Forget about projecting for a moment who He should be the next Giants quarterback.
think instead what That's what the next Giants quarterback should be.
Many of the player's yet-to-be-determined future teammates were thinking about what traits they wanted to see as they cleaned out their lockers at the end of a shell-shocked 3-14 season.
It will be up to remaining general manager Joe Schon and head coach Brian Daboll to search, identify and acquire a quarterback who they believe could be the missing piece to a quick turnaround.
“I’m very excited,” linebacker Bobby Okereke said. “Ever since high school, the quarterback is the leader of the team. Like it or not, the quarterback's play affects everyone.”
Drew Lock is an unrestricted free agent and Tommy DeVito is an exclusive free agent, but Shane has indicated he will re-sign DeVito.
ERFAs typically sign one-year contracts with a non-guaranteed minimum salary, so the Giants enter March with the security of not having a quarterback on their roster.
The Giants essentially have three paths to finding their next starter. Add proven veterans like Sam Darnold and Kirk Cousins. Pick Shedule Sanders or Cam Ward at the top of the draft. Or combine the two to create competition between high-end bridge players like Justin Fields and mid-draft picks like Jalen Milroe, Quinn Ewers, Carson Beck, or Jackson Dart. You can also.
“I don't care if you're a rookie or a veteran,” guard John Runyan Jr. said. “All we need is players who are going to help us win games. Offensively, that's what we're built to do. We can run the ball well and we need players to help us win games.” I think we can hold up in pass protection. Any guy that can complement us and get us going and score touchdowns will be valuable to us.”
Malik Nabors is the biggest reason quarterbacks are attracted to the Giants (and the second-lowest scoring offense in the NFL). He wants someone who is a quick learner.
“If they ask me about it, I'm going to do some research, watch the QB and tell them how I feel about it,” Neighbors said. .
Right tackle Jermaine Elemunor has more of a new prototype in mind after watching Jaden Daniels inspire the Commanders and becoming a big fan of the Patriots' Drake Maye's improvisational style.
“He's someone who brings energy to everyone,” Elemnor said. “In this day and age where defensive ends are getting smaller, faster and stronger, you need guys who can help the offensive line. That means when one of your guys gets taken down, you make guys miss and you manipulate the pocket. You need a quarterback who can run around and throw down the field. He's more of a mobile, two-way crazy thrower type of guy.”
Whether he knew it or not, El Emnor sounded like it was describing Ward's skill set.
Rookie running back Tyron Tracy Jr. is looking at a quarterback who offers “efficiency and ball safety.”
“We need someone who can lead a team,” Tracy said. “I believe if we put the right guy at quarterback, our offense will be successful.”
Receiver Darius Slayton, the longest-tenured offensive player, knows what was missing during the injury-plagued Daniel Jones era. What should the Giants aim for?
“It's stable,” said Slayton, who is pending free agency. “We have one player back in the pocket for the season.”
What about personality?
Receiver Wan'Dale Robinson wants to see “confidence,” but that's easier said than done against a Giants team that has led the NFL in losses since 2017.
“We also need players who can handle New York well,” Elemunor said. “It's a tough place to play if you don't have a thick skin. But usually these places are great places to play. If you play well here, you'll hear it. Negative emotions will help him If we can get guys that don't affect us and can just go out there and play ball, that's going to help us going into next year.”
Neighbors finished his rookie season setting records with 109 catches and 1,204 yards, but watched his former LSU teammate Daniels set even bigger records in Washington. What's the secret sauce to reproducing it?
“It has to be a comfortable system,” Nabers says. “You need people in this building that believe in you. You have to lead. In order for you to be great, you need a lot of people pushing you. Same thing. If you draft a player who can do that, the sky's the limit for a rookie trying to change teams.”
