The New York Giants have set their 53-man roster for the upcoming season but general manager Joe Schoen is not going to sit still until he’s got it just right.
If a player becomes available, he’ll inquire. Just like he did the past week with Isaiah Simmons and Boogie Basham. His work is never done.
Buy Giants Tickets“This time of year, just to walk you through the process, we divvy up teams, we make calls. I’ve known (Cardinals general manager) Monti (Ossenfort) for a long time. Their assistant GM, Dave Sears, I’ve known for a long time, so just shooting texts back and forth. ‘Anybody available? Where are you deep? Where are you maybe looking?’ and through those conversations, Isaiah’s name came up and it came together rather quickly.
“Again, (Simmons) just turned 25 — I think I was looking at it earlier this morning again as the dust settles a little bit, stepping back and looking at the roster, I think we have 39 players that are 26 years old or younger. Which as of today is second in the league so I think adding him — (outside linebacker) Boogie (Basham) I think is 25 — so again, kind of a young nucleus of core guys here. I think between the youth and some of the veterans that we have, it’s a good mix and he fit into that.”
That also means any veteran who can help the team would pique his interest as well. Let’s say, a veteran such as Tampa Bay’s perennial Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans.
Evans is currently at odds with the Bucs’ management, giving them a deadline of September 9 to offer him a long-term deal. If no deal is struck, a trade could materialize. Expect Schoen to be on the phone again.
No deal by then, bad start by #Bucs is a formula for a midseason trade.
Dont be surprised if #Giants know this and keep an eye on it. After all, Joe Schoen said yesterday that the front office divided up the 31 other teams and called to see who is/might become available https://t.co/3hoRz1kpuY
— Ryan Dunleavy (@rydunleavy) September 1, 2023
The Giants have a full wide receiver room with plenty of talent but no ‘No. 1’ option that keeps defensive coordinators awake at night.
Evans could surely be that player. He is the only player in NFL history to begin his career with nine consecutive seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards or more.
The 6-foot-5 Evans is a four-time Pro Bowler with a Super Bowl ring to his credit who just turned 30 — which is not an ‘over-the-hill’ age for a wideout these days.
Schoen will check in with the Bucs and find out what the ask is, and if it’s not too egregious, perhaps make a bid.
Evans would be a great addition to the Giants’ offense. He would give the Giants another tall target for quarterback Daniel Jones along with Isaiah Hodgins and tight end Darren Waller.
