The recent episode of HBO’s Hard Knocks provided insight into the Giants’ off-season strategy and GM Joe Schoen’s approach to Saquon Barkley. A statement from the GM during the episode sparked debate across the NFL community. Mike Lombardi argues that successful teams manage to pay both their QB and an RB, calling Schoen’s thinking foolish.
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Joe stated that they weren’t paying $40 million to Daniel Jones just to hand the ball to a $12 million RB like Barkley. Michael Lombardi highlighted the flaw in Scheon’s logic.
On the GM Shuffle podcast, Lombardi criticized the Giants’ GM for overplaying his hand and underestimating the market and his competitors. He called Schoen clueless, noting that top teams like the Ravens pay Lamar Jackson over $52 million while still signing a $12 million RB like Derrick Henry.
The Eagles also counter Schoen’s stance by signing Barkley for $12 million a year despite paying over $50 million to Jalen Hurts. He stated,
” To me, the worst line of all that demonstrates that Joe is not paying attention to the NFL at all is when he said- We can’t pay somebody $40 million to hand the ball off. What the f*ck is Lamar Jackson doing? What’s he doing? He’s handing it off to Derrick Henry at $12 million.”
Joe Schoen’s line, “We’re not paying Daniel Jones $40M to hand the ball off to a $12M RB,” shows that he’s not paying attention. Their competitors went out and did exactly what the Giants said they couldn’t do.
Check out The GM Shuffle on @DKNetwork at https://t.co/b4sYN4CC91 pic.twitter.com/ncanyXKNLE
— Michael Lombardi (@mlombardiNFL) July 11, 2024
The bold statement delivered and the decision not to retain their most impactful player, the face of the franchise, has divided fans. Schoen’s unwillingness to meet Barkley’s price and his focus on other areas like O-Line to protect their $40 million QB, has left many questioning his approach.
It’s fair to say that the Hard Knock experiment hasn’t worked well with a dysfunctional franchise like the Giants as things haven’t been rosy since the episodes came out.
Giants Undoing Themselves Through Hard Knocks?
The Giant’s bold decisions and candid discussions about the future of their key players on Hard Knocks have captured everyone’s attention. However, it seems Schoen forgot that being based in New York means every move will be scrutinized by the media, regardless of how much he ignores outside noise.
His decision to back Daniel Jones over Barkley was met with criticism despite its practical elements. With the offensive line in shambles, Schoen aimed to address that issue. Yet, fans pointed out his lack of personal accountability. It was Schoen who paid Jones and assembled that offensive line, relying heavily on youth.
Calling Saquon his best offensive player but then refusing to pay $12 million to keep him, only to see a divisional rival do so, was a misstep. Schoen pushed Barkley towards free agency, assuming he would return for a lesser offer. Instead, Barkley signed a $37.75 million deal, with $26 million guaranteed, with the Eagles.
Moreover, allowing that particular private conversation between Joe and Barkely to be revealed on Hard Knock was a disgrace. It raises questions about why a player would want to play for a franchise that handles such matters so publicly.
