New York Giants Free Agency/Draft Preview: Quarterbacks at Crossroads

How the Giants approach the quarterback position this off-season could have repercussions on the franchise for years.

The New York Giants are at a crossroads at one of their most important positions on the roster, of course, being quarterback. And how they address the position moving forward can potentially impact the franchise for years.

Giants general manager Joe Schoen has stated that the expectation is that when incumbent Daniel Jones, who is recovering from a torn ACL, is healthy, he will be the starter. 

But Schoen also acknowledged that there are no assurances that Jones will be ready to go come Week 1 and that the team will probably need to add a veteran capable of going in there and winning some games if Jones doesn't get the green light to return.

But such a suggestion has left the door open as to whether Schoen still believes that Jones can rebound from a horrific 2023 season in which the offense, in particular, was ravaged by injuries. 

The bottom line is that changes are coming to the Giants quarterback room--that much Schoen has acknowledged. What those changes are will tell us a lot about what the team really thinks about its current starter's future.

Sep 17, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) passes against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at State Farm Stadium / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Personnel Recap

• Under Contract: Daniel Jones (ended 2023 on IR), Tommy DeVito
• UFA: Tyrod Taylor
• RFA: N/A
• ERFA: Jacob Eason

Schoen has already said that "the expectation" is for Jones to be the starter once he is fully recovered from a torn ACL. Jones has been attacking his rehab with vigor, perhaps no doubt aware that "expectations" can and do change.

Considering Jones has a recent history of neck issues after suffering two in three years, for the Giants to bank long-term on his availability is a gamble they probably don't want to have to take just like they probably don't want to have to swap out veteran backups every couple of years.

Schoen didn't rule out re-signing Tyrod Taylor to continue in his role as backup, but considering the 34-year-old's durability issues, the Giants might be better off going in a different direction, as the free-agent market seems to be shaping up with some intriguing options who might be worth pursuing.

DeVito showed that the game isn't too big for him and that he deserves a chance to compete for a roster spot. Hsi best bet would probably be to compete against a veteran for the No. 2 spot. And for him to win that role, he'd have to show that he's a lot more decisive and quicker in his post-snap reads--last year DeVto averaged 3.09 seconds from dropback to time to throw, sixth most among quarterbacks with a minimum of 150 dropbacks. 

Eason was signed to the 53-man roster on January 6, ahead of the team's regular-season finale, but with the team expected to add in free agency and the draft, it's hard to envision him being re-signed even though he wouldn't count toward the Top 51 once the new league year starts on March 13. 

Top 3 Questions to Be Answered

1. Will Daniel Jones be ready to go in Week 1?

The Giants are optimistic that Jones will be cleared to return to play after completing rehab on his torn ACL. Jones, whose recovery has been estimated to take between eight and ten months, has been attacking his rehab and is said to have advanced to doing antigravity running already.

If he isn't ready to go by Week 1, the Giants are expected to sign a veteran capable of going into the lineup and winning games. Besides that, though, there is a matter of Jones getting up to speed with any new personnel the team might be planning to bring in, a process that can sometimes take time.

Even if Jones is ready to go by training camp, you can be sure he won't play in the preseason games. And we all saw that last year, a lack of game snaps in the summer didn't help the offense. Can Jones and the Giants overcome all that once he gets the green light?

2. Will the Giants draft a new franchise quarterback?

The Giants are in a great spot to draft a franchise quarterback, sitting at No. 6 in the draft order and looking at what's widely regarded as a deep class. But if they want one of the widely regarded premium picks--Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, or Drake Maye, they might have to trade up to spot No. 3, currently held by the New England Patriots.

The Patriots are a quarterback-needy team, but numerous reports have said they plan to go the veteran route to help jumpstart the Jerod Mayo era. If they do go that route, that No. 3 pick would likely be available for what NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah thinks could cost the Giants both their second-round picks this year and their second next year.

3. What happens to Tommy DeVito?

That's an interesting question. DeVito earned the right to compete for a roster spot given his play last year, but if the Giants sign a veteran backup "capable of winning games," as Schoen suggested they might do, and if they draft a young quarterback, which is certainly a possibility, where does that leave "Tommy Cutlets"?

The answer is potentially on the outside looking in. If Jones is healthy enough to start--and it makes sense for him to start even if the team drafts a rookie since the last thing the Giants probably want to do is rush a rookie into the lineup--he gets the start (plus they're not cutting him this year given his cap hit).

A rookie drafted in the first or second round will unlikely be exposed to the practice squad. DeVito could potentially compete with a veteran signed to be the primary backup.

Depending on the contract that veteran gets--we doubt it will be a one-year minimum qualifying offer--DeVito could end up on the practice squad, as the Giants will likely carry three quarterbacks on the roster if they sign a veteran and draft a premium pick.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) gives instructions during practice at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park in Nashville, Tenn :: George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Three UFAs Giants Could Consider

Mitchell Trubisky. Trubisky, the second overall pick in the 2017 draft, hits free agency a year after signing a two-year extension with the Steelers, who are going in a different direction at quarterback.

Trubisky, who played with the Buffalo Bills in 2021 when Giants head coach Brian Daboll was the offensive coordinator, has that going for him. Trubisky is at a point in his career where he's yet to prove to be anything more than a backup quarterback or very low-level starter and shouldn't end up costing a lot to sign.

Jacoby Brissett. Brissett spent last year with Washington, who is planning a total makeover of its quarterback position under new head coach Brian Callahan. Brissett, a journeyman, has an 18-30 record as a starting quarterback, but he's an experienced signal caller with a high football IQ and a big arm capable of making all the throws.

Brissett could be an ideal bridge quarterback if Daniel Jones isn't ready to go and, like Tyrod Taylor was the last two years, would be a good veteran voice to have in the room, especially if a rookie is added. Brissett has 51 touchdowns against 23 interceptions for a passer rating of 85.3.

Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill has the best career record as a starter (81-70) and is probably the most accomplished of the three choices listed here. He's led 27 game-winning drives, including 26 fourth-quarter comebacks. Despite his solid numbers, Spotrac projects Tannehill as an affordable option, with a market value of $4,967,594 for a one-year deal. The Giants would probably want at least a two-year deal with their backup quarterback unless the plan is to have a veteran compete with Tommy DeVito for QB2. 

Nov 25, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws a pass against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during the first half at Carter-Finley Stadium / Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

Three Draft Prospects Giants Could Consider

Drake May, North Carolina. Not every national draft analyst seems to think that Maye is a slam dunk to be drafted in the top three spots. NFLcom's Lance Zierlein recently opined that Maye could conceivably fall down the board far enough to where the Giants if they like him, could get him without having to move up.

The 21-year-old Maye is one of the safest picks at quarterback in this draft, according to Isaac Schade, who covers the Tar Heels for the Locked On Tar Heels podcast. “Zero off-field problems, lots of on-field problems for opponents. You know, there are no questions about, 'Oh man, is he going to be able to see over the line? No, he's 6’4”. Is he going to be hefty enough to hold up to NFL hits? No, he's 230. He's got all the prototypical stuff that I'm looking for. The arm, he can move like the modern NFL quarterback needs to do.”

Maye might have elite arm talent to make all the throws necessary at the next level, but his footwork is lacking, leaving him with a poor base that affects his accuracy. The good news is that's something that can be coached up. That's why it makes perfect sense for the Giants to start either a healthy Daniel Jones or a veteran backup at quarterback in Week 1, regardless of whether they draft a quarterback, as doing so will allow the coaches to smooth out any rough edges before putting a rookie on the field.

Quarterback Jayden Daniels 5 as the LSU Tigers take on Texas A&M in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, November 25, 2023 :: SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jayden Daniels, LSU. Talk of Daniels to the Giants picked up steam when NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, in a call last week with reporters, said he "would not rule that out.” Giants Country's Brandon Olsen, in his breakdown of Daniels's tape, notes that for all the good there is to like, there are some concerns in this year's Heisman Trophy winner's game, most notably his penchant for taking hard hits, his inconsistent acracy and his "average velocity."

That doesn't mean that these concerns can't be coached out of him, though, as remember, the Giants, if they draft a rookie quarterback, are likely to let that kid sit for a few weeks so he can get fully acclimated before having the spotlight fully aimed his way.

J.J. McCarthy, Michigan. If the Giants don't land a quarterback at the top of the first round, McCarthy could be a name to watch. The Draft Network and Pro Football Network both project McCarthy as a Day 2 prospect, but the Michigan product's stock has been rising to where he could creep into the mid to the bottom part of the first round.

If McCarthy is the Giants' guy and someone they think they can get in the middle part of the first round, do they trade down in the hopes of landing him and additional draft picks (which would be a major coup for Joe Schoen)? Or do they make a move if it's looking like a trade back into the bottom of the first round is necessary? 

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