Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll are in Indianapolis together for the first time as the Giants' general manager and head coach. Like 31 other clubs, they are gathered at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine to get a closer look at this year's draft class. Over the course of the week, hundreds of prospects will participate in the ultimate job interview, which includes interviews, on-field workouts, and medical screenings.
As the festivities get into full swing, Schoen and Daboll met with the media and spoke about the state of the team. Here is everything you need to know:
GM Joe Schoen
🔹 With beat reporters from all around the NFL gathered in Indianapolis, Schoen was asked about Bills general manager and mentor Brandon Beane, who preceded him at the podium. "All those good things he said about me," Schoen joked, "are very true." He added, "We could be here all day talking about what I've taken from Brandon, whether it's how to treat people around the building, how to build through the draft, free agency, throughout the entire football organization."
🔹 Schoen was asked about the salary cap situation with free agency set to open March 16 and when he will start making decisions. "We'll start making those soon. We're still meeting this afternoon into tomorrow, but it's kind of 'if this happens, then this.' There's a lot of contingency plans that weigh on some of the decisions that we're going to make. We're getting together with some of the agents of the players on our current roster and starting some initial conversations on different things. But sooner than later, we'll start making the necessary moves to get under the salary cap and start planning for the 2022 season."
🔹 Will he be open to trading players to help the cap situation? "We're still working through that, but I'm open to everything. Whether it's trading player for player, I'll listen to anybody. If it's trading a couple of players, I'm not going to say we're open for business on the entire roster, but if anybody is going to call and they're interested in any of our players, I'll certainly listen. Again, we're in a situation where unfortunately we have to get under the salary cap and we're not in very good salary cap health. I'm not going to say yes to every deal, but I'm definitely going to listen and I'll be open to the situations that are best for the New York Giants."
🔹 Schoen was asked if he decided on picking up the fifth-year option on quarterback Daniel Jones. "Not yet," he said. Schoen noted they have not been together as a full staff for long at this point. "We're still working through all that." They have until May 2 to make the decision. "We're going to be patient and go through the process."
🔹 Schoen said they're going to bring in competition everywhere, "but Daniel Jones is our starting quarterback right now." He noted how Jones was hurt last year, emphasizing the importance of the backup quarterback role. "It's something we're going to look at and we're going to address." Building depth is a priority not just at quarterback, Schoen added.
🔹 Schoen said the Giants will be able to hold a mandatory minicamp before the draft because they have a new head coach in Brian Daboll.
🔹 Asked about fortifying the offensive line, Schoen said they have only five healthy players in the group right now. "There's several holes that we need to fill through any avenue we can" whether it's free agency, draft, undrafted rookies, or trades.
🔹 Schoen said there could be a surplus of undrafted rookies this year due to players taking an extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic.
🔹 Schoen said he can sleep well at night if he finds seven players he likes in the draft because two of them are guaranteed to be there with the Giants holding the fifth and seventh overall picks. He'll be happy staying if that's the case, but he's also open to moving up or down.
🔹 Schoen said his philosophy is to "be competitive today and also build for tomorrow."
Coach Brian Daboll
🔹 Daboll said the most important thing when you put together a staff is taking your time. He starts with a list of 20-25 questions for each interview. "It took a while" the way they wanted to do it, but they are "very encouraged" by the people they hired.
🔹 Brian Daboll said DC Don "Wink" Martindale was the right fit. He has a great track record from his time in Baltimore. "It was a tough scheme to go against." Daboll and Martindale faced each other in the AFC.
🔹 Brian Daboll said every coach has a foundation, but "you better figure out what your players really do well." Watching them on tape is one thing, but they have to see them on the field in person to put them in the best situation.
🔹 Daboll, who has a successful track record running offenses, said he will be involved in all three phases of the game.
🔹 Daboll said he has a lot of confidence in OC Mike Kafka. "He was a tremendous interview." He noted that the Northwestern grad is very smart, played the quarterback position, and did a lot of good things with the Kansas City Chiefs.
🔹 Daboll said he has not decided yet if he will call plays on offense as the head coach.
🔹 Daboll said there hasn't been much time to sleep as the new staff gets to know each other. "We've got to build relationships because there will be tough times. We've got to be able to lean on each other when times are tough." He said you put 10 or 15 things on your board each day and you end with 30 more things to do.
🔹 Daboll said he "speaks the same language" as Schoen and that alignment is very important.
View photos from Giants Media Day as GM Joe Schoen and Coach Brian Daboll spoke to the media from the NFL Combine.
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Head Coach Brian Daboll addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Head Coach Brian Daboll addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll speaks at a press conference on Tuesday, Mar. 1, 2022 in Indianapolis. (Aaron Doster/NFL)
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Head Coach Brian Daboll addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll speaks at a press conference on Tuesday, Mar. 1, 2022 in Indianapolis. (Aaron Doster/NFL)
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Head Coach Brian Daboll addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll speaks at a press conference on Tuesday, Mar. 1, 2022 in Indianapolis. (Aaron Doster/NFL)
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Head Coach Brian Daboll addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Head Coach Brian Daboll addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll speaks at a press conference on Tuesday, Mar. 1, 2022 in Indianapolis. (Aaron Doster/NFL)
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Head Coach Brian Daboll addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Head Coach Brian Daboll addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Head Coach Brian Daboll addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Head Coach Brian Daboll addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Head Coach Brian Daboll addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Head Coach Brian Daboll addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Head Coach Brian Daboll addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Head Coach Brian Daboll addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Head Coach Brian Daboll addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
Head Coach Brian Daboll addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
General Manager Joe Schoen addresses the media at the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana
