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The New York Giants have been on a constant mission to chase down the rest of their division rivals in the NFC East over the past few seasons, and it’s safe to say that not very much has gone in their favor.
In fact, the Giants’ recent season showed that the wide gap between them and the other teams–the Cowboys, Eagles, and Commanders–was only getting bigger as the opponents made tangible roster improvements to different extents. New York went 0-6 against their division foes in 2024 and was held to below 20 points in all but one of those contests that weren’t as close as the scoreboard might suggest.
For more reasons than one, this offseason would be critical for general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll to prove they could start bridging the gap and set the franchise up for sustained success down the road. It began with a solid draft class last spring and needed to carry over to an improved roster this time.
After what many have deemed a 2025 draft, which they knocked out of the park, those two goals might be coming into focus for New York, and a new draft grades analysis by Gilbert Manzano and Matt Verderame of SI agrees.
More notably, the outlet gave the Giants the best grade in the NFC East division (A+), an immediate sign that things were starting to shift a little, as Schoen and Daboll finally put together a roster they can truly call their own.
“After a miserable 2024, the Giants could soon be headed in the right direction after delivering an impressive draft class featuring plenty of talent and filled needs,” they said.
Highlighting the team’s top two picks: “Carter, who drew comparisons to Micah Parsons and Von Miller, could be a future game wrecker playing next to Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence II. Dart isn’t a surefire QB prospect, but he’ll now get to work with coach Brian Daboll, who has no interest in rushing his development after he announced Russell Wilson as the starter. “
Like the Giants, the Cowboys (B+) and Commanders (B) took a mixed approach to the draft, selecting players on both sides of the ball. Meanwhile, the Eagles (B), whom the whole division is chasing, continued to stockpile developmental players who can become new weapons on their defense and offensive line.
The Giants learned from Philadelphia’s run to the Super Bowl last season just how deadly a versatile pass rush can be to dominating opponents. To be fair, they didn’t need the reminder, as the same formula had helped them in their two runs to the Big Game in 2007 and 2011 when they rode the coattails of their defensive front.
Still, they selected Abdul Carter at No. 3 and now have a foursome with Kayvon Thibodeaux, Brian Burns, and Dexter Lawrence II in the interior. One can’t forget the new interior addition Darius Alexander out of Toledo, who can impact both the pass rush and run-stuffing game, as well as anybody from his draft class.
That will also be the Giants' identity this upcoming season. They will try to punish quarterbacks every down and keep games more competitive for the improved offense to hopefully catch up on their end of the bargain.
Whether the offense rebounds could depend on the durability of the offensive line, which collapsed due to injuries midseason. Left tackle Andrew Thomas is returning to hunker down the left side, but the guard spots and the right tackle position need more improvements in 2025.
The most exciting pick on the offensive end is running back Cam Skattebo. A prospect who many argued could have been the second-best rushing player in the class, the Giants took a gamble on a low-need position but big-value piece who can complement the backfield with tough, downfield running.
Skattebo can also mirror Tyrone Tracy with his ability to catch short dump-offs out of the backfield or in the flat but imagine him and Tracy as the second coming of the Brandon Jacobs-Ahmad Bradshaw pairing. That isn’t to say they are there already, but the familiarity is grabbing Giants fans' attention.
The results all look good on paper, and that’s a big reason why the Giants are graded as high as they’ve been since the draft concluded. Evidence still needs to be seen on the field, especially when the Giants were worlds apart from the rest of the league, let alone their division, behind a nearly unproductive offense and weary defense.
With an influx of veteran leadership, bolstered depth, and a win-now mentality driving their offseason, the Giants could finally get back on the right track. One hopes that a complete reset doesn’t mar the players they’ve invested substantial capital into, for Schoen and Daboll's sake.
After a reasonable roster-building period, step one of retooling for the present is complete, and now it’s about producing results and developing for the future.
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TODAY'S BEST
Raiders staff 'changed their mind' on Jackson Powers-Johnson
First-year head coach Pete Carroll is tinkering with the Las Vegas Raiders' offensive line early in training camp. On Tuesday, second-year offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson was moved to the second-team unit at center, with Jordan Meredith handling the first-team reps, per Tashan Reed of The Athletic. On Thursday, Powers-Johnson was moved to the first-team right guard. The Raiders initially wanted Powers-Johnson to play at center in the upcoming season, but "changed their mind" when they released veteran Andre James in March. "Powers-Johnson started games at guard last year, but the intent was for him to lock in on center after the team released Andre James this offseason," Reed wrote. "That was the case through OTAs, but the staff changed their mind once training camp got rolling. "According to coach Pete Carroll, the logic is Meredith is too small to play guard but holds up well at center. They signed Alex Cappa to start at right guard, but Powers-Johnson is a superior option there." Meredith, a six-foot-two, 300-pound athlete, is decidedly much smaller than the six-foot-three, 328-pound Powers-Johnson. Carroll believes the competition between Meredith and Powers-Johnson this summer will ultimately make the team better. "It's the heart of everything," Carroll told reporters on Thursday regarding the battle at center between Meredith and Powers-Johnson, via video from Taylor Rocha. "These guys are battling for their playing time... JPJ is working his tail off, and both those guys are battling, so it just makes us better." It's hard to see the Raiders benching Powers-Johnson if Meredith earns the starting center job. He should at least earn the starting right guard job after he made the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2024. He is too talented not to start for Las Vegas.
Yankees beef up bullpen by acquiring ex-Pirates closer
Much-needed bullpen help has arrived for the New York Yankees. The Bronx Bombers are acquiring Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar in exchange for three prospects, with the full trade first reported by MLB Network's Jon Morosi. The Yankees entered play on July 31 with a 4.24 bullpen ERA, which ranked 21st in MLB. Therefore, David Bednar represents a significant upgrade for a unit that sorely needed one. It's been a remarkable in-season turnaround for Bednar, who is only a few months removed from posting a 5.14 ERA in nine April appearances and nearly being ousted as Pirates closer. Since then, the veteran reliever has excelled, with a 1.61 ERA from May 1 onward. Pittsburgh turns Bednar, who has one year of arbitration remaining, into three solid prospects, headlined by catcher Rafael Flores, the Yankees' No. 8 prospect. The Pirates also received 14th-ranked prospect Edgleen Perez, who receives high marks for his bat as a catcher. The third prospect heading to the Steel City is outfielder Brian Sanchez, who is unranked but currently at Single-A. The price for controllable relievers has been high, to be sure. But it was one the Yankees needed to pay with both Luke Weaver and Devin Williams struggling, while righty Fernando Cruz tends to injury. With Bednar now in the fold, New York can feel much more secure in closing out games, leaving the others to set up roles as the Yankees attempt to chase down the AL East-leading Toronto Blue Jays. Meanwhile, this trade marks the second significant piece that the Pirates have moved leading up to the deadline, with third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes being dealt to the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.
Rangers Interested in Veteran Outfielder To Boost Offensive Ceiling
As the trade deadline gets closer, the Texas Rangers appear to be eyeing a player from the Pittsburgh Pirates to help improve their team. After hanging around the .500 mark for much of the season, the Rangers have found their groove and are firmly in the playoff picture in the American League. More News: Three Potential Rangers Targets to Watch on Final Day of MLB Trade Deadline With a desire to make the playoffs, Texas has to think about making a couple of improvements to their roster before the deadline based on how active some other contenders have been around the league. Currently, the two most glaring needs for the Rangers are the backend of their bullpen and adding some sort of offensive upgrade, which could be a bat in the outfield. More News: Rangers Likely to Face Eugenio Suarez After Mariners Acquire Slugger According to MLB insider Jon Morosi, Texas was looking to improve both areas in a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates before David Bednar was reportedly sent to the New York Yankees. While Bednar would have been a good fit for the Rangers, they should still be pursuing Tommy Pham to help improve a lackluster lineup. The veteran outfielder is no stranger to being traded, and he tends to provide a nice spark down the stretch. So far this year, he's also been a solid player, slashing .273/.342/.380 with four home runs and 29 RBI in 77 games played. More News: Rangers Trade Reliever To Tigers in Deadline Day Deal Adding Pham would give Texas another solid offensive weapon and provide some needed depth for the lineup. However, continuing to try to improve the back end of the bullpen should be a priority. With Bednar being off the board, the Rangers are starting to run out of potential impact options to help in that area. For more Rangers news, head over to Rangers On SI.
Nolan Arenado Has Decision to Make After Cardinals-Mets Trade
The St. Louis Cardinals are tearing down their roster in a seller’s market with a clear goal of competing in the future after falling out of playoff contention. On Wednesday, St. Louis dealt All-Star closer Ryan Helsley to the New York Mets for three minor-league prospects: shortstop Jesus Baez and right-handed pitchers Nate Dohm and Frank Elissalt. With the Cardinals signaling a rebuild by acquiring players still years from the big leagues, third baseman Nolan Arenado recently met with President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak to discuss his future. The 34-year-old star holds a full no-trade clause in his contract, giving him the right to veto any deal, though he’s already named a list of acceptable destinations. Arenado now faces a decision: expand his list of acceptable destinations, request a move to a contender or remain with St. Louis as they reset their roster. “We’ll see. I’ve got some things to take care of first,” Arenado said via MLB.com’s John Denton. “It’ll probably be fine [without a trade], but we’ll let it play out and see where it goes.” Since joining the Cardinals before the 2021 season, he’s earned three straight All-Star selections to open his tenure. In 697 games in St. Louis, Arenado owns a .266 batting average, .779 OPS, 116 home runs and 415 RBIs. Arenado has two years remaining on his deal after 2025, making his choice one of baseball’s most substantial decisions this July. With the trade deadline fast approaching, his decision could accelerate the Cardinals’ rebuilding timeline.
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