Agents rip Giants over 'Hard Knocks' offseason portrayal

The "Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants" program that aired this summer revealed conversations that resulted in star running back Saquon Barkley leaving the team as a free agent and also confirmed that Giants general manager Joe Schoen explored drafting a future replacement for starting quarterback Daniel Jones. 

During chats with Ben Standig of The Athletic for a piece published Thursday, multiple anonymous NFL agents ripped the Giants for how Schoen, head coach Brian Daboll and others within the franchise were depicted during episodes.

"Embarrassing to the organization," one agent said about the offseason "Hard Knocks" series. "It will easily justify mass firings when they go 4-13." 

The Giants had some editorial control over what viewers saw via "Hard Knocks," but The Athletic's Dan Duggan noted earlier this month that the show proved to be "far more revealing at a much deeper level" than many expected. 

Meanwhile, Gabriel Trevino of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com mentioned on Thursday that Giants co-owner John Mara could part ways with Schoen and Daboll this coming January if the club experiences a second straight losing season. 

"It’s probably a choice the Giants regret," an agent told Standig about the club's participation in the offseason version of the "Hard Knocks" program. "They revealed too much. This portrayal will be something other teams will consider in the future."  

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested as Jones played poorly in a preseason game against the Houston Texans on Aug. 17 that the quarterback's confidence had been impacted by "the open and persistent conversation about upgrading" at the position featured on "Hard Knocks." 

Schoen can escape Jones' contract next offseason but may not have an opportunity to make such a call, as rumors continue to link the Giants with former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.

"It was difficult to figure out the timing of how the events transpired, but it showed the inexact science that is free agency and talent evaluation," an agent added about how "Hard Knocks" portrayed the Giants. "Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder — and the series did not help the team!"

New York's overall record and not a television show will ultimately determine if Mara runs it back with Schoen and Daboll next year. With that said, logic suggests Mara doesn't love that at least some agents think "Hard Knocks" showed the organization is headed in the wrong direction under its current leadership.