The New York Giants have one very clear need this offseason, and that is addressing the quarterback position. New York had four different players take snaps under center this season, with Daniel Jones, Tommy DeVito, and Drew Lock all making starts (Tim Boyle briefly appeared as a backup).
The Giants are coming off a horrific offensive season
Those quarterbacks gave them low offensive output, which resulted in them having one of their worst offensive seasons in the history of the franchise. The Giants scored just 16.1 points per game this season, which was the second-lowest in the NFL. They also threw just 15 passing touchdowns this season, which was dead last in the league.
Additionally, the Giants will not have the freedom to pick the quarterback of their choosing at this year’s upcoming NFL Draft. The victory against the Colts in Week 17 cost them a chance at the first overall pick, and instead, they will now be picking third behind the Titans and Browns, two teams that could take the top two quarterbacks of this draft class.
Giants’ Joe Schoen will be open to different options to address quarterback
With all of that being said, the Giants must do something to address the position, as it will be horrible optics to place DeVito, an undrafted quarterback with minimal pro experience, as an everyday starter. General manager Joe Schoen hinted at his end-of-season press conference Monday that they could search the open market for a new quarterback, as well as trades:
“We’ve done a lot of work on the college guys. [Giants owner John Mara] mentioned that we will look at free agency, can also look throughout the draft. [Also] potential trade opportunities, so we will look at any avenue we can to upgrade the position,” Schoen said (h/t SNY).
As far as the draft goes, the options get pretty thin after Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, and both players could be off the board by the time the Giants are on the clock. They could take a flier on someone like Jalen Milroe, similar to how the Falcons took one on Michael Penix Jr. last year, but considering the desperation the organization is playing under to find a better quarterback, they need someone that they know will improve the play at the position right away.
The market will be tough for the Giants to navigate
Free agency doesn’t provide a lot to be desired either. Sam Darnold is likely the top free-agent quarterback that will be available after he led the Vikings to a 14-3 record with a playoff appearance, but Minnesota could wind up re-signing him after his success. However, that would potentially open a door for the Giants to trade for J.J. McCarthy, who the Vikings drafted in the first round last year before an injury took away his rookie season.
Other options that exist for them are free agents Jameis Winston and Jacoby Brissett. They could also try to work out a trade for Steelers’ quarterback Justin Fields, who New York nearly drafted in 2021 before the Bears took him 11th overall.
Regardless of what direction the Giants enter, fixing the quarterback position will be essential to them having a strong offseason. With Schoen given an extra chance to field a competitive roster, he should be aggressive in pursuing a player who will help turn around the offense in a big way next season.
