New York Giants News & Rumors

Darren Waller Discusses Decision To Retire

June 23rd, 2024 at 10:11pm CST by Rory Parks

Former Ravens, Raiders, and Giants wide receiver/tight end Darren Waller — who was just acquired by New York via trade last March — retired earlier this month. When detailing that story, we at PFR cited a report from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, who noted that Waller had informed the Giants of his retirement.

Around the same time, Waller also posted a nearly 18-minute video on YouTube in which he explained the reasoning behind his decision. The entire video is worth a watch, though one of the most notable segments is Waller’s revelation that he was hospitalized in November. He started to feel feverish while driving home and thought he may have contracted COVID-19 for a third time, and when he arrived at his apartment, he said be began to shake and lose consciousness.

“I kept nodding [off] and couldn’t breathe, so I ended up calling 911,” he said (h/t Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). “I think I’m talking clearly on the phone, but they can’t make out much of what I’m saying.”

While waiting for paramedics to arrive, he said, “I’m there breathing deeply and in between each breath, I’m yelling out, ‘Help!’ So maybe I could wake the neighbors up. I don’t know how long the time was — it felt like forever — and I’m like, ‘Damn, I’m dying on this couch and nobody knows.’ It was kind of similar to my overdose — like the power plug being pulled out and I couldn’t breathe anymore.”

Ultimately, Waller said he spent over three days in the hospital, and during that time, he was unable to stand up, use the bathroom, or feed himself. His struggle with substance abuse early in his professional career is well-documented and is one of the reasons why his becoming one of the league’s best receiving tight ends was so remarkable, and he indicated that he has maintained his sobriety. Of his November health scare, he said, “it was an experience that would sober somebody up and make them think, at least.”

When speaking about his football career, Waller said that, “the passion has slowly been fading,” which echoes the sentiments he voiced when addressing a potential retirement decision in March. At that time, he said, “if you’re not fully bought into every single thing of the process, it’s going to be tough. I feel like at the end of the day, you’re doing guys a disservice if you’re not all the way in.”

Likewise, during an interview with TMZ Sports shortly after he announced his retirement, he said, “I reached a point where I don’t have that 100 percent to give to the process, I don’t think that’s fair to teammates, or fans, or organizations that are expecting me to give that. That’s why I came to the decision I made.”

Waller, who will turn 32 in September, also revealed plans for a music career, and he and WNBA star Kelsey Plum filed a joint petition for divorce in April after just one year of marriage, per Jenna Lemoncelli of the New York Post. His waning passion for football, his desire to explore other pursuits, and the upheaval in his personal life may all have been contributing factors in his decision to leave the game, with the frightening medical episode sealing the deal.

“I don’t know if I really feel like I would’ve felt great about how my life was going if I died at the time,” he said.

As such, Waller was better able to walk away from the nearly $12MM he could have earned in the 2024 season, which we referenced in our original story on his retirement and which Dan Duggan of The Athletic discussed in more detail.

As Duggan notes, if Waller had been on the Giants’ roster on Week 1 — and he surely would have been, considering his abilities and the shape of the club’s TE depth chart behind him — his $10.5MM base salary for 2024 would have become guaranteed. He could have earned an additional $200K for participating in New York’s offseason program and $75K for each game that he was active.

On top of that, Waller said in his retirement video that he believes he owes the Giants $750K in bonus money stemming from his 2023 restructure. According to Duggan, $8.8MM of Waller’s $9.8MM base salary for 2023 was converted into a bonus for cap purposes, and the remaining $1MM was paid to Waller in the form of a signing bonus. However, Duggan says the Giants are unlikely to pursue the $750K proration from that $1MM payout.

Waller, who indicated he will continue serving as a mental health and addiction advocate, said, “thank you to the Giants. Welcomed me in, making me feel like family and giving me an opportunity to reflect in this time and make a decision.”

Giants, Titans In Contact With UFL’s Juwan Manigo

June 23rd, 2024 at 1:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

A number of players who took part in the 2024 UFL season have already landed NFL deals. Return specialist Juwan Manigo could be the next to do so.

Manigo has received interest from the Giants, Mauricio Rodriguez and Mike Payton of A to Z Sports report. The 26-year-old exceled in Mexico’s LFA league for two seasons, winning MVP honors in both campaigns for his play as a receiver and returner. That was followed by a spell with the UFL’s Arlington Renegades in which his special teams skills were on full display. Manigo ranked third in the league in all-purpose yards, racking up 1,116 in 10 games.

The Giants have not shied away from spring league additions this offseason, inking Jacob Saylors last week. He will compete for a position in the backfield, whereas Manigo would be added as a contender to win the primary return role. The latter was not a factor on offense with the Renegades, so third phase contributions will no doubt be his path to an NFL roster. New York used Parris Campbell on kick returns in 2023, but he departed in free agency. Gunner Olszewski – the Giants’ primary punt returner from last year – re-signed in March.

Manigo has also been in contact with the Titans, Payton and colleague Sam Phalen add. Tennessee remains in search of a primary returner, and a number of options have received a look so far this offseason. That group includes former first-rounder Treylon Burks, whose special teams performances during the summer will play a role in his ability to hold onto a roster spot in Nashville.

At five-foot-seven, Manigo will certainly face size concerns if he manages to land an NFL deal ahead of training camp. Still, the league’s new kickoff rules are expected to add to the number of returns, and increased emphasis will be placed on the play in 2024. Cowboys returner KaVontae Turpin is a recent example of an undersized player finding success after spending time in a spring league, and Manigo will look to join him in that regard. Both the Titans ($24.3MM) and Giants ($11.5MM) have the cap space to afford signing him in the near future.

NFL Contract Details: Slayton, Fornadel, Bates, Hand

June 22nd, 2024 at 3:47pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some details on recent contracts reached around the NFL:

Darius Slayton, WR (Giants): Two years, $12MM. We already covered the Giants’ new contract with Slayton containing added incentives and its impact on the team’s salary cap. Thanks to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, we finally have details on what those incentives will be. Like his incentives from the 2023 season, Slayton’s incentives will fall under the three main receiving categories: receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Each category is broken into three non-cumulative tiers; if Slayton reaches the second or third tier, he will only receive the money for those tiers, not adding them to the lower tiers. Slayton will receive $100K for reaching 51 receptions, $300K for 60 receptions, and $600K for 70; he will get $100K for reaching 771 receiving yards, $300K for 875 yards, and $600K for 1,000; finally, he can get $100K for reaching six touchdowns, $300K for eight scores, and $600K for 10. While these incentives were in place last year, the update increased each second tier by $50K and each third tier by $100K. The team also added a $350K incentive based on whether or not Slayton makes the Pro Bowl. Should Slayton hit every top incentive, he has the opportunity to earn an additional $2.15MM.
Liam Fornadel, G (Patriots): Three years, $2.83MM. Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports the above details for Fornadel’s contract. One of the XFL’s recent additions to the NFL, Fornadel’s deal is worth quite a bit more than some of his former XFL peers’.
Jake Bates, K (Lions): Two years, $1.98MM. According to Wilson, Bates NFL deal includes a total guaranteed amount of $150K with $100K of that amount consisting of his signing bonus and the other $50K being guaranteed in his first-year base salary of $795K. His second-year base salary will be worth $960K.
Harrison Hand, CB (Falcons): One year, $1.06MM. Hand will get the minimum, per Wilson, with no guarantees, bonuses, or incentives reported as of right now.

Rejected Rams Proposal Affected Panthers’ Extension Talks With Brian Burns

June 21st, 2024 at 10:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the bigger trade what-ifs during this NFL period occurred before the 2022 deadline, when the Panthers turned down a monster Rams offer for Brian Burns. While the Rams shifted into a retooling mode — with a greater interest on rookie contracts — as their Super Bowl LVI title defense skidded off track, the fallout from the failed pursuit affected the Panthers.

Serious Carolina-Burns extension talks did not commence until 2023, but the Pro Bowl edge rusher effectively held the failed trade against the Panthers, who turned down an offer that turned out to be much better than the one they ended up accepting from the Giants. Los Angeles offered two first-round picks and a third for Burns; Carolina ultimately accepted a second-rounder and a swap of fifths from New York.

Once the Panthers rejected the Rams’ proposal in October 2022, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes the tone of his talks with Carolina did not improve. While Burns would have followed Von Miller and Dante Fowler as edge pieces sent to L.A. at a trade deadline, the Carolina edge stood in a position to be extended. It is unclear if the Rams had a deal ready to go, however, and Burns’ asking price ended up too high for the Panthers. Miller was in his age-32 season when the Rams acquired him, and Fowler had not performed on Burns’ level; the Rams acquiring a 25-year-old Pro Bowler would have separated that prospective trade from the Miller and Fowler swaps.

Although the Panthers were believed to be preparing for a Burns extension during the 2022 offseason, talks did not pick up until June 2023. By the time discussions did move into high gear, then-GM Scott Fitterer — empowered after the October 2022 Matt Rhule firing — had both rejected the Rams’ offer and kept their top sack artist out of the March 2023 trade with the Bears that sent the No. 1 overall pick to Carolina.

Before pivoting to D.J. Moore, the Bears asked about Burns and Derrick Brown. The Bears’ immediate extension for Montez Sweat upon acquiring the Commanders defensive end at the 2023 deadline created another what-if for Burns, though his involvement in those trade talks ultimately proved beneficial.

Burns had sought a deal in the $30MM-per-year ballpark, with that number coming up before the 49ers’ $34MM-AAV Nick Bosa agreement. Considering the accomplishment gap between Bosa and Burns, it was understandable the Panthers balked at giving the Ron Rivera-era draftee a deal that would have topped T.J. Watt‘s then-OLB-record number. Teams asked about Burns at the 2023 trade deadline as well, but the offers were not viewed as especially close to where the Rams went.

The snag coming out of the failed Rams trade talks became the Giants’ gain, with new GM Dan Morgan and former coworker Joe Schoen linking up on a March trade. They acquired Burns for a package similar to the one they received for Leonard Williams and gave the franchise-tagged edge rusher a five-year, $141MM deal that came with $76MM guaranteed at signing. Burns, 26, ranks in the top four in AAV, total guarantees and full guarantees among edge defenders. His contract, for the time being, overlaps with Kayvon Thibodeaux‘s rookie deal.

Carolina has since extended Brown, but cornerstones Moore and Burns are now elsewhere. The team’s receiving corps underwhelmed in 2023, contributing to Bryce Young‘s poor rookie season, and the team patched its OLB corps together with free agency additions in Morgan’s first offseason as GM. Jadeveon Clowney, D.J. Wonnum and K’Lavon Chaisson are now in place in Charlotte. The team does not appear to have an OLB pillar presently, and Morgan will be tasked with finding one to replace Burns in the long term.

Giants Factored Into Panthers’ Trade-Up Move For RB Jonathon Brooks

June 19th, 2024 at 10:15am CST by Sam Robinson

Three years ago, Giants connections to DeVonta Smith prompted the Eagles to trade up (via the Cowboys) to outflank their rivals for the Heisman-winning wide receiver. A middle-class version of that situation looks to have played out during this year’s draft.

Not making a strong effort to retain Saquon Barkley in free agency, the Giants pivoted to ex-Brian Daboll Bills charge Devin Singletary at a lower rate. They did add another running back in the draft, addressing the position (Tyrone Tracy Jr.) in the fifth round for the second straight year. The Panthers made a move to ensure the Giants’ investment at the position did not come sooner.

Citing the Giants bringing in Jonathon Brooks for a “30” visit, Panthers GM Dan Morgan advocated to David Tepper the team should trade up to move ahead of the NFC East club for the Texas RB at No. 46. Morgan said he knew of other teams viewing Brooks as this draft’s top running back. Considering Brooks was chosen 20 picks before the second RB went off the board, it seems like a safe assumption other clubs shared Carolina’s view of the ex-Longhorns ball-carrier.

The Panthers traded down from No. 39, allowing the Rams to move up for Florida State defensive lineman Braden Fiske — a deal that gave Carolina a 2025 second-rounder. They sent the Colts two fifths to climb from 52 to 46, with the Giants sitting at 47. New York eventually took Minnesota safety Tyler Nubin, marking the second straight year the Giants went with a Golden Gophers prospect (following center John Michael Schmitz) in Round 2.

“We knew that if we traded [No. 39] there would be a player that we would miss out on. We were comfortable with that because we really wanted Brooks, and to be able to get the two next year, we said, OK, once our guys start going, then we’re going have to move back up,” Morgan said, via Panthers.com’s Darin Gantt. “It’s not like we did anything that was so smart or great or whatever; we were just willing to take a larger risk to get that outcome of the trade. It’s like, let’s not get cute here. Let’s just get our guy.”

Morgan and Giants GM Joe Schoen worked together for a stretch in Buffalo, helping give the new Panthers front office boss some insight on how his former coworker could be handling Round 2 in this year’s draft. Morgan also called Schoen about moving up, Gantt adds, while new Panthers exec Brandt Tilis contacted ex-Chiefs coworker Chris Ballard — a conversation that led to the Day 2 swap with the Colts.

Brooks fell to No. 46 in part because of a November ACL tear. He had still amassed 1,139 rushing yards (6.1 per tote) and 10 touchdowns in 11 games last year. With Chuba Hubbard going into a contract year, the Panthers made the move to add a successor early. While Brooks is not yet cleared for full work, he is expected to be back for training camp. He looks set to be eased into action, however, with The Athletic’s Joe Person indicating Hubbard is the “clear leader” on the depth chart going into camp (subscription required).

Hubbard usurped free agent signing Miles Sanders, who received last year’s top UFA RB contract (four years, $25.4MM), during Carolina’s dismal season. The former fourth-round pick totaled 902 rushing yards behind an injury-plagued O-line, averaging only 3.8 per carry, and scored five touchdowns. Sanders also suffered a heel injury while working out on his own, and the malady worsened during OTAs, Person adds.

Considering the Panthers also added Rashaad Penny — who overlapped with Dave Canales in Seattle — and it would not be shocking to see them move on from Sanders despite the dead money hit that would come. Though, it would cost Carolina more than $7MM to drop Sanders; the team would also carry 2025 dead money from that transaction.

As for the Giants, they have been linked to adding another veteran RB to the mix. Singletary is in place as the projected starter, with Tracy and Eric Gray behind him. The team has not re-signed multiyear backup Matt Breida. New York did add UFL rushing leader Jacob Saylors on Tuesday, but its backfield obviously does not appear as imposing as it did when Barkley resided atop the depth chart.

With costs rising on Big Blue’s payroll, the team opted not to re-sign the two-time Pro Bowler. It is not known if the Giants truly would have taken Brooks as a Barkley successor in Round 2, but the Panthers took that option off the table to be safe.

Giants Sign RB Jacob Saylors

June 18th, 2024 at 8:44pm CST by Ben Levine

With Saquon Barkley no longer leading the backfield, the Giants face an uncertain RB corps. The team has added another option to the mix, as the team announced that they’ve signed running back Jacob Saylors. In a corresponding move, the team placed wide receiver Chase Cota on injured reserve.

Saylors had 3,851 yards and 33 touchdowns during his time at East Tennessee State. That performance helped earn him preseason and practice-squad jobs with the Bengals and Falcons as an undrafted rookie. After getting cut by Atlanta’s practice squad late last season, Saylors ended up catching on with the St. Louis Battlehawks of the UFL. There, he rushed for 461 yards and five touchdowns.

Now, he’ll be looking to make his NFL debut with the Giants, although he faces an uphill battle to make the roster. Devin Singletary is expected to lead the depth chart, with Saylors joining a backup grouping that features the likes of Eric Gray, Jashaun Corbin, and rookies Dante Miller and Tyrone Tracy Jr..

Cota has bounced around the NFL since going undrafted out of Oregon in 2023. The wideout has had stints with the Lions, Chiefs, Texans, and Giants. After not receiving a reserve/futures contract with the Texans at the end of the 2023 campaign, he ended up getting that opportunity from the Giants. Unfortunately, Cota suffered an injury that required him to land on IR, although depending on the severity, an injury settlement could allow him to catch on with another squad.

Giants’ Evan Neal To Return At Training Camp; Joshua Ezeudu In Place As Swing Tackle

June 18th, 2024 at 1:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Evan Neal‘s performance to date has not come especially close to justifying his No. 7 overall draft slot, and the young tackle ran into a significant injury issue midway through his second season. Although Neal went down in early November, the Giants kept him off the practice field throughout their offseason program.

The 2022 draftee suffered what was believed to be a sprained ankle in Week 9 — the same day Daniel Jones‘ ACL tear occurred — but follow-up testing became necessary after the Alabama alum was not healing as expected. The additional testing revealed a broken foot that required surgery. The Giants have slow-played Neal’s comeback, but Brian Daboll confirmed (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) he will be back at practice during training camp.

Big Blue added multiple starter-level pieces up front, along with a host of potential depth options this offseason. Jermaine Eluemunor, the Raiders’ primary right tackle over the past two seasons, is in place as the team’s first-string left guard. Eluemunor said (via Leonard) he can slide to right tackle if necessary but confirmed he is preparing for his first Giants season by working solely at guard.

The prospect of Eluemunor working at guard, opposite $10MM-per-year free agent Jon Runyan Jr., emerged several weeks ago. Despite most of the veteran’s starting experience coming at right tackle, Leonard adds the Giants kept Eluemunor at left guard throughout their offseason program. Third-year blocker Joshua Ezeudu, who was part of the Giants’ guard competition last year, appears in line for the team’s swing role behind starters Neal and Andrew Thomas.

Injuries to Thomas and Matt Peart early last season prompted the Giants to kick Ezeudu — a 2022 third-round pick — to left tackle. That effort did not go well. Pro Football Focus charged the North Carolina alum with five sacks allowed despite playing on just 266 snaps. Ezeudu was also lost for the season midway through, sustaining a toe injury in Week 6. The Giants expected Ezeudu would win one of their guard competitions during training camp last year. After he failed to do so before going down with the toe injury, two UFA additions are in place at guard. Peart has since signed with the Broncos.

Eluemunor would seem a more stable option as a swing tackle, though that route would require New York to plug someone else in at guard. Although the team did not re-sign starter Ben Bredeson or the injury-prone Shane Lemieux, it did add ex-Buccaneers spot starter Aaron Stinnie and swingman Austin Schlottmann in free agency. Ex-Lion Matt Nelson and former Falcons guard starter Jalen Mayfield, given a reserve/futures deal in January, are also set to vie for backup roles in training camp.

Of course, the Giants will hope none of these RT contingency plans will be necessary. They have seen a top-10 tackle pick (Ereck Flowers) fail to impress in the not-so-distant past; Neal following suit would be a blow for the Joe Schoen regime. PFF, though, slotted Neal 80th among tackle regulars in both of his two NFL seasons.

As Neal attempts to complete his recovery from the foot fracture, he will certainly need to show improved form to stay on track as a starter.

Giants Likely To Make RB Addition?

June 17th, 2024 at 2:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

For the first time since 2017, the Giants’ backfield will not include Saquon Barkley. A veteran lead back (Devin Singletary) has been added to replace him, but further moves at the position could be coming.

New York has 2023 fifth-rounder Eric Gray in place as a returnee. He saw a minor role on both offense and special teams as a rookie, and Singletary’s presence makes it unlikely he will see a notable uptick in carries or receptions in 2024. The Giants again took the draft route to add depth this year, selecting Tyrone Tracy Jr. in the fifth round.

Given the lack of experience at the position amongst those and other options, Dan Duggan of The Athletic writes a veteran backfield signing is “likely” between now and the opening of training camp (subscription required). Several options fit the bill in that respect, and Matt Breida is among them. Duggan notes a reunion with the 29-year-old could meet the need for depth in the summer.

Breida has played each of the past two seasons with the Giants. He averaged just 3.2 carries per game during that span while serving as Barkley’s backup, and the Singletary-Gray-Tracey trio could limit his offensive role if he were to come back. If that does not come to fruition, the likes of Dalvin Cook, Kareem Hunt, Cam Akers and Brandon Bolden could be on New York’s radar as unsigned backs who will likely be affordable.

The Giants added Dante Miller in April as an interesting flier in the backfield. It remains to be seen if he will be able to earn a roster spot, though, and the same is true of former UDFA Jashaun Corbin, who is once again set to compete for a role during training camp. Veterans still on the market would represent far more experienced options to complement Singletary, although special teams contributions will of course be highly valuable as well.

New York – a team which is set to host Jacob Saylors, the UFL’s top rusher amongst running backs – currently have $11.7MM in cap space. That should leave room for a modest addition in the backfield, and the Giants will certainly have a number of options to consider if one is pursued.

UFL Rumors: Davis, Saylors, Butler

June 16th, 2024 at 8:19pm CST by Ely Allen

As the 2024 UFL season comes to an end this weekend with the championship game between the Birmingham Stallions and San Antonio Brahmas, players in the league are now able to work out with NFL squads and should be able to begin signing NFL contracts starting Tuesday. We’ve already seen a number of names pop up as potential NFL signees to look out for this upcoming week.

One of the earliest names we saw was that of wide receiver Daewood Davis, who Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports is expected to sign with the Panthers pending a physical. Davis played at Oregon for three years in college, failing to crack the starting lineup before transferring to Western Kentucky, where he immediately blew up as a difference maker. His efforts with the Hilltoppers didn’t get him drafted, but Davis signed as an undrafted free agent with the Dolphins. He was waived with an injury designation in final roster cuts last year but found his way to the Memphis Showboats of the UFL.

In 10 games with the Showboats, Davis caught 41 passes (6th in the UFL) for 446 yards (7th) and five touchdowns (tied-2nd). His efforts earned him one of three wide receiver spots on the inaugural All-UFL Team. If everything works out as expected, Davis could join a two-deep that currently includes Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen, first-round rookie Xavier Legette, Jonathan Mingo, Terrace Marshall, and Ihmir Smith-Marsette.

Here are a couple other UFL rumors from recent days:

Davis isn’t the only receiver the Panthers are looking at out of the UFL. Per Rapoport, Carolina also worked out the league’s leading receiver Hakeem Butler before they went to summer break. Butler is the oldest of the group we’re reporting on tonight and is the only drafted player. Butler was a fourth-round pick for the Cardinals back in 2019 after an incredible junior year at Iowa State that saw him catch 60 balls for 1,318 yards and nine touchdowns. A preseason broken hand kept Butler out of his rookie season, and he was waived before his sophomore campaign. The Eagles signed him and tried to convert him to a tight end, but he failed to stick in Philadelphia, as well, getting waived before the 2021 NFL season. Butler spent the next year in the Canadian Football League before signing with the Battlehawks when they were still in the XFL. He spent a short offseason stint with the Steelers this past year before finding his way back to the Battlehawks after failing to make the 53-man roster in Pittsburgh. In his second stint with the team, Butler joined Davis as two of three All-UFL Team receivers, leading the league with 652 receiving yards on 45 catches and five touchdowns.
Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports that the Giants are set to host Battlehawks running back Jacob Saylors this Tuesday. Signing as an undrafted free agent with the Bengals last year out of East Tennessee State, Saylors was waived in final roster cuts this past August before spending a bit of time on the Falcons’ practice squad. In nine games with St. Louis, Saylors led the UFL’s running backs with 460 rushing yards (trailing only Stallions quarterback Adrian Martinez for the league lead) while tying for second in rushing touchdowns with five. Saylors joined Davis and his St. Louis teammate, Butler, as the only running back on the All-UFL Team. After watching Saquon Barkley depart in free agency, New York may look to add Saylors to a stable that currently includes veteran Devin Singletary and first- and second-year backs Eric Gray, Jashaun Corbin, and Tyrone Tracy.

Brian Daboll Addresses Giants’ QB Situation

June 12th, 2024 at 10:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Daniel Jones‘ progress on a return from a November ACL tear has not included 11-on-11 work at the team’s minicamp, but the sixth-year quarterback has long been expected to be back by training camp. When Jones returns, the starting job will be his once again.

Rumblings about Drew Lock potentially challenging Jones for the gig have come up at multiple points during the offseason. Seahawks GM John Schneider was responsible for once such instance, saying the Giants “basically sold him on the opportunity to compete to be the starter.” Brian Daboll became the latest to insist no QB competition will be on tap for training camp, indicating Jones — barring a setback on his nearly complete rehab journey — will be the Giants’ starter for a sixth season.

“We’ve talked about that. [Lock] understands his role,” Daboll said (via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan) of the team’s Jones-Lock QB depth chart. “He has been a true pro. He has definitely improved since he has gotten here. Good to get two more workdays here with the guys that he might not necessarily get as many reps with once we get to training camp.”

The six-year mark provides an interesting line of demarcation for Giants starting quarterbacks. Kerry Collins and Fran Tarkenton‘s time as New York QB1s stopped after five seasons; Y.A. Tittle‘s tenure stopped at four. Over the past 75 years, Jones will join only Eli Manning, Phil Simms and Charlie Conerly as Big Blue passers to operate as primary starters for at least six seasons. The Giants have not seen a great return on their investment — from either the No. 6 overall pick in 2019 or 2023’s four-year, $160MM extension — but their decision-makers have continued to aim for another Jones opportunity.

A Jones-Lock depth chart appeared to be Plan B for the Giants, who submitted an offer to the Patriots that included Nos. 6 and 47 and the team’s 2025 first-round pick. The Pats cut off both the Giants and Vikings’ Drake Maye interest by drafting the North Carolina passer at No. 3. With next year’s QB class not generating the reviews this one did — albeit at this early juncture — the Giants reside in uncertain territory after passing on the likes of Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix. By default, the team’s game plan remains Jones-centric.

Chosen 36 picks after Jones in 2019, Lock signed a one-year deal worth $5MM ($4.95MM guaranteed). Jones’ injury history is believed to have played a role in Lock’s decision to join the Giants, but the ex-Broncos and Seahawks passer does not yet look to have a path to playing time. Jones has missed 21 starts due to injury as a pro. A late-season situation could also come up in which the Giants opt to sit their starter to ensure he can pass a 2025 physical; Jones being unable to do so would put the Giants on the hook for an additional $12MM in injury guarantees for 2025.

Lock has made 23 career starts. The Broncos had hoped he would become a reliable option, but the team demoted him after a 2020 season in which he led the NFL in interceptions. Lock could not beat out Geno Smith for Seattle’s starting gig in 2022. As of now, he is set as New York’s QB2.

Barring a major injury, the Giants can move on from Jones (via a post-June 1 cut) next year and incur only $11.1MM in 2025 dead money. The Maye pursuit certainly points to the team having doubts about Jones’ future, with his injury history playing the lead role on that front. After Jones’ 2022 showing convinced the current Giants regime to buy back in after the team had declined his fifth-year option, the oft-doubted starter is set for another “prove it” season.

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