Giants' 2026 Offseason: Schoen's Last Stand for Relevancy?
Joe Schoen’s got his work cut out for him. The 2025 season, ending with a dismal 5-12 record, sealed it: the Daniel Jones experiment is officially over. Jones, who threw for just 1,800 yards and 7 touchdowns before his late-season benching for Tommy DeVito, is still on the books for another year, a dead cap nightmare. But the Giants can’t afford to wait. They’ve got to make moves, and they started by cutting ties with some long-time stalwarts. Safety Xavier McKinney, after failing to agree on an extension, walked to the Texans for a reported four-year, $68 million deal. That stings. McKinney was a Pro Bowler in 2024, racking up 110 tackles and 3 interceptions.
Then came the surprise: Saquon Barkley, after two franchise tags and years of back-and-forth, finally left for Philadelphia on a three-year, $39 million contract. That’s a bitter pill for Giants fans, seeing their most dynamic offensive weapon in a rival uniform. Barkley ran for 1,150 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2025, proving he still had gas in the tank. Schoen’s decision to let him walk signals a full commitment to rebuilding the offense around a new quarterback.
The Quarterback Quandary
Here’s the thing: you don’t let Barkley and McKinney go unless you’re clearing serious cap space for a big swing. The Giants entered the offseason with roughly $45 million in cap room, and they used a chunk of it on new signal-caller Justin Fields. Fields, acquired from the Bears for a 2026 second-round pick and a conditional 2027 fourth, signed a two-year, $50 million deal with incentives that could push it higher. It’s a make-or-break move for both Schoen and Fields. Fields’ 2025 season in Chicago was a mixed bag, throwing for 2,900 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, alongside 650 rushing yards. He’s got the athleticism, but the accuracy issues persist. This is his shot, and the Giants are betting big he can finally put it all together.
To give Fields some help, Schoen also brought in veteran wide receiver Allen Lazard on a one-year, $7 million deal. Lazard, who had 600 yards and 4 touchdowns for the Jets in 2025, provides a big body and reliable hands, a stark contrast to the often-injured Darius Slayton. They also re-signed tight end Daniel Bellinger to a three-year, $21 million extension after he posted a career-high 550 receiving yards in 2025. It’s not flashy, but it’s foundational.
Rebuilding the Trenches
The offensive line has been a revolving door of mediocrity for years. Evan Neal, the 2022 first-round pick, continued to struggle at right tackle in 2025, allowing 9 sacks. Andrew Thomas remains a consistent Pro Bowl left tackle, but the interior has been a mess. Schoen addressed this by signing veteran guard Kevin Dotson from the Rams on a three-year, $33 million contract. Dotson was a key piece of the Rams’ dominant run game and should immediately upgrade the interior protection. They also drafted offensive tackle Tyler Smith from Michigan with their first-round pick, 7th overall, hoping he can eventually replace Neal.
Defensively, losing McKinney was tough, but the Giants did manage to retain defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence on a restructured deal, keeping his cap hit manageable for 2026. Lawrence recorded 6 sacks and 15 tackles for loss in 2025, remaining the anchor of that defensive front. They also added veteran linebacker Bobby Okereke from the Colts on a two-year, $18 million deal to bolster the run defense, which ranked 28th in the league last year, giving up 145 rushing yards per game.
Look, this is a transition year, no doubt. Fields is a huge question mark, and the roster still has holes. But Schoen has finally committed to moving on from the past. My hot take? Fields, with a stable offensive line and a fresh start, actually leads the Giants to a surprising 9-8 record in 2026, making a Wild Card push. He’s got the talent; it’s just a matter of putting it all together.