Giants' John Harbaugh, Joe Schoen seem to offer strong responses to reports about working relationship

As recently as earlier this week, a report indicated that the New York Giants could part ways with general manager Joe Schoen shortly after the 2026 NFL Draft wraps up. 

By all accounts, new Giants head coach John Harbaugh and not Schoen is running the franchise's football operations this spring. That said, the two recently spoke with NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated for a piece that suggests they are getting along swimmingly a few months into their working relationship.

Are Giants' John Harbaugh, Joe Schoen on the same page ahead of the draft?

"Harbaugh and Schoen have worked to build their relationship and fuse their philosophies the old-fashioned way — through organic interaction, conversation, agreement and disagreement," Breer wrote. "...Spend some time around Schoen and Harbaugh, and you’ll feel that urgency from both, and the energy, too. The clock is indeed ticking. With a lot still left to be done."

That urgency is likely related to the fact that Schoen remains in the final year of his contract. It also probably doesn't help his cause that the Giants have gone 13-38 since the start of the 2023 season under his watch. 

Numerous reports have said that Schoen was "basically relegated to handling scouting" early into Harbaugh's reign. That could lead one to believe that Harbaugh already has a replacement for Schoen in mind, but Breer painted a different picture regarding this unique situation. 

Giants' John Harbaugh, Joe Schoen union is strong? 

"What’s resulted is a football operation that — at least at this early point, before any games have been lost or real football adversity has been faced — looks cohesive and together," Breer added about the current state of the Giants under Harbaugh and Schoen.

How the two decide to handle the ongoing contract standoff involving defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II will unquestionably test a union that was forced upon at least Harbaugh shortly after he was unceremoniously fired by the Baltimore Ravens. 

Per Anne Erickson of Heavy, ESPN Giants reporter Jordan Raanan recently said on ESPN New York that Schoen is "on a trial period" and is "being evaluated" by Harbaugh. Breer's article could cause one to assume that Schoen has a big fan in Harbaugh ahead of this year's draft.