Those who follow the New York Giants don’t seem to be able to make their minds up about the future of Joe Schoen. So much so, one insider has made a shock claim about the under-pressure general manager’s contract status.
The claim comes from Paul Schwartz of New York Post Sports. He “would not be surprised in the least if he’s offered a contract extension at some point here in the coming weeks.”
That’s quite a revelation on the heels of a recent report Schoen could be fired in a matter of days. When pressed about these claims, specifically whether he believes Schoen will be sacked “this week,” Schwartz answered emphatically, “No. No sense at all.”
Instead, Schwartz has focused on how Schoen co-existed with high-profile new head coach John Harbaugh during the 2026 NFL draft, revealing some surprising details about the way this partnership functioned during a crucial early phase of yet another rebuild for the Giants.
Joe Schoen’s Unlikely Reprieve Could Come from Draft
What he did before and during this year’s draft could be Schoen’s route to an unlikely reprieve. Especially when his early plans surprisingly led the Giants to a steal or sorts, in the form of fifth-overall pick Arvell Reese.
Schoen being able to exert a major influence on the Giant’ picks was more than mildly surprising when former Baltimore Ravens boss Harbaugh commands so much about personnel decisions.
Harbaugh’s arrival made beleaguered holdover Schoen appear surplus to requirements, but Schwartz described a different pecking order. He explained that “several weeks ago, somebody in the building told me that it was amazing that it seemed like John Harbaugh and Joe Schoen had been working together for years, rather than just a few months. So that was a good sign that, you know, these guys are on the same page.”
Schwartz did provide one note of caution, stressing, “Look, am I gonna judge their whole relationship on how they looked at the podium for three days after these picks? No, but I think it’s hard to fake kind of a camaraderie, I think they have it. Their chemistry is good. I think their relationship is good. It’ll be interesting moving forward, what happens. Joe Scoen’s going into the last year of his contract.”
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There’s a few notable things about Schwartz’s take on the power dynamic at play for Big Blue. First, he’s right to point out how fake chemistry is easy to spot.
Schoen and Harbaugh need a genuine rapport, otherwise it won’t take long for any brewing tensions to reach boiling point. Time isn’t necessarily on Schoen’s side, given his contract status, but unlike their embattled GM, the Giants have options.
Giants, John Harbaugh Have Options for Front Office Changes
The notion of Schoen being on borrowed time at MetLife Stadium was explained by Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News to CBS New York’s Steve Overmyer on Monday, April 27.
One of the things Leonard told Overmyer is “There are people who think that, based on the positive returns publicly of this draft that maybe he sticks around, but John Harbaugh moves on after the season because this is Joe Schoen’s final year of his current contract.”
Schoen’s contract status might make it easier for Harbaugh to smile, present a united front and simply wait out the roster-builder who presided over a 23-46-1 record the last four seasons.
That’s one, possibly cynical, interpretation of the current landscape for the Giants. Another is how any success enjoyed by the team’s 2026 draft class would certainly earn Schoen an extension.
It might only take top picks Reese and offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa impressing this offseason. Especially when Schoen already has some notable draft successes to hang his hat on, including selecting wide receiver star Malik Nabers sixth overall in 2024, before trading back to snag would-be franchise quarterback Jaxson Dart a year later.
If Harbaugh becomes grateful for what Schoen put in place before he arrived, the general manager will have the crucial endorsement he needs to extend his stay.
Giants GM Joe Schoen Gets Shock Contract Update