When the dust settles, the task in front of Joe Schoen will be dramatically different than anyone expected three months ago.

Saquon Barkley’s pending free agency was always going to be the biggest question mark, but before the season, it looked like Schoen would be piloting a rebuild instead of trying to build on a playoff appearance. Now, with the Giants at 7-2 following Sunday’s 24-16 win over Houston, it looks like it will be the latter barring calamity.

That changes the conversation around just about every decision, in particular Barkley, who had another standout game on Sunday, breaking the 150-yard mark for the second time this season and continuing to be the rock of the Giants’ offense in the win.

Barkley currently has the fifth-highest cap hit of any running back in the league at $7.217 million. If he stays in New York, it figures the 25-year-old will get a raise. If Schoen is ready to make that decision, and a report on Sunday said he isn’t, it is essential he has a better grasp on how to build a team around a star running back than his predecessor.