The third episode of HBO’s Hard Knocks: Offseason following the New York Giants front office gave fans an inside look at the process of the NFL free agency period. Led by general manager Joe Schoen, the Giants front office made lots of noise on both the free-agent and trade market, most notably including the loss of star running back Saquon Barkley and bringing in an elite edge rusher in Brian Burns.
The focal point of the first three episodes has been the Barkley saga. Attempts to make the rusher a Giant for life defined 2023 for the Giants front office, but the saga came to an end in 2024 as the Penn State product signed a contract with the rival Philadelphia Eagles. The episode began with Schoen trying to confirm with Barkley’s agent, Ed Berry, that a three-year deal worth $12 million per year and $25 million guaranteed would make him a Giant again. Berry seemed flaky at best on the notion.
Eventually, when it was clear that the price was being driven up, the Schoen was shown uttering the words “we’re out.”
It seems clear that the Giants set a limit on what they were willing to spend on Barkley, and they would not bend on it. Both sides seemed to know that, which would explain why Big Blue never even sent an offer.
Giants President/CEO John Mara seemed intent on holding onto Barkley but trusted Schoen’s principles. Mara spoke for the entire Giants fan base when he said, “I’m going to have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia.”
Mara seemed to value that Barkley was the most popular player in the organization. He showed real compassion for the fans in episode three, saying what they were thinking in March 2024.
Once again, perhaps the most intriguing feature of this new Hard Knocks: Offseason series has been an inside look at how deals get done. Fans get to see the tiny little details that make or break a signing. A great example of this came in episode three when it was made clear that the Giants would have to beat the Jets’ offer for offensive lineman John Runyan Jr. due to his familiarity with Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. The Giants, in clear need of O-line help, obliged and beat the Jets’ offer. Clearly, Schoen and Co. were in love with Runyan’s durability, a trait that has eluded their linemen in recent years.
The highlight of the episode was one of the brightest spots of the Giants offseason in the trade for Burns. The documentary gave fans access to the phone call that made the edge rusher a Giant, as Schoen haggled with close friend and Carolina Panthers GM Dan Morgan over the price. In the end, the Giants got a good deal, bringing in an elite pass-rusher without shelling out a first-round pick. Morgan asking for an additional seventh-round pick shows how much general managers like to “win” deals, and the trade overall shows how important relationships are in NFL front offices. Burns likely isn’t a Giant if Schoen isn’t close friends with Morgan.
The episode ends with a slew of Giants free-agent signings coming into the facility for the first time to sign their contracts. The names included veteran backup quarterback Drew Lock, offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor, Runyan, Burns, and a Schoen favorite, running back Devin Singletary. A good portion of the episode was spent showing the contract and trade offer process, which can reduce players to commodities. Ending it by showing these men signing contracts to earn life-changing money surrounded by family did a lot to humanize them. The next episode promises to be drama-packed, as it will detail the 2024 NFL Draft.
