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Giants Go Quarterback in New Post-Free Agency Mock Draft

The Giants' decision in this mock draft scenario might not be as cut-and-dried as it appears.

Patricia Traina

NFL Draft
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With the first wave of free agency over, the New York Giants have yet to find their veteran bridge quarterback. Until they do, their most significant draft need, at least according to of NFL.com following the initial wave of free agency, is–you guessed it–quarterback.

Jeremiah has the Giants selecting Colorado quarterback Sheduer Sanders. Jeremiah went with Sanders since Miami quarterback Cam Ward went first to the Titans and Penn State edge Abdul Carter went first to the Browns.  

Jeremiah raises some doubt about whether Sanders would be a slam dunk for the Giants at No. 3, writing, “I’ll be curious to see what the Giants do here. If Abdul Carter is available at No. 3, that might change things, but in this scenario, they secure their answer at quarterback.”

In recent days, it seems increasingly likely that Ward, whom the Giants reportedly really like, will not be there at No. 3. 

It’s also becoming increasingly likely that the Titans, despite claiming that they’d consider trading out of the first overall spot, will stay put and select Ward, especially after putting such a premium on improving their offensive line.

As noted before, it shouldn’t take much regarding assets for the Giants to trade up two spots. 

But if you’re the Titans, you probably want at least two first-round picks, and that’s too steep of a price for the Giants to have to spend given their remaining needs and given that next year’s quarterback class is shaping up to be richer in terms of options.

Thus, the chances of the Giants trading up in next month’s draft seem to be shrinking almost to the point of being nil. 

But here’s the question no one seems to be trying to answer: how close do the Giants believe Ward and/or Sanders are to being Week 1 ready? 

Considering the Giants have swung for the fences in their attempts to land a veteran bridge quarterback–first it was Matthew Stafford of the Rams and then Aaron Rodgers, both of whom would have likely been year-long starters for the Giants this coming season rather than placeholders until a rookie was fully acclimated–is it truly in the Giants best interest to force a quarterback at No 3 when there are other options they could pursue such as defensive line and offensive line? 

Or would they be better off selecting Colorado cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter, arguably the best option on the board with Ward and Carter gone, whom Jermeiah mocked to the Patriots at No. 4?

That all depends on how desperate the Giants are. And considering they still don’t have the veteran option resolved as of Tuesday morning and that options are drying up, it’s certainly fair to wonder if Jeremiah’s draft scenario plays out when the real thing gets underway next month.

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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