Top 3 worst contracts on the New York Giants roster in 2024
Although the wage cap situation for the New York Giants is considerably better than it has been in a while, the team is still not hitting.500 with the contracts it has given out. When Joe Schoen took over the team's roster, Dave Gettleman had the franchise in a tangle, and the former general manager's misdeeds caused a great deal of movement over the next two seasons.
Nevertheless, Schoen's fingerprints are all over the team's roster for this season as well as its present financial situation. There are a few contracts that any NFL team would prefer to be free of, and the Giants are no different. Training camp is officially underway as the franchise aims to make a comeback in 2024. These are the four worst players on the squad.
#3 Evan Neal, Offensive tackle
Although Evan Neal only accounts for little less than 3% of the Giants' salary budget, his performance hasn't lived up to the enormous deal that an NFL Draft first-round selection is awarded following the draft. Neal's 2024 contract is somewhat less than $7 million, but he has consistently played below average for the Giants since joining the league, and it doesn't appear that this will change in 2024.
The former Alabama standout doesn't appear to have a spot on the Giants' new offensive line, despite the team's hopes. The Giants have switched about their starting five since Neal started training camp on the PUP list. If Neal isn't among them when they settle down, that may be bad news for the offensive lineman.
The Giants must be out of patience, even though it may seem foolish to give up on Neal in the absence of new guidance. More surprisingly than anything, he hasn't displayed the character the team hoped for off the field. On the field, he has been the equivalent of a traffic cone. Although Neal's contract isn't huge, it feels like a hole in the sky given the play he's made.
#2 Graham Gano, Kicker
In 2024, Graham Gano is expected to have a cap hit of more than $7 million. If he was moving like he has in the past in New York, that would be OK. On the other hand, the squad faces a serious issue if the Gano of 2023 appears this season.
Although Gano was quite dependable in his first few seasons with the Giants, which convinced Schoen to sign him to a significant kicker extension, he failed to demonstrate same dependability in 2023. Gano was inconsistent from Week 1 until he decided to have season-ending knee surgery. Even though his injuries hindered him, he was still unable to make kicks that were once automatic for him.
By the end of the season, the Giants can at the very least get out from under Gano's contract. For their kicker, the Giants are willing to pay the price if by 2024 he returns to his consistent form. But if the patchy Gano makes a comeback to the starting lineup, the Scottish player's career is over, and he'll be searching for a new team to play for the following season.
#1 Daniel Jones, Quarterback
It's simple to identify which Giants deal is the worst. Jones, who will account for over 20 percent of their salary budget in 2024, is anticipated to revert to the level of play that convinced Schoen to sign him to a lucrative extension. That's by no means a given, though, and his $47.85 million cap hit for 2024 is a complete nightmare.
The Giants' out after this season is a redeeming grace, notwithstanding the absurdity of Jones' 2024 deal. Although they might ultimately decide to retain Jones, that would come as a surprise given his history of injuries and patchy performance. However, Jones' new contract was also one of the bigger ones for a quarterback at the time of its signing.
The best-case scenario for Jones and the Giants would be a return to the 2022 form that impressed New York enough to make him their starting quarterback going forward. It's clear that Brian Daboll and Schoen have faith in his ability when healthy, and it would be very helpful to not have to go for a signal-caller in the weak 2025 quarterback class. It appears that in 2024, the quarterback will have the ball and the Giants' destiny in his hands.
