As the final seconds ticked off the clock on another dismal season, the New York Giants wasted no time shifting their focus to the critical months ahead. With the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and north of $50 million to spend under the salary cap, Big Blue is positioned for a franchise-altering offseason.
Quarterback Quandary Takes Center Stage
The Giants’ first order of business will be solving their quarterback conundrum. After moving on from Daniel Jones and with no heir apparent on the roster, GM Joe Schoen must find his signal-caller of the future via the draft, free agency or a trade:
- Draft options: Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) and Cam Ward (Miami) headline the rookie class
- Free agent targets: Veterans like Sam Darnold, Kirk Cousins or Jimmy Garoppolo could provide a bridge
- Trade possibilities: Pursuing an established starter such as Derek Carr if he becomes available
We’ve done a lot of work on the college guys…We can also look throughout the draft, potential trade opportunities. We’ll look at any avenue we can to upgrade the position.
– Giants GM Joe Schoen
Rebuilding the Trenches
While the QB spot draws the headlines, the Giants have glaring needs in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Owner John Mara highlighted his disappointment in the defense and desire for more depth on the offensive line.
Look for Schoen to invest draft capital and cap space to bolster the defensive line rotation and add talent at all five OL spots. Building through the lines will be essential to turning around a team that finished near the bottom of the league.
Overhauling the Secondary
The Giants’ back end is also due for a major facelift, with safety Xavier McKinney’s departure leaving a void. Corner and safety will be priority positions to address with several starters hitting free agency.
With the most cap space in the NFC East and 11 draft picks, the Giants will have every opportunity to remake their roster this offseason. The No. 3 overall pick puts them in prime QB territory if they want to go that route.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) January 23, 2025
On the offensive side, WR Darius Slayton is unlikely to return after last year’s contract squabbles, so adding weapons for the new QB will be crucial. The G-Men could look to the loaded wideout class in the draft to inject young talent.
Maintaining Continuity Despite Change
While wholesale changes are coming to the roster, the Giants do hope to maintain some continuity on the coaching staff. OC Mike Kafka is in the running for the Saints job, but is under contract for 2025 if he doesn’t land it.
Schoen values the carryover for young players learning systems and feels keeping schemes in place could aid the rebuild. That continuity will be tested with a likely new starting QB and significant roster turnover.
You realize how hard it is to learn some of these new systems. You’ve got young guys that are getting their feet wet that are just finally starting to feel comfortable…So, I do think it’s important.
– GM Joe Schoen on maintaining coaching continuity
As the Giants embark on this pivotal offseason, they’ll lean heavily on their coaches’ evaluations from the all-star circuit. With increased involvement in the Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl, Daboll’s staff gets valuable hands-on time with prospects.
Those added touchpoints and detailed assessments could prove vital for Schoen and the front office as they look to nail their quarterback pick and reconstruct the roster with impact talent on both sides of the ball.
Big Apple Buying Season Begins
With a war chest of draft picks and cap room at their disposal, the Giants will be one of the most active and intriguing teams of the 2025 offseason. Schoen’s moves at quarterback and across the board will define the franchise’s direction for years to come.
How effectively the Giants deploy those assets will determine if they set themselves up for a rapid turnaround or a longer rebuild. But after a rock-bottom 3-14 season, Big Blue is entering a transformational window with the means to overhaul the roster.
The pressure is on Schoen and Daboll to get this pivotal offseason right and reshape the Giants into a contender. With a top-3 pick to work with and money to burn, Big Blue is poised to be the big buyer of the NFL offseason. Their time to strike begins now.
