New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll’s jobs are on the line after the team set a franchise record for losses in a season (14), and let Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney leave via free agency only to become All-Pros with their new teams.
They’re both firmly on the hot seat and will be looking for new jobs if the team doesn’t improve significantly this season. Turning the franchise around will be a daunting task, as they face the league’s toughest schedule, need a quarterback, and have several roster holes to fill.
The good news for the duo is that help could be on the way if they’re willing to take a chance and sign Aaron Rodgers and his favorite target Davante Adams.
Adams was released by the New York Jets this week and Rodgers will be released shortly. It won’t be cheap to sign the four-time league MVP quarterback and the six-time Pro Bowl receiver, but acquiring them is probably the best chance that Daboll and Schoen have to stay with the Giants beyond 2025. You never know the type of impact Rodgers can bring to the locker room, but in the Giants’ case, it might be worth the risk.
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Rodgers, Adams would give Giants one of best offenses in league
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If the Giants are going to have any chance of winning next season, they need to add serious offensive firepower after ranking 30th in total offense in 2024 and averaging just 16.1 points per game.
Adding Rodgers and Adams to complement Malik Nabers and Tyrone Tracy Jr. would give the team a dynamic set of skill position players that would be difficult for defenses to match up against. If left tackle Andrew Thomas can stay healthy and protect Rodgers’s blind side, the Giants could emerge as one of the surprise teams in the league next season.
The addition of Rodgers and Adams would instantly transform the Giants’ offense from one of the worst to one of the best.
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Rodgers and Adams still playing at high level despite age
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Even though he’s 41 and was coming off a torn Achilles, Rodgers put up solid numbers for the Jets last season. He threw for 3,897 yards with 28 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. These numbers look pedestrian compared to his earlier career production, but the last time a Giants quarterback threw more than 25 touchdowns in a season was Eli Manning in 2016.
With nearly two years removed from tearing his Achilles, there’s reason to be optimistic that Rodgers can surpass last season’s numbers.
The 32-year-old Adams appeared in 14 games last season for the Raiders and Jets, catching 85 passes for 1,063 yards with eight touchdowns. It marked the fifth consecutive season where the three-time First-Team All-Pro receiver had over 1,000 receiving yards.
He would likely see significant one-on-one coverage next season with defenses focusing on containing Nabers, which should result in both Nabers and Adams having over 1,000 receiving yards.
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Both can be mentors
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If the Giants are able to sign Rodgers and Adams, their time with the team might be short-lived, but their impact on the franchise could be felt for years to come as both can mentor younger players.
The Giants are going to draft a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft. The only question is whether they’ll take one in the first round or in the later rounds. Rodgers knows one of the reasons the Giants would be interested in him is to be a bridge quarterback, so that whichever rookie quarterback they draft can learn from the future Hall of Famer.
Sitting behind Rodgers for three seasons in Green Bay had a positive impact on Jordan Love’s career, and the hope would be that he can do the same for the Giants’ rookie quarterback.
Acquiring Adams would help the development of Nabers, as the veteran can teach him the tricks and techniques he’s learned throughout his 11-year career. As great as Nabers’ rookie season was, he can make even bigger strides in year two while receiving guidance from Adams.
Being able to sign both Rodgers and Adams would give the Giants instant credibility and potentially save Schoen and Daboll’s jobs, while also setting up the franchise for future success.
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