ranked among NFL's worst by ESPN

While the New York Giants' moves during the offseason have been lauded by many, ESPN's Bill Barnwell sees them as a disappointment.

In a recent article, Barnwell ranked the best and worst offseasons among NFL teams, with the Giants receiving the fourth-worst ranking, just ahead of the Raiders, Rams and Titans. 

Barnwell's biggest gripe with GM Joe Schoen's offseason is his decision to re-sign most of the free agents from last season's roster, which was expected to be a rebuilding team. 

"The organization appears to have bought into its own hype," Barnwell wrote. "An unexpected trip to the postseason and a road victory once they got there was a pleasant surprise for the Giants, who had been treating 2023 as a year to get their salary cap right and begin a rebuild ... In response, the Giants appear to be running it back. They franchise-tagged Saquon Barkley and committed to Jones, signing the same player who wasn't worth a fifth-year option 12 months earlier to a four-year, $160M deal with $81M guaranteed over the first two seasons." 

The Giants unquestionably exceeded expectations last season, a testament to Schoen's roster construction, the guidance of NFL Coach of the Year Brian Daboll and the emergence of their homegrown talent. 

As a result of their efforts last season, Schoen rewarded his team leaders, headlined by All-Pro DT Dexter Lawrence's four-year, $90M deal and Jones' controversial four-year $160M contract.

Was the Jones contract an overpay? Perhaps, time will tell. Since his guaranteed money comes over the first two seasons, New York can cut ties with the 26-year-old in 2025 if last season was indeed an outlier. While the Giants obviously want Jones to perform well and outplay the contract, it's virtually a risk-free deal on their end. 

Schoen bolstered the receiving corps to invest further in Jones, which needed substantial upgrades. However, the Giants didn't acquire a true No. 1 wideout, with their biggest free-agent signing at the position being Parris Campbell.

Regardless, New York might not need an elite receiver this season if Schoen's highest-profile move pans out. Earlier this offseason, the Giants traded the 100th pick in the draft for Pro Bowl TE Darren Waller, an elite talent when healthy that significantly raises this offense's ceiling.

Defensively, the Giants made several acquisitions, the most notable being ex-Colts linebacker Bobby Okereke, who has recorded the ninth-most tackles in the NFL since 2021 (283). New York also added quality depth pieces, including DTs A'Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nuñez-Roches. 

Schoen's free agency moves were arguably sound, but there's no denying that he crushed the draft, and he rightfully received high marks for his selections from various outlets.

With his first three picks, Schoen drafted CB Deonte Banks (No. 24), center John Michael Schmitz (No. 57) and wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (No. 73). At some point during the offseason, they were all mocked to the Giants as first-round picks.

New York still needs to hammer out a deal with Barkley, the last major item on Schoen's offseason checklist. Hopefully, the sides can reach an agreement soon so Barkley can return to the team and New York can turn its full attention to returning to the playoffs.