After the Giants could not pull off a trade to land Drake Maye last year, they continue to be connected to moving up in this draft for a passer. First, however, a bridge option is drawing serious consideration.
As Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll sit on hot seats, they need to add multiple quarterbacks to their roster. Tommy DeVito is expected to be tendered as an ERFA, but New York should be expected to stash him as a third-stringer. Next week will bring clarity on the quarterback market, and the Giants should be expected to strike.
While Big Blue has been linked to an Aaron Rodgers pursuit, the soon-to-be-released Jet may not be their top veteran option. As it stands, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan indicates Sam Darnold and Russell Wilson are near the top of the Giants’ veteran wish list. Darnold’s market should be considerably pricier than Wilson’s due to the Vikings Pro Bowler being nearly nine years younger. The Giants, who are eating $20MM-plus in Daniel Jones dead money, hold just more than $47MM in cap space.
Wilson is now being viewed as likely to leave the Steelers, as links to Pittsburgh preferring to keep Justin Fields continue to circulate. Wilson should still have a starter-level path somewhere, as teams like the Jets and Raiders need starters. The Browns and Titans also will consider stopgap options, while the Colts are interested in adding a passer to compete with Anthony Richardson. If Darnold leaves Minnesota, the Vikings should be in the bridge mix as well. Wilson, 36, should fit the bill somewhere. Though, Rodgers and Kirk Cousins will also join him in that mix — along with several backup types.
A Darnold move back to New York would be quite interesting, considering his three-year Jets tenure. The Vikings passed on franchise-tagging their 2024 starter due to the $40.2MM cost, and while they are still interested in re-signing him, Darnold will likely be leery of committing to a team that only has a bridge role in mind. That said, Darnold may not be assured he will be an unquestioned starter no matter where he signs. A team could circle back to a first-round quarterback pick — in a situation that would remind of Cousins’ Atlanta signing or Mike Glennon‘s 2017 Bears deal. Darnold has also come up as a Raiders or Titans option.
The Giants have been connected to vaulting from No. 3 to No. 1 for a quarterback, and Raanan adds evaluators at the Combine viewed it as likely the team would pull off a trade — with Cam Ward in mind. Ward is beginning to separate himself from Shedeur Sanders, with reports now pegging the Miami QB as a higher-tier prospect compared to the Colorado passer. The Giants have been tied to Sanders previously, and Raanan adds he is still believed to have support in the team’s building. Though, a smokescreen effort on the team’s part also has surfaced re: Sanders.
If the Giants sign Rodgers, Wilson or Cousins — in the event he is released — Raanan adds it would not affect the team’s draft plan. It would stand to reason Darnold might, as he would require a more lofty commitment and is only going into his age-28 season. The team’s two-pronged effort to solve its QB problem, as Schoen and Daboll make a case to save their jobs, will be one of this offseason’s defining storylines.
Raiders better get busy in the QB department. I’d rather they sign Fields or Darnold instead of drafting one at 6.
As a Giants fan, please do not get Darnold. Unless it is a one year deal and you also draft Ward or something.
Giants need fields or Wilson or Rodgers .. and stand pat at 3 and draft hunter or the edge rusher and take Dart in round 2 or even use their second round picks to move up to late first round and take dart and let him sit behind a veteran for a year or 2 and do this thing right .. I’m tired of the manning bloodline lol I love Eli but arch being his nephew doesn’t mean he’ll be as good as him or Peyton .. sanders is decent but he’s a media circus for a team that will be bad ( think KD and Kyrie on the nets ) .. darnold couldn’t hack it in NY before and the giants are just as dysfunctional as the jets at this point maybe a tad better .. he will be a waste of 40 mill a year like DJ was and he will crumble in the spotlight of NY again just like he did in that playoff game if the giants are lucky enough to squeak in this year or next .. bad bad bad choice .. fields is young mobile and raw .. let’s see what the supposed qb whisperer in daboll can do .. Wilson is a vet and Rodgers has his hat in his hand he’ll be a good soldier for the giants plus sticking it to the jets would be sweet for him
Jets fans aren’t the ones paying money to fly banners over the stadium telling the owners “Enough”.
As well, Aaron Rodgers will find the NFC East is a meat-grinder with all the hype and doubleheader games.
Sad list