After three seasons attempting to make an inherited quarterback work, the Joe Schoen–Brian Daboll regime will attempt to move their way off hot seats via the passer they drafted. Jaxson Dart is now in place after Daniel Jones did not come close to living up to his $40MM-per-year contract.
Dart-Giants connections began to emerge shortly before the draft, as Shedeur Sanders‘ freefall commenced. Coaches become involved in the process as the winter progresses, and Daboll was believed to be convicted in his belief Dart would be Big Blue’s best available option (after the Titans repeatedly rebuffed the Giants’ efforts to trade up to No. 1). Schoen has attempted to push back on the notion he gave in to his coaches’ preference.
“It was an organizational decision,” Schoen said during an appearance on Up & Adams (h/t the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy). “Any player that we take, it’s a collaborative process and it’s very detailed, and we believe in it. … Three coaches on staff (Daboll, OC Mike Kafka and QBs coach Shea Tierney) that have been part of the development of two pretty good quarterbacks in the league right now (Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen), and when they are convicted on a player and the scouting staff is convicted on a player, typically you have the best chance for success in those situations.”
Schoen told Kay Adams that Dart was on the Giants’ radar “throughout the fall,” though a post-draft report indicated the Giants did more in-person work on Sanders compared to the Ole Miss starter. Schoen is believed to have scouted just one Dart game in-person, while a previous report indicated the GM had “lived in Boulder” as Sanders hype increased. A pre-draft report also indicated the Giants were split on Sanders, potentially placing the divide between the front office and coaching staff. Enough information has come out pointing to Daboll playing the lead role in ensuring the Giants did not draft the Colorado QB.
A perception exists within personnel departments the Giants’ front office preferred Sanders, Dunleavy notes, before Daboll and his staff came to hold Dart in higher regard. The Giants spent more time with Sanders than any team spent with any prospect, Dunleavy adds. That would paint the picture of a mid-process pivot, as Dart certainly appeared to gain steam late. A pre-draft report tabbed Sanders as being the No. 2 QB on the Giants’ big board (behind Cam Ward), but that could certainly have been a smokescreen effort considering the Dart trade-up, which helped key Sanders’ freefall.
Some Daboll-Sanders friction is believed to have taken place during an install session. While Dart impressed Giants decision-makers during his install, Sanders not being as prepared became a point of contention. The Giants are, of course, not the only team to come away unimpressed with Sanders’ approach during the pre-draft process, as multiple teams took the QB off their boards.
Sanders having taken the strange step — for a player with his prospect profile, at least — of approaching team meetings like a recruit, rather than as a job interview, certainly rubbed teams the wrong way. His slide from potential top-10 pick to No. 144 represents perhaps the most notable tumble in draft history. Sanders’ actions may well have determined the Giants’ QB future; that said, pre-draft offerings also had some teams ranking Dart ahead of the two-year Colorado standout.
Daboll and Schoen have worked together since 2018, when the former arrived as the Bills’ OC. A report of tension between the two emerged earlier this offseason, and it appears Daboll’s QB pick will hold the current regime’s future in his hands.
Enough
I second this. Stop already.
Just this year alone, that Joe Schoen picture has been so ubiquitous that it has made me irrationally mad whenever I see it now.
Even in the realm of rumors, “Perception exists” is a hilarious way to begin a headline.
I don’t believe a word of the report, but if it is true that “Daboll play[ed] the lead role in ensuring the Giants did not draft the Colorado QB”, then imo he just bought himself another year as HC.
Unless Giants see development out of Dart towards middle end of season Daboll will be gone by seasons end
Wilson and Winston aren’t gonna lead this team anywhere
8 games 9 games in I see them turning to Dart
They don’t see what they need to see Dabolls gone and replaced by the next big OC to develop Dart
Also, if the front office and scouting staff wanted Sanders, but Daboll kiboshed it because their personalities clashed–when Daboll is known for having a serious combative streak–that once again seems like not a great situation they decided to ride out for another year.
This will be another example of ownership not learning from history. The Giants sank a first round pick into Dart, it will be the next coaching staff that ends up being stuck with him.
Schoen and Daboll should’ve been shown the door along with Dan Jones.
Or Sanders just isn’t that good.
If you are the Giants, how do you draft Sanders when he told the team, “I don’t think you’re a good fit”? Sanders has admitted the meetings with the Giants coaches did not go well.
Agreed. I don’t we know enough about the meeting to definitively determine who was “more” in the wrong (if anyone), but you can’t go all in on a guy if you can’t communicate. There are going to be moments where criticism will need to occur, and if you’re already having talking to begin with, it’ll make that much harder.
I say this with the opinion that Sanders has a more transferable skill set to the pro game than Dart does. Playing in Lane Kiffen’s offense is a big difference from playing in almost any pro system. Either of these guys are going to need a lot of development through the years if they’re ever going to be a franchise guy (as any rookie would), though, so being able to coach him is a huge must.
Sanders, who some Giants’ evaluators preferred to Dart, surprisingly slipped to the fifth round to the Browns.
This quote in the Post article is where it turns to crap. Be specific about who the “evaluators” are or don’t make the statement. If you don’t attach a name to it, it’s simply the author’s opinion and should carry zero weight or credibility.
I expect the Giants to be drafting first overall next year so they will get the opportunity to exercise their QB preference all over again 🙂
“His slide from potential top-10 pick to No. 144 represents perhaps the most notable tumble in draft history.” I think that title is held by La’el Collins who in 2015 slid from a consensus first round pick to undrafted in 2015. Of course that was because his former girlfriend had been murdered a few days before the draft. Kinda surprised the Chiefs didn’t take a flier on him in the 7th.
Antonio Brown is TRYING to help and yet we still have to hear about this old crap.
This same front office (i.e., John Mara and brother Chris Mara + son-in-law, Tim McConnell) were also responsible (along with Gettleman) for drafting Kadarius Toney over Micah Parsons (they actually traded the pick and moved down in the latter part of the 1st Rd.
I trust Schoen (well not fully); but I trust Daboll regarding picking the right QB whom he can mold into a successful NFL QB!
Well guess what they could’ve easily had both. If all these teams liked him he wouldn’t have been a round 5 pick
After the debacle signing Jones and letting Barkley walk, Giants should’ve cleaned house last year, I wouldn’t have brought Schoen or Daboll either one back, they’re both in over their head
“Imagination suspects…”