This is a massive offseason for second-year Giants general manager Joe Schoen, as he tries to push his team forward, in what has become an accelerated rebuilding job.
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So with that in mind, let’s take a look at some key dates for Schoen this offseason — and break down how they pertain to some of his key players.
• Jan. 31-Feb. 4: Senior Bowl
The annual event in Mobile, Ala., will give Schoen and his scouts a chance to check out 2023 NFL Draft prospects. The first three days, Tuesday through Thursday, are practices. And those are valuable to scouts. The game is the final day, on Saturday.
• Feb. 13: Waiver system begins
This is just a fancy way of saying that on this day — the day after the Super Bowl — teams can begin cutting players. (The less experienced guys are subject to waivers.) Which means this is when Schoen can release wide receiver Kenny Golladay, who stunk the past two seasons. Doing so will free up $6.7 million in salary cap space, albeit with $14.7 million in dead money attached.
Cutting Golladay — and it absolutely will happen, of course — will boost Schoen to about $60.9 million in salary cap space, though some of that could get eaten up quickly by the franchise tag.
• Feb. 21-March 7: Tagging window
This applies to quarterback Daniel Jones or running back Saquon Barkley. Both are candidates to receive, from Schoen, the franchise tag — or transition tag (which is slightly cheaper but less binding). Teams can only use one tag on one player per offseason. No doubling up.
It seems likely that Schoen will franchise tag Jones, in order to maintain exclusive negotiating rights with him, as the two sides try to work out a long-term contract.
Once Schoen tags Jones, he’d have until mid-July to finalize a long-term contract. But Schoen will want to do it well before then, since Jones’ franchise tag number ($32.4 million) would be on the Giants’ books for a 2023 cap hit until a long-term deal winds up reducing that figure.
• Feb. 28-March 6: NFL Scouting Combine
Yes, the annual event in Indianapolis is a chance for GMs and scouts to examine a huge number of draft prospects. It’s also where plenty of informal conversations happen between GMs and agents ahead of free agency, as agents try to gauge players’ value before the signing period officially begins. The combine is almost as much of a pre-free agency event as it is a pre-draft event.
• March 13-15: Free agency negotiating window
Technically, this is when agents of pending free agents can negotiate with other teams (beyond just the player’s current team). But obviously, that will have already happened, to some degree, at the combine. A lot of free agent deals (and trades) will be finalized during this window, which begins at noon on March 13 and ends just before 4 p.m. on March 15.
The big question for Schoen, presuming he tags Jones: Will he retain Barkley? Or will Barkley wind up getting the money he desires elsewhere?
• March 15: New league year begins at 4 p.m.
This is when the signing and trading period official starts. But again, many high-profile contracts and trades are worked out in the days leading up to 4 p.m. on March 15, which has become a formality.
• March 26-29: NFL’s annual league meeting
Owners, coaches, and GMs will gather in Phoenix and go through all manner of league and team business. This is also typically the first opportunity for GMs to be asked questions by reporters about their free agency decisions.
• April 17: Giants begin offseason workouts
It’s on this date because Brian Daboll, of course, is back as the Giants’ head coach. Teams with a new head coach, like the Giants last year, can start offseason workouts earlier. This offseason, that earlier date is April 3.
• April 27-29: 2023 NFL Draft
This year, it’s in Kansas City. Detroit hosts in 2024. Las Vegas had the draft last year.
Schoen is currently scheduled to draft 25th in Round 1, because the Giants lost in the divisional round of the playoffs. He has one pick in that round, one in Round 2, and two in Round 3 (because of the Kadarius Toney trade). Schoen has one pick apiece in Rounds 4 and 5, then two in Round 6 and three in Round 7. Eleven picks in all.
Schoen’s draft haul is 12th in Tankathon’s draft capital power rankings.
• May 1: Fifth-year option deadline
This pertains to players picked in Round 1 of the 2020 draft. For the Giants, that’s just one guy — left tackle Andrew Thomas, who struggled as a rookie but has turned into an excellent player over the past two seasons. He is now eligible for a second contract, since he has played three seasons.
At the very least this offseason, Schoen will make the no-brainer move of exercising Thomas’ fully guaranteed fifth-year option for 2024. Schoen has to do it by May 1. But obviously, he’s going to do it. Thomas’ option is projected to be worth $14.75 million, and it’ll be fully guaranteed at the time it is exercised. If Thomas had made the Pro Bowl this year, that figure would’ve been $17.564 million.
It seems highly unlikely Thomas will play on that option in 2024, if he continues to thrive. Even if he doesn’t get a second contract this offseason, he probably will next offseason, after Year 4.
• May 5-8 or May 12-15: Rookie minicamps
These are the weekends — either right after the draft or the following weekend — when teams welcome their draft picks and other rookies to training facilities, for informal practices and orientation.
• Mid-July: Franchise tag long-term contract deadline
This could wind up applying to Jones, but it’s not a sure thing that it will.
The NFL hasn’t set the official date yet for this deadline. Last year, it was July 15. It’s always mid-July. By this date, a team must finalize a long-term deal with a franchise tagged player. If that doesn’t happen, the player plays the 2023 season on a one-year contract for the tag figure.
It would be a shocker if things come to that with Jones. Expect Schoen to get a long-term deal done with him before this mid-July deadline — and perhaps well before it.
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But if a tagged player does wind up playing the 2023 season on that one-year deal, he can’t sign a long-term contract until after the final regular season game. No in-season deals allowed.
Again, don’t expect it to come to this with Jones.
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Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com.
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