The New York Giants Are Done, So What’s Next?
The 2024 NFL season isn’t over yet, but for the New York Giants, it’s time to put a tattered bow on it. The Giants went into their bye week with a 2-8 record. Daniel Jones is coming off a miserable performance against the Carolina Panthers, where the Giants lost 20-17 in overtime. The New York Giants are seemingly at rock bottom, so what do they do next?
It’s Time For A New QB
First things first, it’s time to move on from Daniel Jones. This has been a hot topic for months, if not years. Daniel Jones is on year six in the NFL and year two of his $160 million contract. As of the week 11 bye, Jones has thrown for 2,070 yards, eight touchdowns, seven interceptions, and he has a QB rating of 46.3. These stats are bad, but those numbers look even worse when a player makes $40 million a year.
Right now, New York holds the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The last time they picked that high, they drafted running back Saquon Barkley in 2018, a year before they drafted Daniel Jones. With QBs like Cam Ward, Jalen Milroe, and Shadeur Sanders all projected to be high-level picks, it’s hard to imagine New York doesn’t snag one of them.
The Giants have a way out with Jones. If they cut him before the 2025 season, he’ll only be owed $22 million instead of $41 million. New York has a talented roster, one that’s been struggling from the top down, and it all starts with the quarterback. There’s a change coming for the Giants, and this should be the first decision on their minds.
Brian Daboll Should Give Play-Calling Back
There are plenty of problems with the Giants right now, with offensive play-calling being a major one. This issue seems to have gotten twisted, and some people believe head coach Brian Daboll should be fired.
Daboll took over playcalling duties this year, and he has not done a great job thus far. That could be attributed to having an extremely limited quarterback and an inconsistent offensive line, or maybe he’s just not good at it. One thing he is good at, and he’s proven it, is being a head coach.
In 2022, Brian Daboll won the Coach of the Year award, and he did it with offensive coordinator Mike Kafka running the offense. In Kafka’s two years calling plays, the Giants had a combined record of 15-18-1, and they won a playoff game.
Kafka wasn’t perfect in the role, but he didn’t get much time to work and had the same limitations Daboll has now. A lot of pieces are in place for this offense. Rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. has been a breakout stud, Malik Nabers is legit, and the offensive line was playing fairly well early in the year.
The Giants could enter 2025 with an established Tracy, an O-line that has built chemistry, and a quietly scary wide receiver corps. If they draft someone like Cam Ward, the excitement will return to New York. Brian Daboll is a great head coach; if that excitement is there, he’ll build on it tremendously. He needs to give the playcalling reigns back to Kafka in 2025, and they can both focus on what they do best.
Invest In The Defense
The Giants’ defense has been inconsistent, but that’s because there are two different defenses out there. The defensive front, consisting of Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Bobby Okereke, has been extremely fun to watch. As of week 11, they lead the league in sacks with 36, and Thibodeaux hasn’t played since week five.
The problem with the Giants is their secondary. They currently rank 31st in interceptions on the year with only one. The defense is in the middle of the road in tackles (14th) and forced fumbles (15th). This is their first year without Xavier McKinney back there, and he’s sorely missed. Deonte Banks is finding his way as a leader in only his second year, while rookies Tyler Nubin and Andru Phillips are still getting their feet wet.
The Giants can generate a terrific pass rush, but they’re struggling to prevent big plays. They’ve drafted young, talented players, but they need a veteran presence in the secondary to instill some intimidation in opposing quarterbacks. Some free agents in 2025 include Jeremy Chinn, Charvarius Ward, DJ Reed, and Jevon Holland.
New York shouldn’t break the bank for defensive help. Without Daniel Jones’ contract, they should have some freed-up cap space. Shane Bowen has proven his skills as a defensive coordinator; now it’s time to invest in him and give him some stronger pieces to work with.
There’s Always Next Year
The immediate solution for the Giants is to change nothing. Play Daniel Jones, continue on their current trajectory, and hope for a great draft pick. The 2024 season is lost; now, young guys like Nabers and Tracy can continue to grow and learn, along with Nubin and Phillips. The future is on the team, but the puzzle is only half done.
The Giants’ defense has been a bright spot, but they seem to have given up midway through the season. The offense is one of the worst in the NFL, and the excuses have run out for Jones. In 2025, we should see a new quarterback for the Giants, Brian Daboll, go back to what he does best, and the defense becomes the focal point of this team. There is potential in this team, they just need to acknowledge their mistakes, move on, and create something new.
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