With the 2022 NFL Draft quickly approaching, the New York Giants are in a tough spot. Either they can stay put and select the best players available at 5th and 7th overall, or they can try to trade back and add a 2023 first round pick to their arsenal.
There are a few reasons the Giants may want to consider increasing their draft capital for next year, and they primarily revolve around quarterback Daniel Jones being unproven as he enters his 4th year in the NFL.
There’s a reason to believe that Jones can succeed with Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka leading the charge on offense, but it could be too little too late with the OL still in flux and the majority of the team’s playmakers proving to be injury prone.
With the Philadelphia Eagles executing a monster trade to add another 1st round pick for next year, the Giants have significant competition if they want to target a quarterback like Bryce Young or CJ Stroud. Having two first round picks in the same draft is far more valuable than trying to float future selections.
NBC Sports NFL insider Peter King believes that the Giants will look to move back:
I believe Schoen of the Giants, for instance, wants to come out of this draft with an extra first-round pick next year, even if it costs him this year’s seventh overall pick. So maybe he makes a deal for slightly less than the market rate, just to be in a pole position to take a quarterback if he needs to in 2023.
The reality is simple, the Giants have to make a decision on Jones regarding his 5th-year option by May 2 and they may prefer to restart at the quarterback position rather than pay big money to an unproven player.
Building behind the rookie quarterback financial window is how most teams find success. Just take a look at the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, the two teams the Giants looked to steal coaches from.
The question is, how great does DJ have to look to justify a big contract extension or the franchise tag?
Most would agree, he has to look like a top-10 quarterback, which is extremely unlikely. With that being the case, Big Blue needs insurance and moving back is the only way they can guarantee one of the top quarterbacks in next year’s draft.