Joe Schoen cannot screw up the Giants’ NFL Draft, and I understand what you’re thinking as you read the first part of this phrase.
Do you get paid for these blazing hot takes? What are you going to tell us next, oh Master of the Football Obvious, that the Giants must start scoring more points than the other team? Or maybe the Giants wear blue?
Stick with me. When I say that the general manager can’t screw it up, I don’t mean that his job is dependent on getting it right for the Giants. Of course, it does. I mean, he literally cannot screw it up. Given the Giants’ roster needs and the depth of this talent pool, it’s difficult to imagine a situation in which he doesn’t sign a player who can make an immediate impact.
Let’s be honest: The team could choose one of its season ticket holders, and he or she would very certainly be the sixth overall pick. Being a general manager is not always an easy job. Given the possible outcomes, this does not appear to be one of those occasions. Schoen practically said as much at his pre-draft press conference on Thursday afternoon.
“I feel like we can go several different ways,” Schoen added, almost shrugging. “We have various possibilities, and we’ll be OK. I’m content with where we are and what we’re doing.”
The possibilities are hardly a secret. When the Giants play before 9 p.m. next Thursday, it’s likely that:
A) Four quarterbacks will have been chosen, leaving Schoen with a selection of wide receivers who have the potential to provide this offense a true No. 1 target for the first time since Odell Beckham Jr. was running routes at MetLife. It could be Malik Nabers, the speedster from LSU. It could be Washington’s human football vacuum, Rome Odunze. It could even be Marvin Harrison Jr., long thought to be the greatest receiver in this class. But it will be one of them.
Or …
B) Schoen could be lucky enough to land one of those quarterbacks at No. 6. That may appear implausible now, given the current draft buzz. However, keep in mind that the buzz is virtually always false. Would Schoen go for Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy if he was sitting at six? Would he spend some money to move up a few selections and put himself in a better position to land him?
The answer to the first question is almost probably yes. The answer to the second question is where this proposal becomes problematic for Schoen.
The general manager admitted on Thursday that organizations impose a “quarterback tax” to rivals looking to move up to the top of the draft to take a quarterback. Schoen was a devoted deputy in Buffalo when his boss, Brandon Beane, took the required measures to acquire franchise quarterback Josh Allen. That move transformed the Bills into a perennial AFC contender.
The difficulty for Schoen is clear: He cannot overpay to move up two or three spots, especially with several other teams — hello, Minnesota — believed to be looking to do the same thing. The Giants’ roster is one of the poorest in the NFL. Yes, if the price is good, the risk is worthwhile. However, Schoen simply needs to ask Daniel Jones what happens when you take a high pick on a quarterback and then surround him with castoffs and spare parts.
As a result, I believe the safest — and correct — course of action will be to finally provide Jones with the weapon he has lacked throughout his professional career. Schoen refuted claims that the Giants had buyer’s remorse about the huge contract they paid the injury-prone quarterback last winter. He can show it with a draft pick that will make his job simpler.
“I believe it’s a deep receiver draft,” Schoen said. “Again, they come in different shapes and sizes and speeds, but I do think it’s a deep wide receiver draft from top to bottom, depending on what you’re looking for.”
What comes next for Schoen will be as interesting. Will the general manager get lucky and have a quarterback like Washington’s Michael Pennix Jr. fall to a position where he can trade up and take him? Is he confident enough in his job security to trade back and collect assets? Schoen, as usual, said a lot on Thursday but revealed little.
He should enjoy a relaxing night on Thursday. He can’t mess up the NFL Draft, and the first half of this sentence can mean two things.
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