Big Blue View
Leigh Smith asks: I’m starting to consider Mike Kafka to be a realistic candidate. Under challenging conditions he has improved our team and locker room. His coaching changes and accountability appear to be improving all things. The team played against the Raiders like they wanted to win for him. That’s good.
You said to an answer last week that Kafka had no chance at the job, if they beat the Cowboys do you think that still holds?
Ed says: Leigh, there is always a danger in stating a definitive opinion before all of the evidence has been gathered. I try not to do that, but in this case I did say that I do not believe Mike Kafka will get the full-time head-coaching job for the Giants.
Maybe a victory over the Cowboys would give him a better chance. I am sure in his mind he believes that. I am not sure.
I believe, though, that if the Giants are putting most of the blame for back-to-back 3-13 seasons on the coaching staff, they won’t want a head coach who has been a key part of that staff for the last four years. Especially when I would guess that Kafka would try to keep many of the coaches who are already in place. I think the organization will want a clean break from that staff.
That said, I do agree that Kafka has done a number of good things. I hope he lands a head-coaching job somewhere, even if he has to take a mid-level college job to build his head-coaching bonafides.
Adam Singer asks: How is Philip Rivers able to wear the same number as Daniel Jones? When a player goes on IR does he lose his number for the rest of the year?
Ed says: Adam, a player does not actually “own” the number that he wears. You rarely, though, see the number worn by a quarterback or other star player given to someone else following a season-ending injury like Jones suffered.
In this case, though, remember that Philip Rivers is a future Pro Football Hall of Famer who has always worn No. 17 throughout his NFL career. That includes when he was Colts’ quarterback in 2020. Jones also granted Rivers permission to wear the No. 17 for the rest of the season.
Timothy Remmert asks: If the Raiders get the No. 1 pick, they take Mendoza. There’s still a quarterback on the board in Dante Moore, who could be just as good. That being said, can’t the Gmen still get a boatload of picks for No. 2? No matter where we land in the top 5, we should get a DB, WR, and enough to be competitive next year with a decent draft haul. In your opinion, what are our realistic options?
Ed says: Timothy, before answering this I have to encourage everyone to read Chris Pflum’s breakdown of the Giants’ 2026 draft scenarios. Most of what you are looking for is in there.
Yes,...
