Giants’ coaching job not as attractive if Joe Schoen stays as GM

Four years into Joe Schoen’s tenure as general manager, the Giants’ special teams are a wasteland.

The often underrated third phase of an NFL team is supposed to be a team’s strong foundation, a reliable unit that bolsters the team’s chances of winning on game day, and a pool of talent that provides depth on offense and defense.

But after four years of Schoen picking players, the Giants’ kicking, coverage and field goal units are worse than ever.

They look like they’re an expansion team, not a storied franchise with a fourth-year general manager.

And it’s not just about the players Schoen signed. His game day lineup decisions are also constant issues that cost this team games.

His loyalty to Graham Gano constantly backfired, including mishandling Gano’s status as a player with injuries. Schoen’s recent loyalty to Jamie Gillan, the signing of Younghoe Koo and the addition of punter Cameron Johnston have caused a spiral on special teams.

Their cover crews are filled with players who wouldn’t make the cut on many active teams in the NFL. And Schoen and Mike Kafka’s decision not to activate returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette from the practice squad for Sunday’s game — with Gunner Olszewski failing to pass concussion protocol — forced starting safety Jevon Holland into an ill-advised punt return role.

The Giants’ poor special teams, under coordinator Michael Ghobrial, are a major contributor to the franchise’s consistent losing. They have now allowed a punt return touchdown in two straight games. This adds to Koo’s failures, which were highlighted by his decision to turn down a field goal attempt in New England.

But it’s more than a problem that needs to be solved. This is an indictment of Schoen’s ability to put together a list.

This is proof that after four years, Schoen has left his entire squad in a pitiful state. This is proof that he doesn’t know what he’s doing.

So the concern isn’t how this will affect the Giants’ next game Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. It’s a question of how Schoen’s presence will affect the Giants’ ability to attract their next head coach.

Because while a future head coach might be excited about Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers, Cam Skattebo and a top-three pick in April’s NFL draft, it’s impossible to look at the shortcomings of this roster and feel comfortable being paired with protected starter Schoen.

The GM simply hasn’t demonstrated that he knows how to correct obvious problems that lead to losses.

Schoen’s shortcomings aren’t limited to special teams. How bad are the free agent signings of corner Paulson Adebo and Holland?

Adebo (three years, $54 million) filmed an unacceptable tackling effort on Terry McLaurin’s 51-yard touchdown run Sunday, the latest disappointment in a forgettable season. Holland (three years, $45.3 million) was roasted by tight end Ben Sinnott for a 36-yard catch in the fourth quarter.

Not to mention the lack of leadership and production from Dexter Lawrence – who has looked detached and uninvested all season – which perfectly encapsulates how Schoen’s mismanagement and inability to maintain a constructive culture has seeped throughout the team.

This is one of the worst Giants defenses in recent memory. This is one of the worst defenses in the entire NFL this year. And it’s full of players that Schoen has either signed to major contracts or drafted.

Even in attack, Schoen cannot do things correctly. He paid more than three years and $36 million to retain wide receiver Darius Slayton, and the veteran’s dropping problems continued on several occasions Sunday, including an incomplete third down and an abandoned touchdown.

Schoen is now 3-23 (.115) in the Giants’ last 26 games, 5-26 (.161) in the last 31 games, 5-18-1 (.208) against NFC East opponents, 2-14-0 (.125) against the Eagles and Cowboys and an overall record of 20-44-1 (.307) in four regular seasons.

The Giants have lost eight straight games. They haven’t won a game since Oct. 9 at home against the Eagles.

Sunday’s loss to the Commanders — a team riddled with injuries and in total free fall — means Washington has swept the Giants in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1982-83.

That adds to the Giants’ 0-8 road record this season and a franchise-record 13 straight road losses dating back to Oct. 6, 2024, in Seattle.

And don’t forget last season’s franchise record, 10 straight losses overall, when Brian Daboll was still overseeing the dysfunction.

The truth is that Schoen deserved to be fired on Monday, just as he deserved to be fired the Tuesday after the Patriots game and the same day Daboll was fired after the November disaster in Chicago.

Granted, with co-owner John Mara unfortunately battling cancer, that’s not a normal assessment. There could be internal arguments in favor of retaining Schoen for the sake of stability, given the many challenges and changes occurring within the organization.

Especially with such a critical coaching search on deck that Schoen is currently helping to lead.

The truth is, however, that there is no good argument for keeping him as general manager. And stability is worthless if it means continuing to employ someone who can’t accomplish even the most basic task of building a roster, which is building a reasonable roster over a long period of time.