The New York Giants are entering year three of the Joe Schoen era after he took over as the general manager in the 2022 offseason. It usually takes about three years for a GM’s vision to begin to clear and for his roster to be effectively evaluated. So far, it’s been a mixed bag under the new regime with one season resulting in a playoff berth and the other resulting in a losing record and a top-10 draft pick.
While some Giants fans are confident in the direction that the team is moving, others are not nearly as convinced. Pro Football Focus recently ranked the 32 rosters in the NFL and had the Giants coming in right near the bottom.
The Giants landed 31st in PFF’s roster rankings
Only the Denver Broncos ranked beneath the Giants in PFF’s latest roster rankings written by Jim Wyman and Dalton Wasserman as New York came in 31st place. PFF cites the team’s question marks on the offensive line as one of the biggest causes for concern entering 2024.
PFF predicts a low win total for the Giants in 2024
PFF’s Wyman and Wasserman set the win/loss total at 6.5 and took the under, stating:
“The Giants will get their starting quarterback back from injury and added Brian Burns to fill out their defensive line, but their offensive line was in shambles last season and their secondary lost its best player,” Wyman and Wasserman wrote. “They also gained Malik Nabers but lost Saquon Barkley. There is a world where the Giants’ defense keeps the team in a lot of games, but their offense is reliant on a ton of young players and a quarterback who struggled last season before tearing his ACL.”
After a 9-7-1 finish in 2022, the Giants stumbled their way to a measly 6-11 record this past season. They did so, however, without their starting quarterback. But confidence in Daniel Jones is at an all-time low among NFL fans. If he can elevate his play, however, perhaps things can improve this season.
Why the Giants could outplay their ranking this season:
As PFF pointed out, Big Blue does have some reason for excitement on the offensive side of the ball with rookie wideout Malik Nabers. The LSU product racked up 89 receptions for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.
“Nabers, a first-rounder out of LSU, is the Giants’ most talented receiver since Odell Beckham Jr,” Wyman and Wasserman declared. “He led all FBS wide receivers in overall grade in 2023 and is dangerous outside or in the slot. He’s the perfect chess piece for Brian Daboll’s offense. The Giants just need to find out whether Daniel Jones or someone else will be throwing to Nabers long term.”
Nabers has the potential to transform the Giants’ offense as a rookie and could be their first 1,000-yard receiver since Beckham Jr. all the way back in 2018. With him, the offense should be an improved unit.
On the defensive side of the ball, New York has built out a menacing defensive front that could be among the best in football. Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Brian Burns should be a formidable trio that gives the Giants a top-tier pass rush. So long as the offensive line can hold it together, and so long as the Giants’ young players continue to develop, they should begin their upward trend this season.