The 2024 NFL Free Agency could not have gotten off to a tougher start for the New York Giants. They watched two beloved players from the last few seasons, running back Saquon Barkley and safety Xavier McKinney, leave the team in free agency.
Rubbing salt in the wound, Barkley signed with the rival Philadelphia Eagles, while McKinney signed with the Green Bay Packers. Both got paid handsomely, as Barkley agreed to a three-year, $37.75 million deal and McKinney is planning to sign a four-year, $68 million pact.
While those deals dominated headlines, general manager Joe Schoen was busy at work addressing needs on the roster. While the Barkley news became national, the Giants moved to upgrade their offensive line, signing Jon Runyan Jr. away from the Packers.
NFL News & Rumors: Joe Schoen, Brian Burns, Saquon Barkley, Xavier McKinney, New York Giants Updates
After the McKinney signing was announced, the Giants found a replacement for Barkley, signing Devin Singletary. They are certainly solid signings, but those moves didn’t move the needle for fans who were still getting over two of the team’s best players leaving in free agency.
But, the mood around the Giants started changing soon after. Rumblings began that the Giants were engaged in trade talks with the Carolina Panthers for star pass rusher Brian Burns. They added another upgrade along the offensive line with Jermaine Eluemanor, who is following offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo from the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Burns deal became official. The Giants acquired him in exchange for a second-round pick, No. 39 overall and a fifth-round pick in 2025. They also made him one of the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL, agreeing to a five-year, $150 million contract.
That is quite a turnaround from where Day 1 of the legal tampering period began for the Giants. In fact, the work they have done has impressed several people, including analyst Peter Schrager.
NFL News & Rumors: Joe Schoen, Brian Burns, Saquon Barkley, Xavier McKinney, New York Giants Updates
During an appearance on Good Morning Football, Shrager praised the work of Schoen. He went as far as to say that the Giants are the biggest winners in the NFL in free agency thus far despite the players they lost.
Essentially, the Giants let two players at positions they don’t see as much value in leave and replaced them with a star pass rusher who isn’t even in his prime yet. Shoring up the offensive line was smart as well and Singletary has proven more durable than Barkley in recent years while costing a fraction of the price.
There is still plenty of work to do when it comes to the roster, but the Giants at least look like they have a plan in place now. Schoen is building from the inside out, upgrading in the trenches on both sides of the ball and strengthening the foundation of the team.
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