WFAN Duo Debate Who New York Giants Should Start at Quarterback

Daniel Jones or Tommy DeVito? Tiki Barber and Evan Roberts make their cases.

Feb 3, 2011; Dallas, TX, USA; NFL former player Tiki Barber is interviewed on radio row at the Sheraton in downtown Dallas. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports / Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The last thing New York Giants coach Brian Daboll wants to think about is a quarterback controversy.

As far as Daboll is concerned, there is no controversy. Daniel Jones is the starter, Drew Lock is the backup, and Tommy DeVito is the third man on the totem pole.

But that hasn’t stopped WFAN's Evan Roberts and Tiki Barber from debating whether the Giants’ current lineup is the way to go at quarterback. 

Roberts is in DeVito's corner, no questions asked. While Barber believes DeVito, New Jersey's own, he also believes the Cedar Grove native is serviceable as a backup quarterback, but not good enough to be the starter and has thrown his support behind Jones, the incumbent.

Roberts said the fans have embraced DeVito, who was running the third team before Lock was injured in the first preseason game against the Detroit Lions.

New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito (15) looks for an open receiver on Thursday, August 8, 2024, in East Rutherford. / Kevin R. Wexler / NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

DeVito first captured the hearts of Giants fans last season when he took over the offense after Jones and Tyrod Taylor both went down with injuries. DeVito led the Giants to three wins, showing a lot of promise for an undrafted free agent being tossed into the deep end without a floatation device.  

"DeVito has the support of the fans; I want to start with that first and foremost. He is the most well-liked guy by all the fans," Roberts said. "They want to see Tommy DeVito succeed. I think Tommy DeVito–yes I think Tommy DeVito–has the motivation."

Roberts also believes the team embraces DeVito more than they do Jones, Additionally, if given the first-team repetitions in practice, Roberts opined that DeVito would be even better, arguing that it's difficult to grow into a starter when you are running with the third team.

"I think when he's out there, the Giants move the football. I think he has a lot that we have not seen yet. I think he has untapped potential," Roberts said, "I think when you look at Daniel Jones, a guy that has struggled to stay healthy, and a guy that has struggled to play consistent football, I look towards Tommy DeVito.

Jul 25, 2024; East Rutherford, NY, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) walks the sideline during Quest Diagnostics Training Center training camp. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Boland-USA TODAY Sports

"That, by the way, doesn't mean Jones can't work his way back into the starter. I just think right out of the gates we don't even know if Daniel Jones is truly fully healthy," Roberts said.  "I didn't see anything from last night [Thursday] that made me think Tommy DeVito can't suit up and be the starter Week 1."

Barber is betting on the veteran Jones. He believes that this is the year Jones breaks out of his shell and becomes the true leader of the football team. Unlike Roberts, Barber wasn’t as impressed by the sample size provided by DeVito Thursday night and would rather see DeVito as a backup quarterback.

"He didn't have a ton of yardage throwing it. It almost didn't matter. A lot of that was just it felt to me like timing issues with his wide receivers. He missed on all his deep balls," Barber said. 

“It felt like the wide receiver was checking up and Tommy threw it into the gap. It was just a miscommunication. The other ones he was scrambling because there was pressure right up the gut, and so he just basically ran to the sideline trying to create a play and then threw the ball away."

Barber continued.

"The ones that he completed were pretty good. A lot of them were screens. They were check downs to the running back," Barber said. "He had a great shot across the middle to Theo Johnson. I'm not doubting Tommy DeVito's skill. I'm doubting Tommy DeVito's acumen as a starting quarterback on an NFL level."

Roberts seemed to be a little too convinced in his conviction based on the fans' sentiment, which isn’t the criteria the coaching staff or general manager will reach a conclusion. 

Barber, meanwhile, seemed to spend more time knocking DeVito than advocating Jones's qualities as a quarterback, saying little about his arm or his ability to find the open receiver.  

Regardless of what anyone thinks right now, Daboll and Schoen have backed Jones, even though he’s going into his sixth season and people are still wondering what kind of quarterback he can be.  

He’ll get one more season to prove he’s worthy of the four-year, $160 million contract he signed; beyond that is anyone’s guess where the team goes from here at quarterback.

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