Say what you will about New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen, who appears to be locked in for another go here as the team seeks to find a new head coach and bulk up for the future, but he has done a few positive things.

Schoen has not been able to build a winner after four years on the job, but he has been able to get the salary cap under control. The Giants have finally rid themselves of the massive dead cap hits that have derailed their efforts to get better.

Per Over the Cap, the Giants and Kansas City Chiefs have the lowest 2026 dead-cap space (approximately $216,000 each). They are set up nicely to do business this offseason, notes Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post.

While the black-and-white numbers today might not indicate that the Giants are swimming in 2026 projected space ($17.4 million, 19th-most in the NFL per OTC), the salary cap is healthier than it has been throughout most of the past decade of losing, and the ability to create more flexibility through a variety of means is unhindered by past mistakes.

The Giants’ relatively blank slate from a salary-cap standpoint — their space jumps to $112 million in 2027 and $238 million in 2028, according to OverTheCap — and ability to navigate free agency or trades without financial limitation is one of the reasons the head coach vacancy is expected to be attractive to top candidates, as mentioned to The Post by multiple league sources.

It is the reward for being disciplined — maybe too much so given their NFL-worst record? — every time that a slight upgrade became available for the taking and fans clamored for action as the Giants stayed idle.

Dunleavy also mentions several moves the team can make to free up even more space, giving the team the flexibility needed to build out the roster.

The Giants can free up $25.7 million by adding $10.5 million in dead money if they cut linebacker Bobby Okereke, kicker Graham Gano, running back Devin Singletary, swing tackle James Hudson and receiver Jalin Hyatt — none of whom are playing at a level commensurate with their cap charge. 

Parting ways with Okereke, a three-year captain, would mean replacing a starter. So would cutting left guard Jon Runyan Jr., whose improvements this season might have rescued him from the chopping block afforded by $9.25 million savings for a $2.5 million penalty in his contract.

Gano, Hyatt, and Hudson are low-hanging fruit here. None of those players was of any help in 2025. Okereke had a fine season, leading the team in tackles in Micah McFadden’s absence. Singletary was a Brian Daboll add, but he’s a valuable piece to have.