Nov 26, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) carries the ball during the first half against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Giants are the subject of HBO’s first-ever Hard Knocks: Offseason series as they head into their 100th anniversary season. The documentary series follows the team’s front office as they go through the Senior Bowl, NFL Combine, free agency period, and the NFL Draft.
Episode 1 was centered around general manager Joe Schoen and laid the groundwork for Giants offseason needs. Schoen seemed adamant that the priorities for the Giants heading into the offseason were positions on the offensive line, cornerback, pass rushers, and wide receiver. These positions took priority over star running back Saquon Barkley potentially re-signing with the team. Schoen was not keen on franchise tagging and trading him since that option was explored last offseason.
Based on what was shown during the first episode, it seems fair to conclude that Barkeley’s time in New York ended because the Giants did not prioritize the running back position as much as others. However, team president and CEO John Mara seemed more intent on holding on to the star running back saying, “In a perfect world I’d like to have him back until we prove we can have a decent offense without him.”
Schoen seems convinced that quarterback Daniel Jones needs another year, saying, “We need to protect ourselves. He didn’t have much of a chance this year.”
Schoen insinuates that poor offensive line play prevented the Giants from getting a real evaluation of the quarterback in his fifth year.
“This is the year for Daniel,” Schoen said to his team of scouts and assistant GMs. “Is he our guy for the next ten years or do we need to pivot and find somebody else?”
Hard Knocks: Offseason has offered fans a look into the…
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