'Swagger, but no ego': Next chapter for Joe Schoen's Giants begins with clear messaging

EAST RUTHERFORD - Here's the reality of what could have been for the New York Giants had Joe Schoen taken the job as general manager and decided five years of losing for the franchise called for a complete overhaul.

You know, the clean house mandate so many gave Giants ownership just weeks prior when Joe Judge and Dave Gettleman were ushered out of the organization, when weeks later Schoen and Brian Daboll were hired to fix what had become one of the league's laughingstocks.

"He could've torn that whole thing down to the studs, brought in his guys and not looked back," one NFL personnel executive told NorthJersey.com recently when asked about Schoen's approach with the Giants' rebuild. "What Joe did is commit to the evaluation of everything, changing what needed to be changed and trusting his vision for how this was going to get turned around. You see what's happened, it's obvious he came in with swagger, but no ego."

Just take a look at what Schoen has done as general manager, punctuating an offseason with another long-term extension for an organizational pillar in star left tackle Andrew Thomas on Wednesday morning, and that's exactly how everything played out.

Daniel Jones, Dexter Lawrence and Thomas were draft picks made by a front office led by Dave Gettleman, but they were not branded "Gettleman guys," cast aside for new players just because they were here for all that losing.

Sure, Schoen's offseason in the moment right now is being remembered for how the negotiations with Saquon Barkley turned out, and whatever outside perception lingers with the two sides being unable to come to a long-term deal.

But, when the Giants took the field for their first practice of the summer, Barkley was out there, taking handoffs from Jones and doing what he loves to do. The compromise reached with Barkley getting the chance to earn $909,000 in bonuses for hitting three individual statistical marks made that possible. Of course, none of those incentives trigger unless the Giants reach the playoffs for the second straight season - something that was important to Barkley, who takes pride in being a team player, and Schoen, who has stayed firm in his allegiance to the team he is trying to rebuild with players who do the same.

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"I would just say as long as Dabs and I are in leadership positions," Schoen said Wednesday, "we're going to do whatever we can that’s best for the franchise in order to pursue championships and find ways to sustain success as often as we can."

The next chapter for the Giants began with their first practice of camp Wednesday. Year 2 of Schoen and Daboll comes with more pressure, more urgency and a sense that this team has a chance to build on the unexpected success of last season when they won 10 games, including the first playoff victory for Big Blue since Super Bowl XLVI.

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The way the season ended with a humbling loss in Philadelphia, their third to the rival Eagles last year, it's somewhat easier for Daboll to get his team to move past the feel-good story of his debut campaign, putting the focus on the necessity to start over from scratch.

And thus, Day 1 of Schoen/Daboll 2.0 began.

The message? Very similar to the one delivered by this regime on a daily basis.

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"There's going to be a lot of mistakes that’ll be made," Daboll said. "We're going to try to put you in difficult situations; move on to the next play as quick as you can. Support your teammates. Go out there and play as hard and smart as you can. Again, today is kind of page one of the 2023 season. A long way to go, let's just take it day by day and get better each day."

Schoen could have just stormed away from the negotiating table at 4:01 p.m. on July 17 when the franchise tag deadline passed. He held all the cards financially and didn't have to keep talking with Barkley's reps.

They kept talking, though, and at the Giants' request.

Schoen refused to get in his feelings; he just did his job.

And If you know Barkley - heck, even Barkley admitted this - staying away from this team no matter how justified he felt in sending a message was going to be difficult. The Giants knew that, too. It's why they kept talking, and why he came back way sooner than expected.

Does it feel a bit uncomfortable with the Giants shelling out over $375 million to Jones, Lawrence and Thomas while Barkley is only guaranteed to make $10.1 million this season? Of course. That's the business of the NFL, and right now the business of the NFL is extremely cruel to Barkley and running backs.

A reporter actually asked Schoen if he had personally spoken with Barkley yet after he signed the new 1-year deal. The Giants' GM looked incredulously into the crowd and quipped: "Absolutely."

Barkley made a circus catch in front of Xavier McKinney on the first play of 7-on-7 drills Wednesday, leading the assembled crowd at 1925 Giants Drive to chant his name. There's a chance the Giants and Barkley find themselves in a similar situation next summer, and if Schoen has proven anything, it's that he'll set his price, fair but firm.

As for Jones, Thomas and Lawrence, the Giants believe greater days are ahead.

"I think those guys earned it off of the way they played in 2022," Schoen said. "Evaluating those guys, they played well, getting to know them as people and how they work, they're pros in every sense of the word. So, after being around for a year, those guys have earned what they've gotten. Look forward for them being here for a long time."

The Giants are finally saying that about the GM and coach running the show again.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Joe Schoen: NY Giants' GM next chapter about better days