The 2024 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana gets underway on Tuesday, February 27 as teams and prospects begin to arrive for the “Underwear Olympics.”
Although on-field drills don’t officially begin until Thursday, press conferences are lined up to start the week. 26 of the league’s 32 general managers will speak, including New York Giants GM Joe Schoen.
Schoen will take the podium on Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m. ET and he’ll have a boatload of questions that need answering.
Here’s a look at nine topics Schoen must address.
Note: Giants head coach Brian Daboll is one of 12 coaches who is not slated to conduct a formal interview.
Has the belief in Daniel Jones waned?
Schoen has remained openly committed to quarterback Daniel Jones but how much of that is just lip service? The GM often gives very carefully thought-out comments that lack any real substance.
This is a chance for NFL reporters to pin Schoen down and ask him point-blank: Do you still believe in DJ as much as you did when you gave him a four-year, $160 million contract? Yes or no?
The questioning will have to be firm and direct or Schoen will skirt it by turning it into a conversation about Jones’ torn ACL and whether or not he’ll be ready to start the season.
Why did you jump on the headset last season?
There have been multiple reports suggesting that Schoen jumped on the headset for a few games last season as the relationship between Brian Daboll and Wink Martindale deteriorated.
That’s not an uncommon practice for general managers but the timing of it certainly raises some eyebrows.
This is a chance to ask Schoen why he did that after Jay Glazer’s report and what he learned about Daboll’s relationship with the other coordinators and assistants during that time.
What went wrong between Daboll and Wink?
It’s a public reality that Daboll and Martindale clashed. It’s undeniable and something Schoen must be pressed on. Simply wishing Martindale well without an explanation of what happened is unacceptable.
Schoen needs to elaborate on how the relationship deteriorated and why there were additional reports of conflict with other coordinators and assistants.
Does Schoen believe Daboll has to change how he interacts with people? Does the coach bear any responsibility for the fallout(s)?
Do you believe Kafka should continue calling plays?
Speaking of clashes, offensive coordinator Mike Kafka was reportedly willing to leave the Giants for a lateral move due to his deteriorating relationship with Daboll and the likelihood that he’ll be stripped of play-calling duties.
Asking Schoen who will call plays will result in a circular answer: “That’s a decision Daboll will make.”
Instead of asking Schoen who will call plays, the GM should be asked if he, personally, believes Kafka should continue calling plays in 2024. If yes, why? If not, also why?
What is Saquon Barkley's value?
We already know that Schoen will say he wants running back Saquon Barkley to remain with the Giants. We also already know that the two sides will negotiate, the GM will do what’s best for the Giants, and yadda, yadda, yadda.
What do you believe is the market value for Barkley? Is it greater now that the salary cap ceiling was set much higher than anyone anticipated? Is it equal to or less than the value you placed on Barkley a season ago? Does another injury reduce his value in your mind?
It’s been more than a year of the same exact answers when it comes to Barkley. It’s time to take a different approach to the questioning.
Will Xavier McKinney go the way of Julian Love?
Schoen said he wanted safety Julian Love to remain with the Giants a season ago but he never really fought hard to keep the captain. The GM put a line in the sand and stuck with it just as he did with Barkley.
Will safety Xavier McKinney be given that same treatment? Is he a top-end safety the team needs to keep or is he another interchangeable piece?
The franchise tag is likely out of the question, but would Schoen be willing to use the transition tag? And if so, will it be more than just a show to appease McKinney’s fans?
Why do the injury issues persist?
Two years ago, Schoen said one of his first orders of business would be drilling down into the injury data and finding out why the Giants are routinely among the league leaders in man games lost.
After two seasons with the Giants still among the NFL’s most-injured teams, what has Schoen discovered? What is being done to avoid this problem and what additional changes are expected in 2024?
Are Giants open to trading up in 2024 NFL draft?
Schoen is undoubtedly open to trading down in the 2024 NFL draft but what about up? Whether it’s for a quarterback or another position, are the depth-lacking Giants willing to surrender additional draft capital to target a specific player? What is the risk/reward of trading up with so many personnel needs?
Can you continue to rely on Evan Neal?
One of the biggest issues facing the Giants this offseason is — and stop us if you’ve heard this before — their offensive line.
They already need two starting guards and plenty of depth, but what do they do with Evan Neal? He has not performed well at right tackle and for every one step forward, he takes two steps back.
Is it time to pull the plug? Should Neal be moved inside to guard?
If Schoen refuses to discuss moving Neal to guard and continues to express faith in him as a right tackle, he should be asked how much longer that leash is. What does he need to see before making a change at RT?
