Over the past six seasons, the New York Giants have had a losing record in five. After an 11 win season in 2016, the team responded the following year with a 3 win season. Heading into the 2018 draft, the new front office came out endorsing Eli Manning as their quarterback for years to come.
With the 2nd pick in the 2018 NFL draft, the Giants selected Saquon Barkley. For how sensational Barkley was his rookie season, the Giants still finished 5-11. Fast Forward to 2019, Giants are entering tomorrow’s draft with a different mindset. It is widely regarded across the NFL that the Giants will be leaving the draft with Eli Manning’s successor. In a draft loaded with elite defenders, the Giants are faced with drafting for positional need or taking the top player on their board.
The New York Giants are Preparing for Change:
The biggest question of all pertaining to the draft is obviously pertaining to the 6th pick. Dave Gettleman has been adamant about sticking to his board. Reported first by ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, Gettleman states, “You can’t draft for need. You’ll get screwed every time. You’ll make a mistake.â€
While this quote certainly makes sense, one aspect must be examined. If the quarterback is not the top player on their big board, should he even be selected? For example, there have been rumors around the league that the Giants will pass on a quarterback at 6, but will trade up from 17 to grab a quarterback. With that in mind, if the Giants don’t feel he’s worthy of the number 6 pick, how do they have confidence in him to lead the franchise for the next 5-10 years.
While the name “Eli†is certainly a sensitive topic in and around the organization, the Giants are hoping their next quarterback can be their last for a very long time. The Giants are an organization that prides themselves on stability. For better or worse, the organization has shown that they do not like change. Whether it be their coaches, front office, or quarterback going into his 16th season, the Giants have proved that when they make a decision, they stick with it. For what it’s worth, at the NFL owners meeting in March, Mara was the only owner who voted against changing the onside kick rule.
Quarterback Outlook:
With this philosophy in mind, picking the wrong quarterback in this year’s draft will be detrimental to the franchise. Look at the Jets, who after years of misery have finally found their franchise quarterback. If you think the Giants are in a bad place now, imagine waiting another 3 years until they consider a new quarterback. Just like this year, the next quarterback chosen is just as much of a risk.
Perhaps the best value move of the draft could be acquiring Josh Rosen from the Arizona Cardinals. For the right price, the Giants could acquire Rosen in what would be a minimal risk with potentially high reward. If the Giants could get Rosen, the would only have to pay him $6.24 million over the next three seasons. This would be an absolute steal for the Giants if Rosen proved legit. Having a young quarterback with cap space and draft capital is a dream scenario for any general manager.
Like any other young prospect, there would be no guarantee that Rosen is going to be their next Eli Manning. On the other hand, it’s easier to move on from a quarterback with little invested than if he was taken as a first-round pick.
As Gettleman assured all offseason, the Giants are not going to overreach for any position in the 2019 draft. For now, all we can hope is that the front office is confident in their decision. This crucial night is going to decide the fate of their team and fanbase for many years to come.