Giants’ building year requires a “certain amount of patience.”

A year later, the Giants had the worst point differential (minus-133) in the NFL going into their bye week, finishing 4-8. Nothing seems to have panicked them.

Schoen continues to believe that ownership supports their efforts.

Yes, without a doubt. We explain the plan and stay in regular contact with the Tisch and Mara families. They support it,” Schoen stated the previous week. Even though it hurts to go through this, many young players are gaining important experience. We will keep working on it, another draft, another offseason.

The exchange of information is really beneficial. Because [CEO and President] John Mara is here every day, we can justify our actions and the methods by which we will carry them out. They are aware of the situation and supportive.”

One thing Schoen and Daboll have going for them is that they come as a package. Unlike the previous administration led by Dave Gettleman and Joe Judge, who didn’t seem to get along, they came together and are the closest coach-GM duo to enter this organization in decades.

Despite the turbulent season and drama that followed, there doesn’t seem to be much doubt that they will have enough time to get this right. That’s partly why some in the organization think Wink Martindale, the defensive coordinator, is one of the people who could be used as a scapegoat for the team’s struggles this season, even though the offense’s problems still lie at the root of the team’s issues.

Adding tight end Darren Waller as his top offseason acquisition and then counting on that offensive core to stay healthy again may have been Schoen’s biggest miscalculation heading into this season. This season, the four players—Jones, Barkley, Thomas, and Waller—have combined for fewer than 40 snaps.

Schoen stated, “I don’t want to make any excuses.” “There have been a few wounds. All we need to do is keep building the team’s overall strength and depth so that we can overcome injuries and remain competitive even after they happen. It will take place annually. It’s a contact sport; it’s football. There will be injuries, and we must be able to triumph over any hardship that comes our way.”

Since his arrival, Schoen has made an effort to replenish this roster, and depth remains a top priority. However, it was clear from the beginning of the season that the roster was still lacking, particularly in terms of offensive line depth. The season was ultimately ruined by the line without Thomas, which turned it into a handicap.

One black mark on Schoen’s resume is the lack of development from right tackle Evan Neal, a second-year player. Despite being selected seventh overall in the previous draft out of Alabama, Neal ranks 53rd out of 69 qualifying tackles and has an 84.0% pass block win percentage. Schoen stated that he “needs to play better,” and it seemed that he was determined to keep him at tackle rather than moving him inside to guard.

Cutting Tyre Phillips this summer and selecting Matt Peart and Josh Ezeudu as tackle options was another grave error. Re-signed by the Giants in mid-October, Phillips, who played on the Eagles practice squad for the majority of the first half of the season, ranks 28th among all tackles with an 88.3% pass block win rate.

Although that has made a difference, the line has still given up a league-high 69 sacks this year. Washington comes in a far second place with 58.

Schoen stated, “We are attempting to construct this thing.” “As much as we want instant gratification and instant results, there is an element of patience as you build it and try to build it the right way and you just can’t address everything overnight, and we are going to continue to work on it and I do believe in building it up front, and offensive line is important.”

After their realistic hopes of making the playoffs were already long gone, the Giants did, halfway through the season, make a determined effort to concentrate on some of their younger players. Players with flashes include Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt, wide receivers. Inside linebacker Micah McFadden has improved into a reliable player, while outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux has blossomed in his second season with 11.5 sacks.

“Even guys like Micah and Thibodeaux, that have played quite a bit of football for us, that’s the objective is to get players in your system that you think have a good skill set, the right mindset and play them and get them to improve, and those guys have done a good job,” Daboll stated. [Daniel, the tight end] Bellinger has the correct mentality; those who have played behind [starters]—Waller is out, Bellinger is in. I believe that the coaches put a lot of effort into working with them. They put a lot of effort into getting better, but we still need them to get better.”

The difficult aspect is that Schoen has a mixed past. Bobby Okereke, a middle linebacker, was a huge hit when he was signed in free agency. Waller, Isaiah Simmons, an adaptable linebacker, and outside linebacker Boogie Basham were acquired in trades that didn’t pan out. His two drafts as lead author have been uneventful.