The Colts just showed how fast the ground can shift under an NFL general manager, and Joe Schoen ought to be paying attention.
Chris Ballard had lasted nearly a decade in Indianapolis, a rare GM who managed to keep his footing with ownership even as the wins never piled up the way the Colts wanted. That run ended this week after a 2-4 start and a bad loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 6. Ballard’s firing is a reminder that even a long leash has an expiration date.
Schoen has a similar kind of job security cushion with the Giants. He has not delivered much winning since taking over, and his draft record has been uneven, but he appears to have built a strong relationship with the Mara family. He was also one of the few holdovers in the switch from Brian Daboll to John Harbaugh.
That still doesn’t mean he can relax. Ballard’s exit should serve as a warning that comfort around ownership only buys so much time. At some point, Schoen will have to show that he can build a roster that actually wins.
The Giants’ front office setup makes that more complicated. Schoen does not appear to have total control over personnel with Harbaugh in the building, and the new head coach clearly had influence this offseason, including bringing in several former Baltimore Ravens players. This is a joint rebuild, but joint effort does not equal easier decisions.
Schoen now has to thread a narrow path: give Harbaugh the players he needs to shape the team’s identity, while also protecting what he believes is best for the franchise in both the short and long term.
The Giants have already committed to both men. Schoen got a contract extension this offseason that runs through the 2029 season. But that kind of security can disappear fast if results go sideways.
And if the next year or two go badly, the Giants may decide Harbaugh is the safer bet. The Colts just made one thing clear: sometimes the head coach survives and the general manager doesn’t.
In Other News...
Giants Face A QB Decision That Could Change This Next Stretch
The quarterback discussion around the Giants has shifted from emergency replacement to something more consequential as they head into a critical stretch. Since Daniel Jones was injured, Jameis Winston has been the main starter, but J.J. McCarthy has given the staff enough to think about after showing flashes in limited action, especially with the kind of downfield passing that can change how an offense is defended.
McCarthys presence adds a different layer to a decision the Giants cant take lightly, because this next stretch carries real weight. Winston offers the familiarity of having already been in the role, while McCarthy brings the possibility of a different ceiling and a running game that could benefit from his skill set, which is why the choice is being watched so closely inside the building. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Draft Decision Is Already Raising Offensive Line Concerns
The Giants decision to move on from Dexter Lawrence for draft capital already looks like the kind of front-office bet that gets revisited quickly when the rookie learning curve turns bumpy. New York used the 10th pick on Francis Mauigoa, an offensive tackle who is being shifted inside to guard, and the early returns through six weeks have not matched the kind of instant line help the team was hoping to buy with that move.
Mauigoas adjustment has been a real challenge, especially when weighed against how another top draft lineman has settled in elsewhere. Baltimore took Vega Ioane later in the round, and he has looked far more comfortable handling guard and center duties, which only sharpens the scrutiny on the Giants choice and the risk that comes with asking a young blocker to master a new spot right away. [Read more 🡒]
Giants May Be Down To One More Backfield Gamble
The Giants keep shuffling the deck at running back, and the latest move on the board is a familiar name. With the ground game sputtering and the committee approach still looking unsettled, the team has already benched Cam Skattebo and released Najee Harris, a pair of changes that underline just how much this group has struggled to find any traction.
Now the conversation has shifted toward a lower-risk option who already knows the system. The rookie would not solve every issue in a backfield that has been searched for answers all season, but his familiarity with the offense gives New York a possible shortcut at a spot where the Giants have already shown they are willing to keep looking for help. [Read more 🡒]