New York Giants GM Joe Schoen - Adam Hunger/AP Photo
General Manager Joe Schoen of the New York Giants came from humble beginnings to where he is now. Before going only 22-45 in his first contract, he was originally AGM Joe Schoen, back when he worked under General Manager Brandon Beane of the Buffalo Bills.
GM Joe Schoen was once AGM Joe Schoen in Western New York
Schoen’s first welcome-to-the-NFL moment involved the 2018 draft pick of now-superstar quarterback Josh Allen. Schoen had the ability to watch a young, talented arm with accuracy issues turn into an exciting NFL quarterback with 6-foot-5, 237 pounds of athleticism, not be afraid to put his body on the line.
Allen’s first offensive coordinator when Schoen was there was Brian Daboll, and when the Giants had a General Manager and a Head Coaching position available, both Schoen and Daboll took those jobs.
Joe Schoen’s key moments as General Manager
Besides hiring Daboll as his head coach, the Giants finished 9-8 in 2022 with quarterback Daniel Jones. They won their first playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings before falling to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Divisional Round.
The first tough decision Schoen had to make was signing Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract instead of paying running back Saquon Barkley. The reason at that time was that the running back market was devalued, while the quarterback market was higher. As a result, the 2023 New York Giants finished 6-11 and missed the playoffs entirely.
Letting Saquon Walk
Another hard decision Schoen made was letting Barkley go, only to have him sign with the Philadelphia Eagles and win the Super Bowl later that season. Schoen drew heat from the New York fans for it. Still, the reality is he did Saquon a favor by letting him pursue an opportunity with another team, showing that the GM really cared about the running back’s future and that he supported players even when it was tough, hoping fans would appreciate his leadership.
That also included buying out the second year of Jones’ contract. The 2024 Giants went 3-14, but ownership decided to retain Daboll and Schoen for the 2025 season.
Drafting the “Big Three”
In the 2025 NFL Draft, GM Joe Schoen began building a young nucleus the Giants could be excited about to replace the departing Jones and Barkley. With the third pick, he took Penn State Edge Rusher Abdul Carter, who said he idolized the great Lawrence Taylor growing up and wanted his number 56 jersey, which was retired.
After that, Schoen traded back into the first round at No. 25 to select the exciting dual-threat quarterback Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss, reminiscing about their days in Buffalo. Schoen and Daboll said Dart reminded them of Josh Allen when he came out of college in that he is a reckless monster who will put his body on the line to try to take over a game, incouring trust in his playmaking potential.
Then, in the fourth round, the Giants took another exciting prospect in running back Cam Skattebo out of Arizona State. While with the Giants, Skattebo has suffered a season-ending ankle dislocation and a fractured fibula. He remains a great choice in hopes of playing a full 2026 season.
Meanwhile, in a small sample size, Dart showed his wild side, leading to a huge Thursday Night win against the Philadelphia Eagles. He has also taken some unnecessary hits, but he keeps on ticking and balling.
Conclusion
While his record may not have warranted an extension from Giants fans, Giants Ownership has seen that GM Joe Schoen has bounced back from the Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley experiment by replacing them with prominent young players that hopefully new head coach Jim Harbaugh can put together to make a playoff appearance in 2026.
