The daunting Giants task for Joe Schoen: ‘It’s a concern and it’s real’

The Giants’ salary-cap situation is real, and it’s anything but spectacular.

Thanks to a series of poor decisions by former general manager Dave Gettleman, the Giants go into the offseason with one of the worst cap situations in the NFL, having only gotten compliant by restructuring a number of contracts, which will result in cap hits being spread over more years for James Bradberry, Logan Ryan, Blake Martinez, Sterling Shepard, Nate Solder and Nick Gates.

They’re also on the hook for big money to Kenny Golladay, Leonard Williams, Adoree’ Jackson and Kyle Rudolph — all signings that don’t look great with a year of perspective.

“It’s a concern and it’s real,” new GM Joe Schoen told reporters at his introductory press conference on Wednesday regarding the cap. “(Assistant GM) Kevin Abrams and I haven’t talked about it yet. We’ve looked at it. We’re gonna get together at the end of the week or first thing next week to start formulating a plan. To get below the salary cap, we’re gonna have to clear some money. 

“But again when the new head coach gets in here, the new staff, we’re gonna get together, we’re gonna watch the film, we’re gonna evaluate everybody. We’re gonna talk to the support staff — who are the guys that kinda fit the vision that we’re looking for? Who are the guys that are gonna buy into the program? And then we’re gonna make educated decisions once we have more information. There are gonna be difficult decisions that are gonna have to be made.”

After going 4-13 in 2021, the Giants might have to get worse before they can get better. Certainly, they can’t afford to go on the same kind of spending spree that got Gettleman into trouble last offseason, when he plunged the team into its current mess with a series of signings that didn’t work out.

Gettleman retired following an abysmal four-year tenure, and the team hired Schoen as his replacement last week.

Schoen helped build the Bills into an AFC East winner and Super Bowl contender as the assistant general manager. The Giants hope he can do the same for them, but he clearly understands it will be an uphill climb.