Few relationships are ever better than they are on the first day. For Giants G.M. Joe Schoen and coach John Harbaugh, the first day is fading into the rearview mirror — and the first opportunity for disagreement has arisen.
It’s been there, lurking. On Monday, defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence officially made it known he has asked to be traded, after trying unsuccessfully to get a new contract.
At the Scouting Combine, there were questions. Schoen and Harbaugh did their best to not fuel the issue.
“[I don’t know where this Dex stuff is coming from](https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/joe-schoen-i-dont-know-where-questions-about-dexter-lawrences-future-are-coming-from),” Schoen said multiple times during his Indianapolis press conferece.
At that same time, Harbaugh was effusive in his praise for Lawrence.
“He’s a cornerstone football player, not really a cornerstone,” Harbaugh said. “He’s more like the middle stone. He’s right in the middle. He’s a very big stone and he’s a very active athletic stone. So we want him in there being a big stone.”
The issue becomes a big stone that, if not handled properly, could sink the Schoen-Harbaugh partnership.
The threshold question is whether they’ll tear up the final two years of his current deal and give him a contract that reflects the NFL’s current financial realities, or whether they’ll cross their arms and say, “Honor your contract.” The deeper question is whether Schoen and Harbaugh will be on the same page as to the Sexy Dexy strategy and the implementation of it.
In past years, it would have been Scheon’s call alone. Now, with Harbaugh leveraging a direct line of reporting to ownership, the coach and G.M. are on equal footing. If anything, Harbaugh has more juice.
To date, Harbaugh has praised Schoen. The mere fact that Harbaugh’s opinion of Schoen even matters shows how dramatically the Giants’ power structure has changed. Previously, the coach of the Giants worked for the G.M. Now, it already feels like the G.M. is working for the coach.
And the Lawrence conundrum gives Harbaugh an opportunity to evaluate Schoen’s skills and abilities when it comes to finding a solution and negotiating a contract that allows the Giants to have enough cash and cap space to build a contending team.
However it plays out, Harbaugh will eventually come to a conclusion as to whether he’s comfortable with Schoen as the team’s G.M. In Denver, George Paton did enough to win the trust of Sean Payton. Schoen will have to do the same thing, one transaction at a time.
The outcome of the Lawrence situation will become a significant data point for Harbaugh. It’s a basic reality of the power and influence Harbaugh has with the team. If/when the Giants start winning more games than they lose, Harbaugh will acquire even more say.
And Harbaugh’s ultimate opinion about Schoen will be influenced, one way or another, regarding the manner in which Schoen handles the Lawrence contract.