Joe Schoen is the new Giants’ GM, and the Brian Daboll watch is on.
Most expect ex- Buffalo assistant GM Schoen to hire current Bills’ offensive coordinator Daboll, recognizing the obvious connection. Daboll is highly regarded, and near the top of eight coaching openings.
Daboll will make a good hire, and he just interviewed with the Giants. Still, don;t expect an immediate connection.
Schoen is a Jon Mara prototype. A low-profile, buttoned-up football man coming from a high-profile program. Along Schoen’s trail, he had ties to Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick, although the Belichick disciples don’t always work out as Mara found out.
Daboll, too, would fit the mold. He has kept a low-profile behind the high-flying Bills. And he has Parcells-Belichick ties.
The Giants could tie everything neatly together with the pair as early as Monday.
But the Giants need to make a splash here. The graveyard setting of a final regular season game should be an indicator. They need to address the fan base with a higher profile hire.
Enter Brian Flores.
It has been reported that the ex-Dolphins head coach had discussions with Schoen recently.
Flores did a nice job in Miami despite an overall 24-25 record in the three years. He had winning seasons his last two years, and elevated his active, pressurized defense as one of the better ones in the league.
Don’t worry. He isn’t another Adam Gase, who had a parallel run in Miami.
He shockingly was fired this month over a reputed power struggle with the front office. That could raise a red flag with the Giants, but it shouldn’t. If Flores walks into the Meadowlands with Schoen, things should be copasetic.
Flores would break the recent mold of predecessors Ben McAdoo, Pat Shurmur, and even Joe Judge, as a coach who is more aggressive. He is a hot commodity, especially in Houston, where he could be linked with DeShaun Watson, as the pair have expressed the desire to work together.
Why not work together at MetLife?
The 26-year-old Watson is scheduled to make $35 million in 2022, but he would be worth it. The Giants would have to be very creative to add Watson. There also is the 22 active civil sexual-related suits against Watson, and the league may issue a suspension on him next season.
They could deal veterans Sterling Shepard, corner James Bradberry, and tight end Kyle Rudolph as well as sending quarterback Daniel Jones to the Texans or cut him. The Giants may have to deal one of the two first-round picks. They also would have to do more creative accounting to open more cap space.
Prying Watson loose wouldn’t be easy, and his off-the-field issues can be a deterrent.
It’s a long shot with Watson, but a Flores-Watson match could certainly heighten the offense.
A Schoen-Flores-Watson triumvirate could re-energize the franchise and the fanbase.