National Football League

New York Giants: Is there a disconnect between owner and general manager?

Published Jul. 17, 2024 5:00 p.m. ET

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The relationship between an NFL team owner and the general manager is crucial to the success of the organization. Both must work in tandem to produce results in the present and build for the future.

It can be a delicate dance at times. The world got a peek into how that dynamic plays out in the New York Giants' organization in the latest episode HBO's "Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants." Specifically, in the critical moments of free agency when Saquon Barkley was traded to the rival Philadelphia Eagles, Giants owner John Mara and General Manager Joe Schoen didn't seem to be on the same wavelength.

Colin Cowherd weighed in on Wednesday's episode of "The Herd with Colin Cowherd." 

"I watch the Giants here, and there is a disconnect between owner and GM, and I'm uncomfortable watching it," Cowherd stated.

"[Giants owner] John Mara is sitting there on the table, and this is before Saquon Barkley in free agency left for the rival Eagles … and Mara is just really uncomfortable with his star Saquon Barkley going to rival Philadelphia. That's really bad. The owner's not happy, Joe Schoen is smiling, like it's really uncomfortable.

"The one thing I do know about being a general manager … you gotta have some sort of relationship with the owner that's comfortable. You have to trust the owner. You gotta be able to read your owner's temperament," he explained.

The Giants' decision-making process in free agency resulted in Barkley leaving the organization and signing a three-year, $37.75 million deal with the Eagles that could be worth up to $46.75 million and includes $26 million guaranteed. Mara and Schoen did not know where Barkley was landing and on what deal until it was publicly reported. 

In other free-agency moves, the Giants did agree to a deal with Brian Burns for five years and $141 million, with $87.5 million guaranteed. New York also signed former Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock and Texans running back Devin Singletary alongside Burns.

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New York Giants

National Football League

Saquon Barkley

Drew Lock

Devin Singletary

Carolina Panthers

Brian Burns