The confetti has stopped falling inside the Superdome in New Orleans, and Saquon Barkley and the Eagles are the newly crowned Super Bowl champions. Thus ends a 2024 NFL season that the Giants wish was a bad dream.
It is onward and, the Giants hope, upward, toward a better (it cannot get much worse) 2025 campaign.
There is much work to be done, starting with NFL free agency then the draft. These are player-procurement opportunities the Giants must get right. Here is what we know, what we surmise and what we anticipate, based on The Post’s eyes and ears:
- There is no doubt the Giants are intrigued with Shedeur Sanders. They will explore the dynamic with his famous father, Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. There is a concern that Shedeur has been coached by his father since high school, and the Giants saw firsthand the video-centric, everything-gets-documented ecosystem created at Colorado and the spotlight that both father and son seem to crave. If, for instance, the Giants lose their first two games with Shedeur as the rookie starter, does Deion send missives from Boulder questioning the offensive line or a dropped pass or the play calling? This all has to be explored as deeply as possible.
- Other than possible questions about his body type — he does not exactly look like a physical specimen — there do not seem to be many serious issues with Cam Ward.
- It is believed the Giants at this point view Jaxson Dart as the No. 3 quarterback in this class. There are questions as to how the offense he directed at Ole Miss prepared Dart for the NFL, as it has been described as something of a 7-on-7 passing attack.
- There will be plenty of smoke about the Giants looking for a veteran quarterback in free agency, and in this case much of it will be, if not totally true, probably not blatantly false. They will sign someone. Russell Wilson paid a visit to the Giants last year, and he could be in play if he is available, as there is a starting job and a No. 1 wide receiver (Malik Nabers) on the scene this time around. Exploring a trade for Matthew Stafford should not be ruled out. The Giants are not expecting to uncover a gem the way the Vikings did with Sam Darnold because that scenario is very much the exception. As for Aaron Rodgers, never say never but he will not be high on the list.
- It is certainly plausible that Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter will end up as the No. 1 prospect on the Giants’ draft board. Yes, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux are returning starters. No, that would not eliminate Carter as an option for the Giants. All three could play at the same time. If Thibodeaux is not on the team after the 2026 season, that would leave Carter and Burns (signed through 2028) as a dynamic duo.
- As for Thibodeaux, the Giants are strongly leaning toward picking up his fifth-year option. That decision must be made by May 1. If they do pick it up, Thibodeaux is guaranteed $16.1 million for the 2026 season.
- Two-way college star Travis Hunter is being viewed as a cornerback by the Giants. Hunter was a phenom at Colorado on both offense and defense, and is considered at or near the top of the list as a cornerback and wide receiver. His ball skills at corner are off the charts, and he could at times be used on offense on special or gadget plays. Hunter is skinny — 183 pounds — and needs to add some muscle to his frame. Having him go both ways in the NFL is not feasible because of the high risk of injury and the inability to practice both positions each week.
- Remember those banners flying overhead at MetLife Stadium from rented planes in Weeks 14 and 15? The first one pleaded with co-owner John Mara to “plz fix this dumpster fire.’’ That was before a 14-11 loss to the Saints. The next week, the rhetoric turned more aggressive: “Mr Mara Enough — We won’t stop until you fire everyone.’’ Then the Giants were dismantled by the Ravens, 35-14. Well, it was not money well spent. Mara was completely unmoved by the aerial displays and was not at all intimidated by the messaging. If anything, it made him more determined not to bow to mob mentality pressure to get rid of general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll.
Mara, though, certainly does not turn a deaf ear to the wishes and concerns of the fans. He reads what is sent to him and often replies. Most of the letters were in favor of cleaning house — firing Schoen and Daboll — but there was surprising support for bringing them both back.
