INDIANAPOLIS – It has to be.
The Giants are ranked much higher than expected and should seriously consider taking a quarterback in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft.
That doesn’t mean they choose one over the other.
It would be inaccurate to characterize the Giants as desperate to pinpoint and select Daniel Jones’ successor. they are not hopeless. They didn’t expect a top pick to be within reach, but here they are.
Failure in 2023 leaves them No. 6 overall in 2024, but unless the team has an absolute and aggressive commitment to acquiring a franchise quarterback, they will have to think long and hard about the No. 6 spot. No.
And they will. And they are.
“At 6 years old, we’re going to look at everything,” general manager Joe Schon said this week at the NFL Scouting Combine. “We’re going to look at all positions. You hope you’re not there again. You don’t want to be in the top 10, but it’s a good draft. Overall a solid draft and we have good players. We will have the opportunity to acquire the best player possible and we will evaluate all positions to acquire the best player possible.”
Sitting outside of the top five this year is not the best spot for a team in the high-level quarterback market.
The Bears, Commanders, and Patriots have picks 1, 2, and 3, and all three need a quarterback. That means Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jaden Daniels could come off the board after three picks.
The Cardinals (No. 4) and Chargers (No. 5) won’t be playing quarterback, but the Giants and Titans (No. 7), who are No. 6, could be the quarterback. The Falcons (8th) are targeting a quarterback.
The second quarterback tier in this draft is JJ McCarthy, Bo Nix, and Michael Penix Jr., with the order depending on team preferences. I feel like it’s quite a reach to take one of them in number 6.
“It’s a great quarterback draft,” Schoen said. “We’re not just at the top. We’ve got some mid-level players who I think could be No. 2. We’ve got some players who could be No. 3 in the draft.”
Schoen has already announced that the Giants will add players to their quarterback room, which currently consists of Jones and second-year starter Tommy DeVito.
Last year, the general manager gave Jones a four-year contract worth $160 million, and with $35 million guaranteed this season, he should be on the roster, and Schoen said if Jones is healthy, He said he expects to be the opening day starter.
Jones has no guaranteed money left after this season, and the Giants could release him from his contract in 2025 for $22 million in dead money.
So while the Giants are married to Jones for now, they probably won’t be after that.
Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll still believe in Jones, but also acknowledge the harsh reality that Jones has suffered his second neck injury and torn ACL since signing his new contract.
He is currently considered a medical risk by the Giants.
“I have confidence in Daniel as our starting quarterback,” Schoen said.
There doesn’t seem to be much desire within the Giants hierarchy to move into the top three.
If the Giants fall in love with one of their prospects during the interview process, that desire could be further whetted.
Trading up to No. 3 would be very expensive, requiring them to give up the No. 6 pick and potentially three second-round picks. And the Giants don’t think one player will hold them back from anything.
They currently have four picks within the top 70 and believe they can give Jones a true No. 1 wide receiver and another offensive lineman to replenish their offense, perhaps even on the edge. You’ll find a rusher.
“It’s not one position. You have to build a good team,” Shane said. “You need the pieces around you. There are a lot of good quarterbacks who haven’t won a Super Bowl. So you have to build a good team. It’s not just the quarterback position. You have to build a team around the quarterback. I think we have to continue to build on him. I think we have to continue to build pieces around him on both sides of the ball and in all three phases, even though it’s an important position.”
You don’t have to dig too far into the past to see what happens when a quarterback goes crazy in the draft.
In 2021, three of them were the first No. 3 picks: Trevor Lawrence to the Jaguars, Zach Wilson to the Jets, and Trey Lance to the 49ers, who traded up from No. 12 to acquire him. .
Two of these three teams deeply regret their decisions.
