If this Giants’ season was pulled from a movie script — Hollywood has glamorized lesser underdogs — this would be the time for a clichéd scene when two imaginary figures appear over general manager Joe Schoen’s shoulders to pull him in opposite directions.“Make a move! Playoff berths don’t come around every year,” the daring voice would say.
“We believe, and then we’re good,” linebacker Jihad Ward said. “We ride for each other, can’t do it without each other. That’s what fuels us. I just want to praise this team — offense, defense, special teams, coaching staff. When they came in, they were ready to go. Who knows what this situation might be.”
Another — albeit less likely possibility — is a star whose multiyear contract is structured to fit under the Giants’ $3.6 million of salary cap space, according to NFL Players Association records. Panthers receiver D.J. Moore will make about $608,000 over the rest of this season but is owed $19.9 million guaranteed in 2023 — when the Giants have $50 million in cap space, per overthecap.com — and carries $30.7 million in salaries for 2024 and 2025 combined.
Recent additions of a 17th regular-season game and seventh playoff spot in both conferences also watered down the number of deadline sellers. Only four teams are more than 1 ½ games out of the playoffs after six weeks, which means the Giants would have been well-positioned as sellers if they got off to the poor start many expected.