INDIANAPOLIS — Giants senior vice president of football operations and strategy Dawn Aponte, a direct report to John Harbaugh, is indeed overseeing and leading Giants free agent meetings here at the NFL Combine.
Director of football operations Ed Triggs and high-ranking members of the scouting department, including director of pro scouting Chris Rossetti, are the principles representing the organization in these conversations in Indianapolis with Aponte at the helm.
Harbaugh is in charge, and that is clear to people meeting with the Giants.
Aponte’s predecessor Kevin Abrams was the Giants‘ salary cap lead in previous years, most memorably hammering out the early versions of Daniel Jones’ contract extension in the lobby of the JW Marriott here in March 2023.
The major difference now is that Aponte reports to Harbaugh, who has consolidated his influence over the bulk of the organization. So it’s not like previous years with all of the Giants employees in that room reporting to and answering to GM Joe Schoen as the final say.
Schoen is handling the scouting side of the week, with Harbaugh grinding film and contributing in the personnel department, too.
“She’s a tremendous resource with a lot of experience,” Schoen said Tuesday. “So I will lean on Dawn in terms of her expertise and her background when I see fit.
“With her salary cap background, she’s basically an easy transition because it’s a lot of what Kevin Abrams was doing, if you guys remember his role. It is essentially the same,” the GM added. “Again, a different skillset maybe, a different background than what Kevin has, so some different strengths and weaknesses.”
Not the same.
— Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby and Eagles receiver A.J. Brown are the biggest names being discussed as possible blockbuster trade pieces around the league this offseason. With Las Vegas rebuilding a thin roster and Philadelphia looking to calm the waters around lightning rod quarterback Jalen Hurts, sources believe there is a good chance both players could be dealt. No specific suitor has heated up yet for either. Both trades would be expensive. But these are situations that both the Raiders and Eagles need to resolve for their own reasons.
— Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum was a popular early name on Giants fans’ early free agent wish list, but the reality is that Giants center John Michael Schmitz is coming off his best season. He remains under cost control on a $4.2 million cap hit even with the jump to his fourth-year salary in the final season of his rookie deal. And the organization was pleased with his leadership, on top of his play, of an offensive line that finally found its stride at times.
The Ravens appear prepared to re-sign Linderbaum anyway, but the Giants’ real priorities on the line should be at right guard, right tackle and swing tackle. Some sources believe the Giants want to re-sign right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor but only at a reasonable number. So if Eluemunor’s market isn’t strong, he could be back. If one team does step up with a bigger offer, though, Eluemunor is expected to take the payday.
— It would be surprising if the Giants didn’t invest a meaningful asset or money in the cornerback position this spring, especially if Cor’Dale Flott finds a big outside offer and leaves. LSU’s Mansoor Delane is the cream of the NFL Draft crop, and the Bucs’ Jamel Dean, the Bears’ Nahshon Wright and Seattle’s Tariq Woolen are some of the biggest fish in free agency, although none have emerged yet as the Giants’ clear preference or favorite.
— Kayvon Thibodeaux is not a player the Giants should trade for minimal return. But dealing him makes sense if they receive a significant offer, like a third-round pick or a player swap. So far, no specific suitor has emerged in hot pursuit yet. Several teams were showing interest at the trade deadline in the fall, though, so there is still time for that to heat up.
Plus, the Jets’ trade of edge rusher Jermaine Johnson, the 26th overall pick in Thibodeaux’s draft, to the Titans for defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat just laid out the kind of market and return a useful pass rusher entering a fifth-year option can have this offseason.
— Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. was a dominant player for a team that advanced to the College Football Playoff. If he’s on the board when they’re on the clock at the No. 5 overall pick, he absolutely should be on their radar despite the presences of Brian Burns and Abdul Carter already on the roster. The Giants need more power and edge setting and run stopping on their defensive front. And if they trade Thibodeaux, they will be losing the best edge setter of their top three defensive ends.
The Giants of course have plenty of other needs, too, though, which is why Delane, Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and linebacker Sonny Styles are among the names to watch in round one. A source also said the Giants were showing some interest this week in USC wide receiver Makai Lemon, and Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate and edge Arvell Reese are intriguing, too.
— Schoen revealed that the Giants are “going to probably hire a video director here sooner than later.” The Daily News first reported that the video department was one of several areas Harbaugh would renovate and upgrade when he was hired. So now Harbaugh has replaced Abrams with Aponte in the front office, has replaced Ronnie Barnes as head athletic trainer with Adam Bennett and has tabbed someone new to run the video department, which Aponte is now overseeing.
— A lot of teams are not sending their full coaching staffs to the NFL Combine anymore, following the lead of Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams, who have not attended for years. But new staffs of the Titans, Cardinals and Raiders were among those fully represented. The Giants were well represented but also had some assistant coaches who didn’t make it due to the blizzard out East.
