What the Giants hiring of Joe Schoen as GM means for the head coaching search

By hiring Joe Schoen away from the Buffalo Bills, the New York Giants are in the running to get one of the best head-coaching candidates in this offseason cycle.

The New York Giants made it official on Friday by hiring Joe Schoen away from the Buffalo Bills organization to be their next general manager.

“We are pleased and proud to name Joe as our general manager,” said Giants president John Mara in a statement. “Throughout our search, Joe impressed us with his ability to communicate a progressive and comprehensive vision for our team. His philosophy and collaborative approach to building a roster and coaching staff align with what we were looking for in a general manager.”

Schoen had been Brandon Beane’s top assistant in the Bills organization. Along with head coach Sean McDermott, the Bills are in the midst of their best run as franchise since Jim Kelly was their star quarterback in the early 1990s. Schoen is the first general manager hired in this offseason cycle. It seems as though the Giants could be one of the first teams to hire a head coach as well.

FOX Sports’ Peter Schrager lists four potential head-coaching candidates who could partner up with Schoen in the New York: Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, former Miami Dolphins head coach and Brooklyn native Brian Flores and Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

Joe Schoen hiring indicates where New York Giants could look for head coach

The connections to Daboll and Frazier are obvious, after working alongside Schoen in Orchard Park for the last several seasons. Daboll will be a top candidate for other jobs such as the vacancies with the Dolphins and the Chicago Bears, but it cannot be overstated how huge it is for the Giants to land Schoen. Once the Bills’ season is over, Daboll may be leading the Giants.

Frazier is an interesting name to keep an eye on. He may have failed in his first run as a head coach with the Minnesota Vikings, but everybody seems to be raving about him the last few years. As with Daboll, the Schoen connection could have him get a second shot at being an NFL head coach, this time with the Giants. He could be hired by any numbers of teams during this cycle.

As for Flores, he is coming from the Dolphins origination, one where Schoen used to work. Though Flores’ tenure in South Florida ended abruptly, he should land a head-coaching opportunity this offseason. New York has been one of the teams he has been closely tied to. The other one to keep an eye on with him is the Houston vacancy, as he has that New England Patriots connection.

And with Quinn, he is from the area and does have the Miami connection with Schoen. The Cowboys defensive coordinator is almost certainly getting his second stab at being an NFL head coach after his Atlanta Falcons tenure ended in disaster. Quinn could join the Denver Broncos and reunite with former Dolphins executive George Paton, now in his second year as general manger.

Daboll or Frazier feel like the guys here, but sleeping on Flores or Quinn would be a big mistake.