Michael George asks: It was quite a surprise listening to John Harbaugh field reporters\u2019 questions following Rookie Minicamp. His willingness to offer the compliment of \u201cgood question\u201d seemed genuine. You could sense they were subject areas he wanted to open up about, to share his insights. How would you characterize the differences between Harbaugh and former head coach Brian Daboll when addressing the press?<\/p>\n
Ed says: Michael, to this point Harbaugh has been cordial, friendly, respectful, and as informative as he has wanted to be. No coach or GM is ever going to intentionally tell the media more than they want the public to know. That\u2019s part of the game. We know that when we are asking the questions. What we hope for is enough information to give us something to work with, and at least a useful quote or two that makes the stories we deliver to readers better.<\/p>\n
I really liked Brian Daboll as a person. Away from the cameras and the notebooks, he was a friendly guy who could spin a good story and seemed interested enough to ask people about themselves. On the podium, though, he was different. He wanted to give as little as possible. His answers were generally devoid of color or personality. As the losses and the criticism mounted, I think Daboll felt less and less obligated to help people who spent an inordinate amount of time ripping him do their jobs. Part of me couldn\u2019t blame him, but that hurt all of us trying to cover them and not just the writers who were having a field day calling for his head.<\/p>\n
When adversity comes and Harbaugh\u2019s decisions are criticized, I do wonder if some of his congeniality will fade. My guess is that he is secure enough in his accomplishments and his knowledge that he won\u2019t change that much.<\/p>\n
Matt Hawthorn asks: I\u2019m excited by the possibilities on defense following this year\u2019s draft and free agency acquisitions. However, my lingering concern is that we all had similar hopes this time last year following the Abdul Carter pick and the subsequent talk of potential NASCAR packages. Sexy Dexy has left. Arvell Reese, DJ Reader and Shelby Harris have been brought in. Should we have higher expectations of our defense for the 2026 season based on current personel?<\/p>\n
Ed says: Matt, you should certainly have higher expectations. First, the biggest lingering question entering last season was whether or not Shane Bowen was the right defensive coordinator to maximize the strengths the Giants had last season. We learned that, as we suspected, he was not.<\/p>\n
You have a more aggressive, creative defensive coordinator now in Dennard Wilson. You have an accomplished head coach who will be heavily involved in the defense. You don\u2019t have Dexter Lawrence, but you have a deeper defensive line rotation. You have young players in Arvell Reese and Colton Hood to be excited about.<\/p>\n
Maybe we overestimated the potential of the defense a year ago, but I still maintain that it under-achieved. The Giants were in the bottom 25 percent in many defensive categories last season, and worst in the league in run defense, giving up 5.3 yards per rushing attempt.<\/p>\n
You won\u2019t hear any \u201ctop 10 defense\u201d talk from me this time around. I can\u2019t imagine, though, that the 2026 Giants won\u2019t be better on that side of the ball.<\/p>\n
Norm Weiss asks: I have always thought that the litmus test of great GMs, like George Young, was finding \u201chidden gems\u201d, either late in the draft or UDFAs, like Jessie Armstead or Ahmad Bradshaw, just to name a few. What Day 3 picks or UDFA do you see with this type of potential?<\/p>\n
Ed says: Norm, it is hard to pick a player or players with that type of potential. We have seen one rookie minicamp practice. Maybe one day J.C. Davis or Jack Kelly are full-time starters.<\/p>\n
One thing I will disagree with. Yes, general managers absolutely have to hit occasionally on Day 3 picks. It is still the quarterback position and the Day 1 and Day 2 picks that remain most important. If you don\u2019t get those right the vast majority of the time, getting an occasional Day 3 pick who outperforms his draft slot won\u2019t make up for it. Get those right AND nail an occasional Day 3 pick and then you really have something going.<\/p>\n
David Bavoso asks: Over the years, the Giants have signed at least one player from the CFL (I believe it was Brett Jones). Do the Giants have a scouting apparatus outside of just the college game? I was wondering if the team has staff that are dedicated to monitoring the CFL and the UFL in the hope of finding players that may have been overlooked previously.<\/p>\n
Ed says: David, that\u2019s an interesting question. The Giants don\u2019t have a single dedicataed CFL or UFL scout. Those responsibilities fall to the Pro Personnel department. Pro Personnel Director Chris Rossetti happens to be from Ontario and spent the early part of his scouting career working in the CFL, giving him connections there.<\/p>\n
Christopher Scanlon asks: Even with the free agent additions of Reader and Harris, and the upside of Alexander and some of the rookies, I feel like this group is still awfully thin. I feel like the overall depth is much better, but that really only reader is a legit starter.<\/p>\n
With this the case, given our abundant riches at edge, I would really love to see KT get traded. Let Golston be the primary edge back up this year like he was signed to do. That said, I\u2019m not looking for a draft pick here. I would really love to see the Giants find a trade partner who needs edge help, who has depth at defensive tackle, and who could make a roughly equivalent player in age, upside, and productivity to KT available.<\/p>\n
Given the positional value of edge over DT, you would think this could be doable. Any thoughts on hypothetical players that fit the mold? If this doesn\u2019t seem viable to you, why not?<\/p>\n
Ed says: Chris, there are two parts to that question to explore. The depth of the defensive line, and the Kayvon Thibodeaux as trade bait idea.<\/p>\n
I am going to push back on the idea that the line is \u201cawfully thin.\u201d Here\u2019s the scorecard:<\/p>\n
Subtractions: Dexter Lawrence, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, D.J. Davidson, Elijah ChatmanAdditions: D.J. Reader, Shelby Harris, Leki Fotu, Sam Roberts, Zacch Pickens, Bobby Jamison-TravisHoldovers: Roy Robertson-Harris, Darius Alexander, Chauncey Golston (I list him here because the Giants list him as a defensive lineman and not an outside linebacker)<\/p>\n
There isn\u2019t a star player in that group, but there is the potential to have a deep, capable group where there really isn\u2019t a drop off no matter who is on the field.<\/p>\n
As for Thibodeaux, the Giants continue to say they are not trying to trade him. I believe them. If there was a team out there that would offer them a second-round pick, that is a trade I know they would accept. That\u2019s more than they could hope to get as a compensatory selection should Thibodeaux leave in free agency, so they would have to do that.<\/p>\n
I would think that if there was a player-for-player trade to be made right now that made sense the Giants would have done it already.<\/p>\n
Brian Dennis asks: I have been a HUGE Die Hard of the New York Football GIANTS since 1984. Since then and up to this very day I have been collecting countless collectibles and countless memorabilia. I know they won 4 Super Bowls which I have on DVDs. Before the Super Bowl was invented, they had won 4 World Championships. So, a total of 8 in there history since 1925. That is third most. Bears have the second most with 10 and Packers with 13. Why can\u2019t the NFL count all as one instead of going by Super Bowls only ? After all, you can\u2019t change NFL Professional Football History! In the mean time, I\u2019m going to strive for 9!<\/p>\n
Ed says: Brian, count it whatever way you want. Generally, people separate the Super Bowl ear because having two leagues and so many more teams changed everything. You can\u2019t rewrite history, though, and those championships count.<\/p>\n
K\u00f6lnerbigblue asks: Ed, how long are contracts for front office staff in the scouting department? I\u2019m wondering when those contracts expire. While we are waiting for news and an extension for Schoen, I think contract negotiations with the scouts be an indication of Harbaugh\u2019s opinion of Schoen\u2019s organization building skills? What\u2019s your thoughts? <\/p>\n
Ed says: K\u00f6lner, the standard length of contract for a scout is two years. I found limited data showing contracts for some scouts of one to three years, but two is the industry standard.<\/p>\n
As for Giants scouts and the front office in general, I think we already have that answer. We have seen zero movement or changes in the front office and scouting staff since the draft ended. If there were going to be big changes, they would have happened by now.<\/p>\n
Ed Helinski asks: In your opinion, which NFC East team had the best offseason in replacing, restocking and restoring their team? How about listing the teams on a 1 thru 4, best-to-worst basis?<\/p>\n
Ed says: Ed, I have not spent a ton of time worrying about the other teams this offseason. We are going to have Nick Falato break down the offseasons of the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Commanders over the next week or so. That should give us a pretty good answer to that question.<\/p>\n
Andy Engel asks: I\u2019m reading in the mail how fans are optimistic about the season with \u201call the talent\u201d we got and how we SHOULD contend for the division and a playoff spot. You yourself say they should feel that way this time of year. Yes, I have felt optimistic every year, but this year I say we should have CAUTIOUS optimism. Tell me if I am wrong, but consider these facts:<\/p>\n
Our DL, which was already bad last season, is worse. Reader is 31 years old coming off a \u201cdown\u201d season. At that age, at that position, you usually don\u2019t get better suddenly.Our WR corps is worse. We lost our best receiver last year in Robinson, and yeah I know we got Nabers, but he\u2019s coming off a serious injury and we don\u2019t know when he\u2019ll be ready or be the same player. It\u2019s a fact Fields is slow, has trouble separating(!), and a QB who is largely inaccurate throwing the ball downfield. I don\u2019t know it being tall is going to make up for that.Our secondary is worse. Flott had a great year and of course they let him get away. Is Hood going to pick up the slack on that?Our OL center position is more precarious. Schmitz may be alright but he always gets hurt and we let a proven good backup get away in Schlottman. <\/p>\n
So can you deny these statements? We always seem to have a \u201cgood\u201d off-season with so many high draft picks yet continue to be one of the worst teams year after year. Sometimes I think a bad karma has hit this organization for the way they dumped Coughlin.<\/p>\n
Ed says: Jeepers, Andy, talk about looking at the glass as half-empty. I have admittedly been fooled before during the offseason, but isn\u2019t this the time of year when you should be looking for reasons to feel optimistic? Let me go through your \u201cfacts,\u201d which are really just the lens through which you see things. You are entitled to that lens, but it doesn\u2019t make them \u201cfacts.\u201d<\/p>\n