The New York Giants made some changes this offseason, bringing back some of the optimism lost in 2023 after a 6-11 season.
But not everyone is on board with general manager Joe Sean’s plan. USA Today’s Nate Davis doesn’t think the Giants will be in contention for a championship this season. In fact, he thinks they’ll finish two games worse than last year.
New York Giants (4-13): If you watched “Hard Knocks,” you know what GM Joe Sean was thinking this offseason: trying to diversify the cap allocation beyond the departed Barkley while also building a roster that will give a fair second look to a recovering QB Daniel Jones (ACL). And parting ways with Barkley certainly doesn’t seem like a good move for Jones. The expected addition of first-round draft pick WR Malik Neighbors and a strengthened offensive line might provide the desired offset. But unless first-year coordinator Shane Bowen’s defense adjusts quickly and effectively, it’s going to be tough to see many wins in what is the NFC East’s toughest schedule (based on opponents’ 2023 win percentages), especially before December.
As training camp gets underway, Davis is right to point out that a lot of uncertainty within the team — Jones’ rehab, a rebuilding of the offensive line, Barkley’s departure and a new defensive coordinator — is a reason to feel a lack of confidence.
If the Giants want to turn the tide, they’ll need to prove they’re not the weakest team early on and start racking up wins.
A four-win season would put them at the top of the NFL Draft rankings in 2025. This year, three teams with four wins each had the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 overall picks in the draft (the Giants were No. 5).
Even if they only win four games, they would still be the ninth top-10 pick since 2015.