PALM BEACH, Fla. — Joe Schoen’s 20-minute off-camera Monday press conference was overshadowed by John Mara’s decision not to speak on his team at all.
The Giants co-owner and prominent league voice annually addresses the state of his franchise at the NFL owners’ meetings. There is no known precedent of Mara declining the opportunity.
But Mara was candid and expansive about his disappointment on Jan. 6 when he announced that he was retaining GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll for 2025.
And that was before Saquon Barkley led the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl and the Giants’ quarterback pursuit of Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers sputtered to a Russell Wilson-Jameis Winston conclusion.
So now maybe it’s time for Mara’s silence to speak volumes.
“I haven’t talked to John about it,” Schoen said when asked about Mara’s decision to stay quiet here in Florida. “I’ve been on the road. I haven’t been back in the office in eight days. So I haven’t talked to John about that.”
Schoen’s physical location has nothing to do with his ability to speak with Mara, as evidenced by his own, separate assertion on Monday that he speaks with Mara and co-owner Steve Tisch “on a daily basis” about the team.
This is a tense time for the Giants, though: Jobs are on the line. Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll largely are operating as separate entities internally. And there is not much outside respect for what their team can be in 2025.
So whether Mara’s silence indicates frustration with the outside noise and coverage of his team, increased concern about the Giants’ internal process or some combination of the two, it spoke loudly on Monday regardless.
Even the Jets’ Woody Johnson had a gathering with reporters before Monday was up.
“We’ve gotta go out and win games,” Schoen added. “At the end of the day, we won three games. So we’ve got to do a better job, I’ve got to do a better job… We’ve got to go out and do it.”
SCHOEN: DON’T NEED TO FORCE QB
Schoen’s main message on Monday was that the Giants do not have to force a quarterback at the No. 3 overall pick.
He believes signing both Wilson and Winston gives the Giants the “optionality” to do anything there, including passing on a QB.
“We set it up where we don’t have to,” he said. “We could go play a game right now. So it doesn’t force you into a corner or force you to have to take something based on need.”
Schoen did not deny that every GM is looking for their “franchise quarterback for the next 15 years.” Of course, if the Giants evaluate a QB at that level, they’ll take him.
“If you’re talking about where we’re picking, they’ve got to be able to be a franchise quarterback [at the level] that you’re winning the NFC East every year and your ultimate goal is to win the Super Bowl if you’re taking a guy that high,” he said. “They’ve got to be able to check those boxes.”
But if that quarterback doesn’t exist in their opinion, they’re not going to force it — not in the first round and not in any round, unless the value matches the pick.
“The assumption is there is going to be a guy,” Schoen said. “As we do our homework, if there is a guy, we’ll take one that checks the box. If there is not a guy, that’s not a good plan.
“So if there is another guy in the second or third or Mr. Irrelevant that can become a franchise quarterback, heck yeah, you would love to do that,” the GM added. “We’re going to do our homework on all the quarterbacks and all the positions. We’ve set it up where we’re not backed into a corner that we have to take any particular position at any point.”
Chalk these comments up as another sign of Colorado Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter being a strong candidate as the Giants’ selection at the No. 3 overall pick. The Buffaloes’ pro day, also featuring quarterback Shedeur Sanders, is scheduled for Friday in Boulder. Colo.
RUSS IS QB1, RUNYAN HAD SOMETHING DONE
Russell Wilson will “take the first-team reps” when the Giants hit the field to open the offseason program on April 21, Schoen said. The GM said determining the starter is a better question for Daboll, who is scheduled to speak Tuesday morning at the NFC coaches’ breakfast. But clearly, Wilson is the projected starter based on Wilson’s articulated expectations, Schoen’s comments and the players’ contracts. Did the GM tell Wilson about his draft plans at No. 3? “I didn’t tell him what we were gonna do at three, but I said we’re open to everything,” Schoen said. Winston, who officially signed Monday in New Jersey, said “I knew a free agent signing was going to come or maybe even a draft pick was going to come” when he agreed to be a Giant. … It sounds like starting left guard Jon Runyan Jr. might have had a procedure done on his separated shoulder, although Schoen said Runyan would be “good to go this spring.” Schoen was asked if Runyan had undergone surgery and twice declined to answer yes or no. He said “I’m not going to get into specifics of that” but “he’s been back in the building” and “he’s good.” … Schoen also said that tackle Evan Neal is “going to do whatever he can to help the team, whether that’s [playing] guard or tackle.” So it’s possible that Neal, who played one season at left guard at Alabama, could get a Mekhi Becton-like trial at revitalizing his career on the inside. If he were able to win the left guard job, that could allow the Giants to slide Runyan back to right guard, which was his home on the Green Bay Packers … It took Schoen only seconds into his first answer to take another shot at Daniel Jones. In discussing the new quarterback room of Wilson and Winston, Schoen said: “Russ, winning record last year, threw 16 touchdowns. I don’t think we’ve had somebody do that since 2019.” … Speaking of that 2019 quarterback, two-time Giants Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning was still throwing touchdown passes here on Monday on the back lawn at The Breakers Palm Beach. Manning was playing steady QB for a group of about 15 kids, tossing the ball around as the boys and girls ran routes and had a blast. He finds games even in retirement.
