Giants’ new QB Drew Lock says ‘Daniel Jones is the starter of this team’ despite speculation

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock (2) throws a pass against New York Giants safety Jason Pinnock (27) during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants signed former Seattle Seahawks QB Drew Lock this week, adding a reliable backup quarterback to their roster with Daniel Jones still recovering from his torn ACL. But with Jones’ future surrounded by uncertainty, there could be an opportunity for Lock to compete for the starting job this summer.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider seems to believe that Lock left Seattle for a greater opportunity in New York — one in which he could potentially become a starting quarterback.

Seahawks GM says the Giants signed Drew Lock to compete for starting QB job

During a recent appearance on the Wyman and Bob radio show, Seahawks GM John Schneider stated that the team wanted to re-sign Lock, but the opportunity to start elsewhere persuaded the quarterback to leave for the Big Apple:

“[The Giants] basically sold him on the opportunity to compete to be the starter,” Schneider said on Thursday on Seattle Sports Radio 710AM. “And he felt like it was the right opportunity. He looked at Baker Mayfield’s opportunity last year and felt that this could be something similar.”

The notion that Lock was brought in to compete with Jones came as a surprising revelation. However, Lock refuted that claim in his introductory press conference on Friday morning.

Lock tells reporters that Daniel Jones is the team’s starter

While speaking with the media on Friday, Lock told reporters that it’s been made clear to him that Jones is still viewed as the Giants’ starting quarterback:

“Daniel Jones is the starter of this team and that’s been conveyed to me,” Lock told the media (h/t Art Stapleton).

Plenty of rumors have swirled around the Giants this offseason as they have reported interest in drafting a new quarterback and moving on from Jones after the 2024 season. Bringing in Lock could be considered a potential way to move that process along. However, Lock’s career history does not promise a new beginning for the Giants.

Lock has started 23 games in his career with a record of 9-14. He’s amassed 5,283 passing yards and 28 touchdowns with a glaring 23 interceptions in 28 games played. In 2023, he made two starts and appeared in four games, tallying up 543 yards and a 3-3 TD-INT ratio on the season.

The Giants likely view Lock as a high-upside backup who can push Jones to perform better once healthy during training camp. Signing Lock does not prevent the Giants from drafting a quarterback, too, however. For now, Big Blue will wait for Jones to get healthy before making any decisions on his future.

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