New York Giants News & Rumors

Offseason In Review: New York Giants

By Sam Robinson | at June 25, 2025 10:30 pm

Admitting defeat on Daniel Jones may have come too late for the regime that inherited Dave Gettleman‘s handpicked Eli Manning successor. After three seasons tied to the inconsistent quarterback, Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll may be battling uphill to keep their jobs before their preferred Jones replacement takes the reins. Jones being the Giants’ primary starter for the first three Daboll-Schoen seasons runs the risk of, given the direction of the team since its 2022 divisional-round cameo, the QB effectively dragging the decision-making duo out of town.

More elements, of course, are mixed into the buildup to Schoen and Daboll’s fourth Giants season; none, however, approach the quarterback matter. The team’s 2024 decisions at the position bled into 2025, where a worse draft class awaited. The Giants’ QB woes did move them into position for Abdul Carter, after one seminal Drew Lock showing took them out of Cam Ward territory, and their pass rush certainly has the personnel to be among the NFL’s best. But how the team’s Russell Wilson–Jaxson Dart (feat. Jameis Winston) QB depth chart performs will determine if John Mara will need to make another regime change.

Free agency additions:

• Paulson Adebo, CB. Three years, $54MM ($34.75MM guaranteed)
• Jevon Holland, S. Three years, $45.3MM ($27.4MM guaranteed)
• Chauncey Golston, DL. Three years, $18MM ($12MM guaranteed)
• Russell Wilson, QB. One year, $10.5MM ($10MM guaranteed)
• James Hudson, T. Two years, $12MM ($6MM guaranteed)
• Roy Robertson-Harris, DL. Two years, $9MM ($5.3MM guaranteed)
• Jameis Winston, QB. Two years, $8MM ($5.25MM guaranteed)
• Chris Board, LB: Two years, $5.7MM ($4.1MM guaranteed)
• Jeremiah Ledbetter, DL. One year, $1.78MM ($500K guaranteed)
• Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, LB. One year, $1.34MM ($443K guaranteed)
• Stone Forsythe, T. One year, $1.34MM ($140K guaranteed)
• Zach Pascal, WR. One year, $1.42MM ($90K guaranteed)
• Lil’Jordan Humphrey, WR. One year, $1.22MM ($25K guaranteed)

This offseason produced undesirable endings for a few parties on the quarterback carousel. Aaron Rodgers preferred the Vikings; he ended up a Steeler. The Steelers aimed to either re-sign Justin Fields or manage a trade for Matthew Stafford, and they were then subjected to a three-month wait by their third choice. The Raiders did not end up with the piece they wanted, as the Rams retained Stafford via another reworked contract. Tom Brady‘s aim to avoid Sam Darnold led the Raiders to acquire Geno Smith from the Seahawks, who then landed this year’s top QB free agent.

As Seattle appeared the most satisfied from the veteran passer it acquired, New York did not double as a desirable destination. The Giants were in on Darnold and Stafford, making an aggressive contract offer — in the $90MM guarantee neighborhood — to the 37-year-old passer after asking about him at the 2024 deadline. But the Giants’ Stafford interest hinged on the Rams being OK starting over, which never made much sense considering their place as a top NFC contender, and the Super Bowl-winning QB being fine heading to a team in much worse shape.

The Giants then entered the Rodgers race, but as it looked like the future Hall of Famer viewed “relocating” to New York’s NFC team his clear third choice, an April report indicated Mara placed age and durability concerns as too great. That merely could have been a way for the struggling owner to attempt to save face after Rodgers made it clear he was not joining the Giants, as he did receive an offer that was deemed better than the Steelers’ proposal. This not working out led the Giants to Wilson.

A marriage of convenience will commence. Wilson had placed the Giants on his wish list back in 2021, when the Seahawks ended up not moving him, and showed interest in New York early during the 2025 offseason. Though, even Wilson can be labeled unsatisfied by this offseason’s carousel. The 2024 Steelers starter is believed to have wanted to stay in Pittsburgh. But the Steelers had prepared to make Wilson a one-and-done, even after re-signing rumors persisted before a five-game season-ending losing streak, eyeing Fields above the player that replaced him. All these developments brought a late-March Wilson Giants signing, after Rodgers — even at 41 — stalled the QB market.

Wilson is past his prime, and the 14th-year veteran’s post-Seattle seasons have left his Hall of Fame standing in question. But Wilson’s work over the past two seasons has revealed his shocking 2022 showing was more Nathaniel Hackett-driven. In over his head as a head coach, Hackett empowered Wilson and his team in Denver — to poor results.

Wilson deserves blame for how that disastrous 5-12 season unfolded, as his perception of his abilities differed from reality. The NFL’s fourth-leading all-time QB rusher’s attempt to minimize rushing attempts after gaining weight to protect a pocket-passing version of himself from hits backfired spectacularly. But Wilson rebounded in 2023 and enjoyed moments during a Steelers playoff season last year.

On one hand, it says plenty about Wilson’s stock that the Broncos took a record-smashing dead money hit to move on a year before the Steelers showed little interest in re-signing him. Wilson clashed with both Sean Payton and Arthur Smith, not fitting in the former’s offense and arguing to have more line-of-scrimmage freedom in Pittsburgh. While QBR did not view Wilson as an especially effective passer, ranking the potential Hall of Famer 21st in 2023 and 22nd last year, he did post a 26-8 TD:INT ratio in his second Broncos season and a 16-5 mark — even as the Steelers lacked much firepower beyond George Pickens — in an 11-game 2024. The Giants will (or perhaps forced themselves to) bet on this post-prime period lasting at least one more year.

A nine-time Pro Bowler (six original-ballot nods), Wilson tops Manning in that department. But the latter delivered remarkable durability, not missing any games due to injury. Wilson’s ironman streak was moving into Manning territory in Seattle, but he has missed time due to injury in three of his past four seasons. Last year, a calf injury and an aggravation cost Wilson six games. By the time he returned, the Steelers did not have unanimous agreement on reinserting Wilson into the lineup. Mike Tomlin benching Fields without too much internal support played into the younger passer’s future in Pittsburgh, and Wilson will now try to hold off another young arm.

As Wilson attempts to stave off a younger challenger for the second straight year, he again received assurances (from Daboll) the starting job was his. The Steelers made that their party line last year, but Fields closed the gap to the point it took Tomlin until barely a week before the regular season to officially announce the decision.

For all the sack troubles Wilson has encountered — especially as his athleticism wanes — he has remained a viable starter. (Wilson sits 11 behind Rodgers for most sacks taken in NFL history, reaching this point despite playing in 49 fewer games.) How long will be be able to hold off a handpicked Daboll rookie?

Winston’s increasing popularity as one of the NFL’s most colorful characters aside, his turnover penchant — and perhaps Browns increased interest in protecting high draft real estate — led to a benching for an overmatched Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Winston’s two-year deal, though, gives him a better chance to be a Giant in 2026 compared to Wilson. Winston, 31, being a third-string option does not align with his present profile. Once Dart ascends to first-string duty, which will almost definitely happen this season, trade rumors involving Winston and/or Wilson — should the transition be made before the deadline — figure to emerge out of the Giants’ remade QB room.

The Giants’ plan to draft a QB early turned off some potential targets, and Winston signed before Wilson. It will be interesting to see if the former No. 1 overall pick would stand by as an emergency QB3.

Winston threw 13 TD passes and 12 INTs in 2024. A signature high-variance performance came in a Monday-night Broncos loss that featured 497 passing yards, four TD throws and three INTs (including two pick-sixes). That encapsulates Winston’s career, as he would be a higher-octane option compared to Wilson at this stage of their respective careers. The former Buccaneers, Saints and Browns starter’s status in training camp will be interesting to monitor.

Adebo suffered a broken femur midway through last season. Despite the former Marshon Lattimore sidekick’s contract year ending this way, he did not need to accept much of a discount. Not proving as much as the top healthy CBs on the market (Charvarius Ward, D.J. Reed, Byron Murphy, Carlton Davis), Adebo matched the Ward-Davis-Murphy AAV of $18MM. Adebo bested Ward, Davis and Reed in fully guaranteed money.

The former third-round pick’s age (26) had plenty to do with this, and this represents a new swing for this regime. Gettleman handed eight-figure AAVs to James Bradberry (2020) and Adoree’ Jackson (2021), while Schoen has kept costs lower since arriving. Adebo’s contract thrusts him into a CB1 role. This was initially viewed as a way to take some pressure off 2023 first-rounder Deonte Banks, who has not lived up to the investment. But Cor’Dale Flott mixing in with Banks as the other outside starter in minicamp will make this position one to follow closely.

Adebo’s last healthy season produced notable improvements in coverage. The 6-foot-1 corner was charged with yielding only 6.7 yards per target and allowing a 55% completion rate as the closest defender in 2023. He allowed one touchdown pass that year and yielded merely a 62.7 passer rating. Even when slot corners are included, Adebo ranked ninth among CBs in the NFL in passer rating allowed that year. He was off to a nice start in ’24, seeing that number vault only to 71.9.

With Lattimore off the field during much of that stretch, the Saints asked Adebo to anchor their CB corps. The Giants, who intercepted all of five passes last season and saw no player record more than one, are also paying for Adebo’s playmaking. He intercepted seven passes and broke up 28 since 2023.

Two of PFR’s top 17 free agents joined Big Blue’s secondary, as Holland (No. 6) followed Adebo (17) a day later. Holland’s market was rumored to push $20MM per year, but it did not quite reach that range. Holland’s deal fell short of Tre’von Moehrig‘s Panthers terms (three years, $51MM) and where the Packers went for Xavier McKinney (4/67) last year. Holland still scored a top-10 safety pact.

This is effectively an admission recent safety decisions were incorrect, as the Giants let Julian Love — who has since been extended in Seattle — walk for a $7MM-per-year deal and observed McKinney zoom to first-team All-Pro honors a year later. The Hard Knocks: Offseason series proved so damning for the Giants no NFL team could be convinced to do it this year. While much of the attention went to Saquon Barkley‘s Eagles defection, the team appeared to underestimate McKinney’s market. New York will need to hope a slight discount on Holland can make up for it.

A former second-round Dolphins draftee, Holland notched five career INTs, five career forced fumbles and four recoveries on his rookie contract. The effective blitzer also has five career sacks. He has managed this production as the Dolphins cycled through three defensive coordinators in his four seasons. Pro Football Focus viewed Holland as playing better under Vic Fangio, grading him third among safeties in 2023, than Anthony Weaver (56th). Holland and Adebo give the Giants quality talent they lacked in the secondary last year. Considering the Carter addition’s presumptive impact on the Dexter Lawrence–Brian Burns–Kayvon Thibodeaux pass rush, how this front-seven crew could benefit from two plus coverage players (and vice versa) is being slept on a bit.

The Carter pick came after the Giants added Golston as a rotational presence. Used as a D-end more often in 2024, Golston has more experience inside. Golston appears the fifth wheel in New York’s pass rush, but the talent and depth here makes it certainly the team’s best since its Super Bowl-era NASCAR package. Golston, 27, made some money on a contract year that included 5.5 sacks (he recorded 3.5 from 2021-23). The Cowboys deployed Golston as their DeMarcus Lawrence replacement; it will be interesting if the Giants take advantage of his inside-rushing past in an attempt to get all four of their OLBs on the field.

Andrew Thomas has missed 18 games since 2023, gutting the Giants’ O-line. He is expected back from Lisfranc surgery in training camp, but the Giants slow-playing their high-priced left tackle’s return leaves some questions. Hudson took the first-team LT snaps during OTAs and minicamp.

A 17-start player in four Browns seasons, Hudson capitalized on the Giants’ issues at the position to become the NFL’s highest-paid swing tackle. Among players with no path to the lineup in a full-strength scenario, no deal checks in higher than Hudson’s. PFF has not viewed Hudson’s work well, but he logged 200-plus snaps at right tackle each year from 2021-23 and tallied 207 on the left side last year.

Re-signings:

• Darius Slayton, WR: Three years, $36MM ($22MM guaranteed)
• Greg Van Roten, G. One year, $3.25MM ($2.45MM guaranteed)
• Casey Kreiter, LS. One year, $1.42MM ($1.2MM guaranteed)
• Tommy DeVito, QB. $1MM ERFA tender
• Chris Manhertz, TE. One year, $1.42MM ($568K guaranteed)
• Aaron Stinnie, G. One year, $1.34MM ($475K guaranteed)
• Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR. One year, $1.34MM ($75K guaranteed)
• Ty Summers, LB. One year, $1.27MM ($25K guaranteed)

Slayton’s New York arc remains unusual. The Giants took the rare step to cut his rookie-contract pay in 2022, as a demotion was planned when the team still held out hope for Kadarius Toney and Kenny Golladay. Slayton delivered his usual, leading that playoff team in receiving yards. He did that four times from 2019-23. Slayton circled back to re-sign (on a two-year, $12MM deal) in 2023 but saw the Giants rebuff his efforts to secure a raise last year.

Even as a cratering Giants QB situation affected the passing attack — a trend during Slayton’s career — the reliable vet entered 2025 as one of the top wideouts available. Even as the Giants drafted Malik Nabers sixth overall and added Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt, Slayton — a Gettleman draftee — remains a core player. He finally has a contract to show for it, as reasonable WR2 money comes his way.

Slayton had aimed to join a contender; the Giants — facing a vicious schedule that obviously became known weeks after Slayton’s recommitment — appear outside that realm in 2025. It is certainly possible no team offered a comparable guarantee, one that protects Slayton for his age-29 season in 2026. Four times a 700-yard receiver and zero an 800-yard cog, Slayton did well to score what he did. Inking a two-year deal preserved his value for a third contract. Now, Nabers’ sidekick will hope the Giants can turn their operation around while he is on this deal.

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