Changes Made by John Harbaugh for the Giants

John Harbaugh is moving quickly to reshape the Giants’ coaching staff.

Kevin Abrams, who has been with the Giants since 1999 and held the assistant general manager role for two decades, has been let go. Once seen as a potential successor, he was dismissed on Wednesday.

Sources indicated that some defensive coaches—Andre Patterson (defensive line coach), John Egorgwu (inside linebackers coach), Marquand Manuel (secondary coach and passing game coordinator), and Jeff Burris (cornerbacks coach)—will remain with the team.

However, none of these coaches held a position within the organization that matched Abrams’, who was pivotal as chief negotiator during two Super Bowl victories. Abrams briefly served as interim GM after the 2017 season and was viewed as a candidate to succeed Dave Gettleman. Ultimately, the team felt they needed Joe Schoen’s fresh perspective due to ongoing struggles.

In 2022, Abrams transferred the assistant GM role to Brandon Brown but continued to manage the salary cap, which is reportedly in good shape compared to previous offseasons.

Among the defensive assistants hired by former head coach Brian Daboll, only Charlie Bullen (outside linebacker coach), who took over as interim defensive coordinator late last season, has a chance to stay on. Bullen’s connection with Schoen and Harbaugh dates back to their time together in Miami.

Harbaugh began discussions with current coaching staff members on Wednesday, though it seems that some of the coaches terminated did not have an opportunity to meet with him. Reports suggest Schoen communicated that certain assistants were not in Harbaugh’s plans and could seek other opportunities without any face-to-face conversations.

“I think we have a great coach here and I’m looking forward to connecting with him,” Harbaugh mentioned about the changes.

The field staff alterations weren’t unexpected since Harbaugh is currently the only coach listed on the Giants’ official site. The offensive staff’s future remains unclear, but Carmen Bricillo appears to be a leading contender for the offensive line position, backed by former coach Jack Harbaugh, John’s father.

Sources indicate that the Ravens are unlikely to hinder their offensive assistants from pursuing positions with Harbaugh or making lateral moves.

Patterson boasts 24 years of experience as an NFL assistant and previously served as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator. His expertise helped elevate Dexter Lawrence to a three-time Pro Bowler. He and Egorgwu were part of Daboll’s inaugural staff in 2022.

Egorgwu previously worked with Harbaugh at the Ravens (2015-2016), which raised speculation about his potential retention.

Manuel and Burris were newer additions from last season, both respected figures who understand the game well and relate to modern players.

For the defensive coordinator position, Harbaugh has several avenues to explore, including former Ravens players and coaches who have taken on defensive coordinator roles elsewhere, such as Zach Orr, Denard Wilson, Anthony Weaver, and Jim Leonhardt.