Jones, after all, has plenty of starter experience, and if a team needs a quarterback to fill in for their starter, he has a leg up on others with less experience.

Daniel Jones Could Help NFC East Team Thrive

The Philadelphia Eagles surprisingly lost to the Washington Commanders on Sunday, December 22. During the game, the team’s franchise quarterback Jalen Hurts exited early with a concussion and had to miss the majority of the game. The Eagles are currently figuring out if Hurts will be able to play in Week 17.

If Hurts is out, the Eagles will have to use either Kenny Pickett or Tanner McKee in their Sunday, December 19, game against the Dallas Cowboys. The team desperately needs one more win in the regular season if they want to be first in the NFC East, so it’s still very important for the Eagles to get at least one more victory.

With the Eagles’ quarterback position questionable, they could look to bring on another quarterback to add some depth to their roster.

“It wouldn’t be the worst idea but there aren’t many options available in free agency with just two weeks to go in the regular season,” noted NFL expert and analyst Patrick McAvoy of Sports Illustrated in a December 24 feature about the Eagles’ conundrum.

That’s where Jones comes in, as McAvoy notes, “There could be an intriguing option available on another team’s practice squad, though.”

“Former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones had a rough ending to his time with the team,” McAvoy stated in the piece. “He landed a four-year, $160 million deal but was benched this year and eventually was let go. He landed with the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad and has been there over the last few weeks.”

Daniel Jones Could Reunite With Saquon Barkley

McAvoy also commented that the Eagles would be allowed to bring Jones on. Teams are able to sign players off other teams’ practice squads if they immediately add them to the active roster, according to the NFL’s rules.

That’s not to mention the idea of retuning Jones with his former Giants teammate Saquon Barkley, who’s having a monumental season with the Eagles. It would be pretty wild to see Jones and Barkley together on the field again, especially on the hunt for the NFC East title. Starting for the Eagles could be a golden opportunity for Jones.

“If the Eagles wanted to make another move, adding Jones would give the team a better chance to win than either Pickett or McKee. Plus, this move would reunite Jones with former Giants teammate Saquon Barkley,” McAvoy stated in the piece. “Nothing should be considered likely, but this could be a fun way to end the regular season.”

The Eagles could sure use a fun way to close out the regular season, and Jones could, too.

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Running back Tracy and wide receiver Nabers “are within striking distance of becoming the first set of rookie teammates since Reggie Bush and Marques Colston in 2006 to each go over 1,000 yards of offense,” per NorthJersey.com’s Art Stapleton.

The latter also showed each player’s statistical tally with two games remaining, “Tracy: 984 (721 rush, 263 rec) Nabers: 971 (2 rush, 969 rec).”

Those numbers put reaching this milestone firmly within sight of both Tracy and Nabers. The only caveat comes from head coach Brian Daboll confirming Tracy “aggravated” an ankle problem in Week 16, per Matt Citak of Giants.com.

Tracy staying healthy and helping Nabers match this record would cement their status as legitimate playmakers able to inspire a positive future for a franchise facing yet another rebuild. The need to start over again has largely been created by questionable decisions made by Schoen and Daboll.

Those decisions started at running back.

Tyrone Tracy Jr. a Silver Lining for Giants Amid Saquon Barkley Regret

Schoen set the course for a tough season when he let two-time Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley test free agency. Barkley promptly signed with NFC East rivals the Philadelphia Eagles and now has Eric Dickerson’s single-season record of 2,184 yards within reach, according to Underdog.

Allowing Barkley to walk was a decision made by Schoen’s assertion running backs have less value in the modern NFL. Particularly when active ball-carriers pass the age of 26.

There was a fatal flaw with Schoen’s logic. Barkley’s not just any running back. He’s arguably the best all-round player in football at his position and a star the Giants needed.

Schoen at least made partial amends by finding another burgeoning talent. Tracy only cost the Giants a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, but he’s proved a gem.

The converted wide receiver has averaged an impressive 4.6 yards per carry and gained 36 first downs on the ground. Tracy also offered a reminder of his core receiving skills by snagging this nifty catch for the Giants only touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16.

Tracy is becoming the prolific all-rounder the Giants lost when Schoen wouldn’t pay Barkley. That choice has hamstrung the team, but somehow hasn’t held back Tracy’s fellow first-year standout.

Malik Nabers Has Been as Advertised

The Giants have generally gotten more than fair return from using this year’s sixth-overall pick to select Nabers. He still makes a basic mistake or two, and the 21-year-old hasn’t been shy about calling out coaches and players, but there’s nothing to complain about with Nabers’ numbers.

He’s the franchise record-holder for catches by a rookie. Nabers is also “leading the league in targets (155) after 14 more on Sunday in Atlanta. This despite missing two games this season,” per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.

What’s most impressive about Nabers’ production is how he’s thrived despite the Giants dire quarterback situation. Barkley couldn’t get a new deal because Schoen handed Jones a contract worth $160 million in 2023, but Jones was released less than two years later, leaving Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito to muddle through the remainder of this season.

Add in mediocre pass protection and the lack of another receiver who scares defenses, and Nabers’ numbers start to look even more impressive. His and Tracy’s stat lines offer a hint of what’s possible if the Giants can finally find the right signal-caller.

Tracy and Nabers would also be helped by better coaching and superior recruitment at key positions like the offensive line.

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The issue showed up again during Big Blue’s 34-7 defeat to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16, and more than one person took Nabers to task for the error. Specifically, several observers noticed how the sixth-overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft has trouble lining up.

Trouble often occurs after Nabers has gone in motion pre-snap and needs to get set again. During his latest game, Nabers committed his “5th illegal shift this season,” according to Doug Analytics, who also noted, “No other player has more than 2, and only two players even have 2.”

That post was captioned by Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, who believes “#Giants WRs coach Mike Groh needs to better explain to Nabers when you have to come to a stop in motion and when you don’t.”

Dunleavy wasn’t the only one struggling to comprehend this ongoing problem for Nabers. He was joined by Bobby Skinner of Talkin’ Giants, who asked, “Do the Giants ever coach up receivers about getting set or is it just whatever.”

Meanwhile, Skinner’s colleague Justin Penik said, “Hey Malik Nabers should like get set every once in a while.”

A player of Nabers’ obvious physical talent not being able to get the basics right is tough to fathom. It speaks to the lacklustre coaching that’s underpinned a 2-13 campaign getting worse every week.

Worse still, Nabers isn’t alone in displaying poor technique. Sloppy habits are a common theme for prime draft picks chosen by the regime fronted by under-fire duo, general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll.

Malik Nabers Must Clean Up Technique, Despite Setting Record vs. Falcons

There’s nothing wrong with Nabers’ numbers. The seven catches for 68 yards he produced against the Falcons took the former LSU standout above ex-Giants Odell Beckham Jr. and Saquon Barkley for the most catches by a rookie in franchise history.

More records could follow, including a league-wide mark. Nabers “needs 9 catches over the final two weeks to set the rookie catch record, set last year by Puka Nakua with 105,” according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.

Nabers has delivered, but he’s also demanded more of the ball. Those demands can only be met if he cleans up his technique and gets basic but essential things like lining up right.

That’s not an unreasonable expectation. The problem is another top-10 pick has failed to improve core aspects of his game since being drafted by Schoen and Daboll.

Young Giants Players Not Getting the Right Coaching

Daboll might be content to repeat the same four words after yet another defeat, but his blanket statement doesn’t excuse the coach, nor his assistants. Particularly when it comes to the failure to develop key young players.

Nabers is producing, but the penalties against him can’t be allowed to waste his skills as a playmaker. It’s a different story for Evan Neal, the seventh player selected in the 2022 draft, who has failed to make the grade at right tackle and continued to look out of place against the Falcons.

Neal’s problems are well known around the NFL, according to Dunleavy. He revealed “Scouts told me this week that #Giants Evan Neal “is on the ground too much.” OL coach Carmen Bricillo refused to comment on it when I asked him about it Friday.”

So Neal has had a fundamental flaw since he entered the pros, but it’s not been fixed. That’s despite Daboll going through two line coaches, Bobby Johnson and Carmen Bricillo. What is the expectation Daboll and his staff would alter Nabers’ habits if they stay in the job?

Neal and Nabers represent what is at the heart of the Giants woes. There are useful athletes across the roster, but they aren’t coached with discipline, nor to observe the essential keys of the game.

Add that discipline to Nabers and he can be something special for years to come.

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According to beat reporters on scene — like ESPN’s Jordan Raanan — the NYG head coach kept repeating one phrase over and over again at the podium: “It’s not good enough.”

Raanan relayed that Daboll “probably said that 5-10 times throughout the 5 1/2 minute press conference,” and he’s not exaggerating.

“Give Atlanta credit,” Daboll began the presser. “It’s hard to win a game when you throw two interceptions for touchdowns, have another turnover, lose the turnover ratio. They did a better job. Obviously, we weren’t good enough.”

The answer to the first question on losing 10 straight games?

“Just worried about this one and it wasn’t good enough,” the embattled coach replied.

At the tail end of the press conference, Daboll answered nearly every question with those same four words — “it’s not good enough” — even after reporters continuously pressed him on his usage of the same response.

Brian Daboll Did Not Consider Benching Giants QB Drew Lock for Tommy DeVito

Along with the team’s performance not being “good enough,” Daboll also reiterated that it’s hard to win when you turn the ball over as many times as the Giants did in Week 16. Despite that, Daboll confirmed that he did not consider pulling quarterback Drew Lock for Tommy DeVito at any point in the game.

“[Wanted to] let Drew [Lock] battle through it [and] see if we could make some improvements,” he explained, when asked why he didn’t consider a QB change. “But… at the end of the day, it’s hard to win a game when you turn the ball over three times.”

Lock finished the game with a 56.4 completion percentage, 210 passing yards and 1 touchdown. He was also sacked 3 times and obviously threw the 2 interceptions for touchdowns. That outing yielded a poor passer rating of 58.7.

“It’s simple things — relative to turnovers and things like that,” Daboll noted. “If you have those things [happen] in games, it’s hard to win.” He included needless penalties and unforced errors in that conversation too.

Giants’ Brian Daboll Says NYG Players Still Have ‘A Lot of Pride,’ Takes Responsibility for Loss

The Giants have been spiraling for some time, but the youthful roster hasn’t necessarily quit on Daboll in recent weeks — showing some fight. Against the Falcons, there was very little of that.

“Look, the guys have a lot of pride,” Daboll told reporters after the loss, when asked what he says to players when the team keeps losing.

Later, he also called them “competitors.” But his only explanation as to why he’d characterize them that way was that he’s “around them every day.”

Daboll did take full responsibility for the team’s performance throughout the press conference, as he typically does, but the answers just weren’t there. And the more fans hear the same basic no-substance replies over and over again, the more frustrated they’ll become.

The Giants have yet to state that they are moving on from Daboll, but everything seems to be trending that way as the season trickles to a close. After all, if Big Blue goes winless the rest of the way, what else is there to say?

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That was especially the case for second-year quarterback Tommy DeVito. After starting the game last weekend, DeVito left with a concussion after taking several big hits from Ravens defenders.

One of those hits drew an NFL fine from the league office on December 21. According to NFL Football Operations and the gameday accountability page, Ravens defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike was penalized $16,883 for a late hit on DeVito that was deemed to be “roughing the passer (body weight).”

Baltimore Banner reporter Jonas Shaffer shared video of this moment on X. In it, DeVito is absolutely pulverized by an unblocked Madubuike — who comes flying up the A-gap (center of the offensive line) after a stunt move fools the Giants blocking unit.

At least for DeVito’s sake, it’s nice to see some retribution from the league after this bone-crunching hit from Madubuike, but this one is on the Big Blue offensive line as much as it is the Ravens pass rusher.

Every week it seems like opposing defenders are bursting into the Giants’ backfield untouched, absolutely obliterating whichever quarterback NYG tosses out there under center. That has to change in 2025, and it’s not the first time that’s been said about a Big Blue offensive line heading into the offseason in recent years.

Tommy DeVito Expected to Back up Drew Lock as Giants QB Rotation Continues

DeVito has cleared concussion protocol ahead of Week 16, but he’ll slot back into the QB2 role behind Drew Lock — who’s also healthy enough to return. That also pushes Tim Boyle into the emergency third QB role once again.

It’s been a constant rotation for the Giants at quarterback ever since they decided to move on from Daniel Jones. And whether it’s been Lock, DeVito or Boyle, there’s been one common denominator and that’s losses.

DeVito probably still had the most allure heading into the 2024 campaign, behind Jones, but it’s become painfully clear that the Giants’ next starting quarterback is not on the current roster. The only question now is how they go about addressing the position.

Should they spend a first-round pick on a top prospect like Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders despite most analysts viewing this as a flawed QB class? Should they pay big money for a free agent like Sam Darnold — who already failed in NYC once? Or should they bring in a short-term bridge quarterback while also taking a flyer on a mid-to-late-round quarterback like Dillon Gabriel or Quinn Ewers?

There are several routes that the Giants can take at the quarterback position in 2025. It goes without saying that this will be the most important decision of the upcoming offseason.

Giants Announce 5 Roster Moves Ahead of Week 16

The Giants have shuffled the bottom of their roster constantly throughout the 2024 campaign, given all the injuries. On December 21, there was more movement ahead of Week 16.

As usual, NYG team reporter Dan Salomone relayed the transactions on X. They were:

• DB Raheem Layne signed to active roster from practice squad.
• LBs Bobby Okereke and Patrick Johnson transferred to injured reserve.
• OLB Boogie Basham and OT Tyre Phillips elevated from practice squad for Week 16.

Okereke is obviously the headliner here. After a signing a four-year, $40 million contract with the Giants in 2023, the veteran linebacker had a much less impactful season in year two — and now that season has officially ended.

Although Okereke is under contract through the end of the 2026 campaign, the Giants could theoretically shed $9 million in cap space in each of the next two seasons by designating him as a post-June 1 cut. This is more likely to occur if a new general manager comes in and elects to clean house on some of the decisions made by Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll.

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Many NFL experts and analysts think the Giants will be linked up with Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. In fact, star wide receiver Malik Nabers was even spotted tossing a football with Sanders in New York City last weekend, on December 14.

When Nabers was asked about the possibility of Sanders being a Giant, he had an interesting response.

Malik Nabers Has Unexpected Response to Giants Quarterback Question

Following the Giants’ loss to the Ravens on Sunday, December 15, Nabers was asked about Sanders. When asked about how he felt about passing the football with Sanders over the weekend and Sanders possibly “being your next quarterback,” Nabers had a neutral response.

“Deion (Colorado’s head coach and Shedeur’s father) is very confident in his son, but that’s something upstairs that they’ve got to do,” Nabers said. “They’ve got to look over the film and see what quarterback that they want.”

Then, he surprisingly said that he’s “not sure if they want a quarterback. I’m not sure.”

“It’s not draft time, but the decision will be made when it’s time for the draft,” he added.

Of course, the Giants need a quarterback, but they could opt not to take one in the NFL Draft and instead go with a veteran.

More NFL Experts Point to Sanders for the Giants

While the Giants will have plenty of options, between newbies and vets, to snag a quarterback next season, Jordan Raanan of ESPN says that he believes Sanders will be the ultimate pick.

“Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward are expected to be the top collegiate QB options,” Raanan said in a December 20 feature.

Raanan adds that “Sanders seems to be the most likely option should New York (currently 2-12) finish with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. The Giants enter this week with a 37% chance at the top pick, according to ESPN Analytics.”

It’s possible, though, that Sanders would rather sign with the Las Vegas Raiders. According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, Sanders could be leaning to Las Vegas.

“There is a long way to go until the draft. A lot can happen, including changes with the Giants coach and front office,” Raanan added. “Nothing can completely be taken off the table staring a potential 2-14 season in the face. If (Giants GM Joe) Schoen were let go, that could change the team’s plans depending on his successor.”

Raanan also said that, “Multiple sources close to Shedeur Sanders and the Colorado program also believe his preference would be to land in Las Vegas.”

In a December feature for USA Today’s Giants Wire, John Fennelly notes that, “If the Raiders stay the course and lose out, they get the top pick and the Giants would have to look elsewhere for their next quarterback.”

Heading into the NFL’s Week 16, the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders are tied for the worst record in the NFL.

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“Hollywood Brown could be a buy-low candidate after missing most of the season with a shoulder injury,” Duggan wrote on December 19.

He also noted that “[Malik] Nabers allows the Giants to avoid shopping in the priciest aisle [of free agency] occupied by [Tee] Higgins, [Amari] Cooper and [Chris] Godwin.”

Brown has spent the entire 2024 campaign with the Kansas City Chiefs, although he has yet to appear in a regular season game for his new organization. The big play threat suffered a sternoclavicular joint injury to his left shoulder during KC’s first preseason outing and has been sidelined ever since.

Having said that, he was just activated off the injured reserve on December 20 and Brown is expected to finally make his Chiefs debut in Week 16.

A former first-round selection in 2019, Brown began his career with the Baltimore Ravens. He put together his best season with the Ravens in his final one, accumulating 1,008 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns off 91 catches.

Baltimore then flipped Brown to the Arizona Cardinals for a first-round pick and he spent his next two years out west — posting receiving yardage totals of 709 and 574 in two incomplete campaigns.

Brown only cost the Chiefs $7 million in 2024, and he could make even less in 2025 considering he’s barely played. That might be a worthwhile risk for a team like the Giants that needs to add offensive talent in any way possible.

Hollywood Brown Has Had Trouble Staying Healthy Throughout NFL Career

Brown has been an impactful wide receiver whenever he’s been out on the field. The issue is that he’s missed a lot of time throughout his NFL career.

The 27-year-old speedster logged 14 games as a rookie, followed by back-to-back seasons with 16 appearances. From there, things have gone off the rails a bit.

Brown was active for 12 games in 2022 and 14 in 2023. Then he’s obviously been unavailable for the majority of the 2024 campaign — but could suit up for the final 3 regular season games if all goes well in Week 16.

The Giants have had major injury problems over the past two years, so Brown’s track record is a little bit concerning in this regard. Still, he might be worth a flyer as a quality deep ball complement to Nabers.

Jalin Hyatt’s Lack of Development Has Created Potential 2025 ‘Void’ at WR2 for Giants

With Darius Slayton heading into the offseason as an unrestricted free agent, there’s a hole behind Nabers. Duggan talked about this within his article.

“The Giants landed Malik Nabers as a No. 1 receiver with the sixth pick in this year’s draft,” he began. “That gives them the advantage of filling an expensive spot with a player on his rookie contract for the next three years.”

“Wan’Dale Robinson isn’t an impactful player, but he’s fine as a third target in the slot,” Duggan continued. “There’s a void at the No. 2 receiver spot with Darius Slayton set to hit free agency and 2023 third-round pick Jalin Hyatt failing to develop.”

Hyatt showed some flashes as a rookie, but it’s been a lost season in year two. In all honesty, the Giants have not awarded the 2023 third rounder many snaps.

He played over 50% of offensive snaps in three games this season. The first in Seattle yielded zero targets despite Hyatt appearing on 67% of snaps, but the youngster did catch 1-of-4 targets for 6 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals (81% snap share) and 4-of-4 catches for 39 yards in Germany versus the Carolina Panthers (73% snap share).

Since the Germany game, Hyatt has only recorded 2 receptions for 8 yards.

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While the Giants have plenty of options going into the offseason, many bets are pointing to one guy, and many NFL experts and analysts think he’ll be the one to sign with New York.

The Newbie vs. Veteran Debate

The Giants could either draft a top quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft or go with one of the veterans who will likely be available after this season.

Jordan Raanan of ESPN says that while there are plenty of options on the table, the “most likely” option for the Giants is one that’s been thrown around a lot lately: Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

“Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward are expected to be the top collegiate QB options,” Raanan notes in a December 20 feature, adding that Kirk Cousins, Sam Darnold, Justin Fields, Jimmy Garoppolo and Jameis Winston are some veterans who will also likely be available.

Raanan adds that “Sanders seems to be the most likely option should New York (currently 2-12) finish with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. The Giants enter this week with a 37% chance at the top pick, according to ESPN Analytics.”

Sanders’ father, Deion Sanders, who also serves as the coach of Colorado’s team, seems to have some extra insight. Appearing on ”The Pacman Jones Show” on December 17, Deion insisted that the Giants are keeping their top draft pick.

“Giants are not going to give up their pick,” Deion said regarding what could transpire if New York gets at the top of the draft order. “They’re not going to give up their pick. The Giants are not giving up that pick. I know that for a fact. He added, “Shedeur is going to be the No. 1 pick.”

Raanan also noted that Giants general manager Joe Schoen “has been to Colorado on multiple occasions this season.”

Las Vegas or New York?

One caveat Raanan points out that “multiple sources close to Shedeur Sanders and the Colorado program” think he would prefer to go to Las Vegas and head up the Raiders. But, Raanan notes that the hype train is all on Sanders going to New York. After all, he was throwing a Giants football in the streets of New York City with wide receiver Malik Nabers last weekend.

Destin Adams of A to Z sports also sees Sanders as possibly being the best fit for the Giants. In a December 19 feature, he says that while the main debate during the offseason will be whether the Giants should draft Sanders or Cam Ward, ” Sanders could truly be the best fit for the Giants.” He has the Giants selecting Sanders after the Las Vegas Raiders elect to choose Ward in his mock draft.

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Needless to say, there’s a lot of unknown as we sit here on December 19. Having said that, if Schoen is retained as GM for the 2025 season, The Athletic’s NYG beat writer Dan Duggan feels confident that veteran wide receiver and impending free agent Darius Slayton will not be.

“Slayton would be the perfect fit in the [middle] tier of [WR2] options in the $10-13 million per year range,” Duggan noted during a December 19 article looking ahead to free agency. “But he may choose a change of scenery after experiencing so much losing during his six years in New York.”

“It’s also been clear at various points over the past three years that he’s not valued highly by Schoen,” the reporter added, relaying that “it’s unlikely the partnership will continue.”

Schoen and Slayton appeared to disagree over the long-time pass-catcher’s contract and overall value to the team this offseason. In the end, the wideout agreed to join his Giants teammates at camp after a mini holdout.

Although Big Blue restructured the final year of Slayton’s old $12 million deal, giving him slightly more incentives, the holdout outcome was a clear win for Schoen. Slayton even switched agencies afterward, seemingly acknowledging that he was not happy with how it all played out despite stating publicly that he was.

Based on all of that, it wouldn’t be surprising if Slayton were to harbor some bitterness toward Schoen — and that could cause both parties to move on.

Darius Slayton Could Still Skip Town Even If Giants Fire Joe Schoen

Duggan made it clear that his article was from the perspective of the Giants retaining Schoen, but even if they didn’t, there’s no guarantee Slayton would return.

If they Giants fire Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll and draft a new quarterback, they’re embarking on another rebuild. Why would Slayton want to be a part of that when he’s entering his age-28 campaign in 2025?

And going one step further, why would a new regime choose to spend money on a player like Slayton, who represents the Giants of old? Typically, new general managers prefer to clean house and build the roster how they see fit.

In all honesty, Slayton’s most likely path to a return could be Daboll. Going into the season, it felt like Schoen set the stage for Daboll to give Jalin Hyatt a real shot at the starting job across from Malik Nabers.

Keep in mind, Schoen traded up to bring in Hyatt.

As we know, however, Slayton has been given the lion’s share of the snap count in 2024 — and Hyatt has barely been utilized. Things like snap share and playing time are typically decided by the coach, unless there’s a mandate from ownership or a GM.

So, while it would appear that Daboll prefers Slayton over Hyatt, it’s less clear if Schoen does too. Either way, a Slayton return feels improbable at best.

If Darius Slayton Walks, Giants Must Replace Him in Free Agency or the Draft

One thing is relatively obvious, the Giants must replace Slayton if he walks in free agency. Hyatt just hasn’t shown enough over his first two years to warrant a starting job without any competition, and if they did hand the former third-round pick a larger role, the depth behind their top three takes a big hit.

Now, Big Blue doesn’t necessarily have to spend big money on a veteran wide receiver. That’s one option — and Duggan listed several alternatives to Slayton within his article — but they could also continue to fill this position in the draft.

That method has had mixed results for the Giants. Nabers looks like a hit, while Hyatt looks like a miss and Wan’Dale Robinson falls somewhere in between, but there are always wide receivers to be had in April.

The preference of veteran versus prospect at WR2 likely depends on whoever’s running the organization in a couple of months.

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Meaning, in theory, Schoen could replace Daboll and hire a new head coach — while also keeping his job in the process. The Giants HC was asked about this report on December 18, and The Athletic’s Dan Duggan relayed the entire Q&A on X:

Question: There’s a report that [President and CEO] John Mara could end up asking Schoen to hire a coach after this season. How do you react to that and does that make it difficult when something like that comes out to focus on what you’re doing?

Daboll: No, I just had a good conversation with John [Mara] 10 minutes ago.

Question: About that?

Daboll: No, not about that. Just a normal conversation. We have good conversations every week.

Question: How do you react to the suggestion that could happen?

Daboll: I just focus on the things I can control.

Question: Do you have any conversations with [Mara] beyond this year? Because I would think that could impact how you operate at this point.

Daboll: I’d say we have a number of conversations about a lot of different things that I’ll keep private.

Question: Do you think you and [Schoen] have enough separate responsibilities that it would be fair to blame one of you and not the other or give one credit and not the other?

Daboll: Yeah, we’re just getting ready here for the [Atlanta] Falcons.

While a lot of that is clear and obvious deflecting by Daboll — something he does well at the podium — the first couple of responses were interesting to hear. The Giants HC’s first reaction was to relay that he and Mara just had a “good conversation.”

He also added that he and Mara “have good conversations every week.”

NY Sports Insider Explains Article Claiming Giants Could Decide to Keep GM Joe Schoen & Fire HC Brian Daboll

Schwartz explained this article on the evening of December 17 while speaking with SNY’s Brandon London.

“What I am reporting is that, yes, this is not all or nothing [in regard to retaining Schoen and Daboll in 2025],” Schwartz clarified. “We know that Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen came in together… but that does not mean that they absolutely have to go out together and this whole idea that [you have to] fire them both — they’re a package deal, [if you get] rid of one you gotta get rid of the other — that’s not the case.”

“I know for a fact [that] in the building, [the Giants] don’t look at it as if we fire Joe [Schoen], we have to fire Daboll. If we fire Daboll, we have to fire [Schoen],” Schwartz reiterated. He stressed over and over again that Big Blue ownership sees a path where they could retain one and replace the other.

Schwartz concluded that head coaches and general managers are not always “joined at the hip,” and in this specific case, one of Schoen or Daboll could “outlast” the other.

Obviously, as NYG beat reporters alluded during the December 18 media session, the public thought is that the Giants are more likely to keep Schoen and fire Daboll if this were to happen.

Giants Heading Down Dangerous Path If They Fire Brian Daboll & Keep Joe Schoen

Rarely does it work where you force a head coach and general manager into an arranged marriage, so the talk of the Giants potentially keeping Schoen or Daboll and firing the other feels dangerous at best.

In situations like this, it makes more sense for ownership to keep the GM and allow him to hire a new head coach, as Schwartz noted. Having said that, retaining Schoen could limit the Giants’ next HC search.

For example, you don’t land a coach like Jim Harbaugh if there’s a GM in place. Or, speaking in terms of 2025 candidates, you may not get a Mike Vrabel or Ben Johnson if you keep Schoen.

Guys like that either want to run the show or have some say in the direction of the organization. And Schoen’s presence creates a potential power struggle.

Similarly, keeping Daboll and firing Schoen would be an odd move as well, unless Big Blue promoted a new GM from within or hired someone that Daboll has a prior relationship with. In that scenario, Daboll would presumably be calling the shots going forward.

Either way, these routes tend to get messy. If the Giants elect to fire Schoen or Daboll, the cleanest option — and the one that offers the most potential when searching for candidates — is to start fresh and fire both. Anything else is playing with fire.

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A new story came to light on December 17 after New York Post reporter Paul Schwartz published an article claiming that Giants general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll may not be a package deal after all. Meaning, president and CEO John Mara could choose to fire one and keep the other.

While reacting to said article, NY Times bestselling author and sports insider Ian O’Connor chimed in, adding: “The Giants loved Adam Peters as a GM candidate but loved Joe Schoen just a bit more. They thought John Harbaugh’s guy in Baltimore, Joe Hortiz, was a bit nervous in his interview, but he was going to hire Jim Harbaugh as Giants head coach.”

“What could have been?” O’Connor concluded the comment. Needless to say, this tiny bit of information created quite a stir around the NYG community.

Giants GM Joe Schoen Must Find Franchise Quarterback If He’s Going to Save NYG Tenure

It’s no secret that O’Connor’s reveal isn’t exactly a great look for the Giants in hindsight, being that Peters has the division rival Washington Commanders franchise in the current NFC playoff bracket in his first season at the helm and the Hortiz/Harbaugh combination has similarly turned the Los Angeles Chargers into an immediate contender in the AFC.

It should be noted that both the Commanders and Chargers have their franchise quarterbacks in place. LAC already drafted Justin Herbert before Hortiz and Harbaugh got there, while Peters was fortunate enough to be in position to select Jayden Daniels — a player Big Blue expressed interest in — in 2024.

Schoen and Daboll have yet to find theirs, and they’re back to square one in that regard after moving on from quarterback Daniel Jones.

Of course, this pair of Giants decision makers also agreed to commit to Jones long-term after their first season on the job — a decision that has set the organization back several years.

Giants Prove That You Can’t Judge a Regime Based on 1 Year

While Peters and Hortiz are certainly off to a hot start with the Commanders and Chargers, Schoen and Daboll prove that you cannot judge a new regime based on one year.

After the 2022 campaign, Schoen and Daboll were being viewed as the saviors of the franchise. Even those who didn’t believe in Jones believed in the two-man brain trust calling the shots, and that was enough to restore confidence in the organization as a whole.

Clearly, that confidence was a bit premature.

Schoen and Daboll now find themselves on the proverbial hot seat just two years later at the tail end of the 2024 season. Will Peters or Hortiz suffer the same fate?

It’s impossible to say, but Peters and Hortiz both have two things Schoen didn’t.

One, an unquestioned franchise QB, as stated above. And two, an experienced head coach who has done the job before.

Commanders HC Dan Quinn once took the Atlanta Falcons to the Super Bowl while Harbaugh flaunts just about as impressive of a coaching resume as there is around the league. For all his success in year one, Daboll does not have the same NFL track record to call upon when times get tough — and neither does Schoen.

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Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder offered an alternative on December 16, Heisman finalist Dillon Gabriel.

“The Giants are expected to draft a quarterback this year, but—as has been widely discussed—this year’s class lacks some talent at the position,” Holder wrote. “It’s not out of the question for the organization to look outside of the first round for a signal-caller, and the Heisman Trophy finalist is an interesting option.”

“Gabriel is a timing and rhythm quarterback who thrives targeting the short and intermediate areas of the field,” the Bleacher Report analyst relayed via his colleague’s scouting report. “He is a spot thrower who can pick apart zone defenses when kept clean in the pocket. Gabriel plays with good poise and calmness inside the pocket, stepping up to avoid collapsing edge pressure.”

Holder also complimented Gabriel for throwing a “catchable ball” that utilizes a “combination of velocity and touch.” Concluding: “Gabriel’s ball placement is a strength of his game; he protects receivers and rarely throws them into incoming defenders or high-traffic areas.”

According to Pro Football Network’s mock draft simulator, Gabriel had an average draft position (ADP) of 148.8 as of December 2. In fact, since August 26, Gabriel’s ADP has never dropped below 136.9 and it’s risen as high as 201.3.

Draft data can shift a lot from now until April, but if Gabriel ends up being picked somewhere within that ADP range, or close to it, the Giants should be able to get him anywhere from round three through five. If you like the player, that’s great value.

Potential Giants QB Target Dillon Gabriel’s Wealth of Experience Could Translate to the NFL

Gabriel has one attribute that has translated over to the NFL in recent years — experience.

“Due to his litany of snaps/experience, the game has slowed down for [Gabriel], and he can play at maximum speed,” Holder noted within his Giants suggestion.

It’s true, and this puts Gabriel in the same conversation as a Brock Purdy, Bo Nix or Stetson Bennett-like prospect. Each of these QB prospects logged 40-plus appearances at the collegiate level, with Nix recording the highest number of starts at 61.

His Oregon successor, Gabriel, has him beat with a total of 63 games played in college. And if you’re wondering how that’s possible taking over Nix’s job with the Ducks, it’s because Gabriel transferred twice before his Heisman finalist campaign in 2024.

Gabriel turns 24 on December 28. He spent three seasons with UCF from 2019 through 2021, throwing for at least 3,500 passing yards and a 156.0 or higher passer rating twice.

After that, he spent another two years with Oklahoma, registering his second career 3,600-yard season in 2023. His passer rating was a 172.0 that campaign, which actually topped his most recent season with Oregon.

In 2024, Gabriel threw for 3,558 yards after joining a new offense once again. His ability to switch playbooks and systems with relative ease should not be ignored, and he’s done so while maintaining a passer rating above 154.0 every year.

Why Is Dillon Gabriel Ranked So Much Lower Than Shedeur Sanders & Cam Ward?

If you’re wondering why Gabriel has an ADP in round four or five and Sanders and Ward are projected as top three picks, these rankings typically boil down to things like ceiling, potential and overall arm talent.

The 33rd Team’s lead draft analyst Kyle Crabbs highlighted age and arm strength as potential negatives while scouting Gabriel, as did The Draft Network’s Damian Parson. The Oregon product is also very small in stature, standing at 5-foot-11.

“Gabriel lacks the impact arm talent to drive throws from the far hash to the sideline,” Parson explained, regarding his arm. “He can make NFL throws but some are not accessible to Gabriel. He does not possess the arm talent to be late on throws to the sideline or it is at risk of being intercepted.”

Crabbs also summed up his low NFL draft ranking pretty well after commending other attributes like toughness and processing ability, stating: “He’s got a good arm, mobility, and quickness, but there isn’t a lot of ‘prototype’ to his game as it relates to an NFL quarterback.”

If the Giants choose to pursue a veteran free agent at quarterback, rather than going all-in on a rookie, Gabriel might profile as a worthwhile developmental flyer to pair them with. After all, the NYG QB room could be trending toward a complete overhaul in 2025.

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Next season, the Giants will need a franchise quarterback. As it turns out, who they bring on could be a familiar face to New Yorkers.

NFL Expert Points to Possible Giants Quarterback Replacement

New York sports fans got to know quarterback Sam Darnold when he played with the New York Jets from 2018-2020. He didn’t work out with the Jets and has played with a handful of teams since, most recently the Minnesota Vikings.

Darnold is having a banner year with the Vikings, and he’s helped lead them to an 11-2 record. He’ll likely be one of the hottest quarterbacks on the market during the offseason, and the Giants may want to snag him.

NFL analyst and expert Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report states that “Darnold would be a near-ideal fit for Daboll’s offense.”

“It’s not hard to look at some of the big plays Darnold has delivered in Minnesota and imagine him doing the same with Malik Nabers in New York,” Knox stated in the December 11 feature. “He struggled with pocket awareness, decision-making and ball placement early in his career,” although Darnold has “improved in those areas significantly this season.”

Knox added that, in simple terms, “the version of Darnold we’ve seen in 2025 is the sort of quarterback the Giants always hoped Jones could become.”

The Giants are projected to have $61.4 million in cap space in 2025, so Knox adds that the team “can and should make a run at Darnold.”

Sam Darnold Could Return to the ‘City Where He Started His NFL Career’

Tyler Brooke of The 33rd Team also states that he believes Darnold would be a good fit for the Giants.

“There’s something fitting about Darnold returning to the city where he started his NFL career,” Brooke noted in the December 8 piece.

First, Brooke explains that while “a new GM would likely want to take a swing on a rookie quarterback, especially if the Giants can secure a top-three pick,” since the upcoming signal-caller class “isn’t as strong as in previous seasons, and a player like Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders may not be considered great value that early, depending on the GM,” that the team might go with a vet.

Brooke adds that the idea of bringing Darnold to the Giants holds little risk. If Darnold does well, the team is able to “build out the roster at other positions.” If it’s not a good fit, the Giants can get a signal-caller “in next year’s draft, where they could take Eli Manning’s nephew in Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning.”

It may come down to which quarterbacks are available at the point in the 2025 NFL Draft when the Giants get to pick. There’s been talk of Ward or Sanders being a good fit for the Giants, so time will tell if the Giants go with a rookie or someone like Darnold.

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Following the game, Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton had a simple, one-word message to describe the team’s feelings.

Darius Slayton Gets Real About Loss to Ravens

Following the game, Slayton was asked in a postgame press conference about how he would describe the mental state of the Giants after the loss.

He used one word to sum it up, and that word was, “Disappointed.”

“I mean, obviously disappointed. We just lost,” he said, adding that, “Obviously, we knew that they’re a good football team [the Ravens], but at the end of the day, they put their pants on just like we do, so we obviously expected to play better, and we did not.”

When asked about how the Giants’ losing streak now compares to when Slayton joined the team in 2019, he stated, “I mean from a streak, losing, it’s somewhat similar.”

“But I mean, very different team at that time but I would probably say that our roster then isn’t what it is now,” he added.

Giants Backup Quarterback Tim Boyle on Stepping In

During the game, backup quarterback Tommy DeVito left with a concussion. So, the Giants brought in their fourth quarterback, Tim Boyle.

After the game, Boyle was asked about what the moment was like when he saw DeVito get injured and knew he would have to step up.

“It’s December football, and I get that,” he said. “It’s a lot of injuries, unfortunately. But I’ve been a part of it, so it’s not something I’m super foreign to. But it’s in the job description of being a quarterback.”

He added that the backups have to be prepared to go in when their time comes.

“It’s all hands on deck. All three of us are ready to go at that point,” he said. “The cool part about our room, (quarterbacks) coach (Shea) Tierney, he runs a tight ship. We have a really good group. I love Tommy. I love Drew (Lock, quarterback). We’re really close. We stick together.”

He added that the team supports each other and that “Drew was lovely today.”

“Obviously, it was my fourth week being here and first time really operating the offense,” he said. “Drew was being awesome on the sideline. Tommy’s been awesome, as well.” Then, he emphasized that he’s “grateful for those two.”

Head coach Brian Daboll explained the DeVito situation at the start of the press conference, stating, “DeVito had a concussion; that’s why he came out. So, Boyle had to play the second half there.”

When it came to the loss against Baltimore, Daboll said, “Played a good team. They played well. We didn’t play well enough.” He added that in the game, you simply have to “control what you can control.”

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That’s according to both the player’s brother, Deion Sanders Jr., and father, Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders Sr., the current head coach at Colorado. Both took to social media to refute a post from an account called NFL Rookie Watch.

The latter posted on Saturday, December 14 how Shedeur’s “reportedly ‘prepared’ to be drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders or the Dallas Cowboys in the upcoming NFL Draft. There is reportedly a ‘high likelihood’ Sanders would refuse to play if he was drafted by either the Giants or Browns. Similar to how Eli Manning refused to play for the Chargers in the 2004 NFL Draft. Many NFL scouts reportedly believe the Giants will end up ‘settling’ for Cam Ward, knowing Sanders wouldn’t play for them.”

Sanders’ brother, Deion Jr., was the first to refute the notion the QB would refuse to suit up for Big Blue. He captioned the original post with the refrain, “Bro is completely lying about everything he just tweeted.”

Next, it was the turn of ‘Coach Prime,’ who simply stated, “A Lie don’t care who tells it. Please stop trying to become relevant by misrepresenting my son. God bless you.”

Those blunt replies are good news for the Giants. Especially when compared with a recent development involving Sanders and star wide receiver Mail Nabers.

Positive Momentum Building for Giants, Shedeur Sanders

The Giants are ideally placed to take Sanders as the current outright owners of the top pick in next year’s draft. Joining the Giants may not seem too appealing on the surface, but the presence of Nabers could help Sanders reconsider any stance he has on playing in New York.

They looked at ease when spotted enjoying a recent game of catch on the streets of Manhattan. Nabers would give Sanders an instant No. 1 receiver already capable of dominating at the NFL level, but the wideout isn’t the only reason the Giants are a good fit for the precocious signal-caller.

The presence of another member of this year’s rookie class, running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., is another factor in the Giants favor. Tracy has showcased ability as a game-breaker on the ground and should only get better.

Pairing Tracy and a dual-threat playmaker like Sanders together in the same backfield would force defenses to overload for the run and leave more one-on-one opportunities for Nabers.

That’s what the Giants can pitch to Sanders to sell him on helping revive the franchise. What the Giants can’t currently offer is assurances about the coaching setup Sanders could work within.

Coaching Uncertainty Can’t Shift Focus of Giants Draft

What does the future hold for Giants head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen? Team President John Mara appears content to keep them in place for 2025, but that could still change if an already lost season gets any worse.

Keeping Schoen and Daboll around is going to be a tough sell for Mara, even if the Giants simply take four more losses and preserve ownership of the top pick. After all, these two have presided over the current mess.

It’s a situation borne from Schoen and Daboll doubling down on a hefty but ill-fated investment in quarterback Daniel Jones. The decision backfired when Jones suffered injury, faltered once he returned to the field and was eventually released.

All of this played out while players Schoen and Daboll jettisoned, like Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley and ball-hawking safety Xavier McKinney, have thrived elsewhere.

Trusting the current regime to draft a franchise quarterback is a risky proposition. The presence of Schoen and Daboll could also make more than one top prospect among the ’25 draft class think twice about playing for the Giants.

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The wide receiver and special teams ace “served as this week’s scout-team QB in an attempt to mimic Jackson’s unique dual-threat abilities,” according to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News.

It was a tough assignment and Smith-Marsette admitted, “The weather was pretty tough up here the last couple days. But indoors, I’m a god,” Smith-Marsette boasted of his passing ability with a sarcastic grin. “I’m just like Lamar. You might as well call me L.J.”

As Leonard pointed out, “That was a joke, obviously. Jackson is revered. There is no one like him. The Giants know what they’re up against Sunday.”

The last line is telling because it speaks to the daunting prospect of a 2-11 Giants team facing arguably the most dynamic playmaker in the league at football’s most important position.

It doesn’t help the Giants have hardly fared well against similar multi-faceted signal-callers this season.

Lamar Jackson Should Have Giants Worried

Containing Jackson is an uphill struggle for most teams, but the Giants should be downright worried about No. 8 this week. New York’s defense is ranked 16th in points and yards, per Pro Football Reference, but has struggled to generate consistent pressure on the pocket.

The Giants have just 38 sacks to their credit. Edge-rushers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux each got to the quarterback against the New Orleans Saints in Week 14, snapping a streak of three games out of four without a sack for the defense.

One of those games came against NFC East rivals the Washington Commanders and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels in Week 9. Daniels has rightly earned comparison to Jackson as a running QB who can beat defenses on the ground and through the air.

The Giants couldn’t get near Daniels Sunday, November 3 and he picked them apart for 244 total yards and a pair of touchdown passes. Stopping Jackson from doing the same won’t be easy.

Not when Leonard confirmed nose tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches, middle linebacker Bobby Okereke and rookie cornerback Andru Phillips are out. Not when promising first-year safety Tyler Nubin has landed on injured reserve.

With All-Pro nose guard Dexter Lawrence II already on the shelf, the Giants lack the personnel to keep Jackson in the pocket and prevent plays like this throw on the run to Zay Flowers against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13.

This kind of escapability is why Smith-Marsette was a good choice to try and replicate what Jackson can do on the move.

Ihmir Smith-Marsette Gave Giants Valuable Education

As a returner, Smith-Marsette possesses the type of elusiveness and acceleration Jackson often uses to thwart pressure. The wideout showcased those skills during what proved to be an ill-fated punt return against the Saints, nullified by penalty, highlighted by Bobby Skinner of Talkin’ Giants.

Chasing Smith-Marsette around the practice field all week is adequate preparation for Jackson, but no more. The deeper issue for the Giants is that corralling Jackson is not their only challenge.

Jackson is excelling this season in part because two-time NFL rushing champion Derrick Henry is also dominating out of the backfield. Henry can work over a weak Giants run defense allowing 4.9 yards per carry, provided the Ravens continue to use him heavily.

Stopping Henry will be tough, but the Giants focus will primarily remain on keeping Jackson under wraps. Cutting off his running lanes with an effort led by edge defenders like Burns and Thibodeaux should be the emphasis.

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Quarterback Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets could be a force of “stability” for the Giants, one NFL insider and expert says.

Aaron Rodgers to the New York Giants?

Rodgers is one of the greatest quarterbacks of his generation, and even though he’s playing past his prime at 41 years old, you can’t deny the veteran experience someone like Rodgers brings to a team. In a December 1 feature for Gmen HQ, Matt Sidney names Rodgers as a possible fit for the Giants next season.

“The New York Giants are in dire need of stability at the quarterback position,” Sidney noted. “With Daniel Jones released and backups like Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock failing to inspire confidence, the offense is floundering.”

Sidney adds that Rodgers, even with his “tumultuous stint with the Jets,” has the kind of leadership experience the Giants need right now and don’t have.

Rodgers’ “ability to elevate an offense could be the catalyst for a franchise turnaround,” Sidney added. “Moreover, Rodgers’ presence would mentor younger players and potentially attract other free agents,” which could improve the Giants’ “overall competitiveness.”

Sidney notes that even though Rodgers’ age and previous injuries “are considerations,” bringing him to the New York Giants would offer an “immediate upgrade” that “might be worth the gamble for a team desperate to reclaim any relevance.”

Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick also thinks Rodgers isn’t destined for retirement just yet. Speaking on SiriusXM’s “Let’s Go” show and podcast, he said Rodgers “could easily rebound” next year.

“These guys that switch teams, they get in a different system, things are a little bit different for them, maybe they learn some things from whatever it was their previous experiences were. It changes,” Belichick said on December 2, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “When a guy has a long career and a good career, sometimes one season is just a bump in the road.” He added that it doesn’t mean it’s “the end of the road.”

Aaron Rodgers Says He Only Saw His Father Cry Once

Netflix has an upcoming documentary about Rodgers, called “Aaron Rodgers: Enigma.” In the program, he says that he felt “stunted” by his dad’s lack of emotion while he was growing up. In an excusive clip for People, Rodgers says he only saw his father cry once.

“I think I saw my dad cry when my grandfather passed,” Rodgers said in the clip, posted on December 13. “And that might have been it.”

He added that “there wasn’t space for emotion” in his home when he was growing up. “So, I definitely had some stunted emotional intelligence.”

Regarding his public persona and what the public thinks of him, Rodgers said, “People who haven’t been around me a lot have this idea of who I am or whatnot, and in these situations, you start to peel back some of those layers of who they think you are, and start getting deep, and getting emotional.”

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On December 13, Deion Sanders Jr. shared video of his younger brother, Colorado Buffaloes star quarterback Shedeur Sanders, playing catch with Nabers on the streets of Manhattan on his YouTube account, “Well Off Media.” Shedeur Sanders is in town to support his close friend and teammate, Travis Hunter, at the Heisman trophy ceremony.

A fan then posted this “short” on X, and it began circulating social media from there.

In it, Nabers and Sanders step out into the parking lane of an NYC street and begin tossing the pigskin back and forth as other members of their party watch for vehicles. Although Nabers wears a hoodie with the hood up in the video, the camera eventually pans to show his face and confirm his identity.

Sanders wears a bubble jacket, but his face can be seen very clearly. As the two throw the football a few times, a small crowd gathers and the YouTube short ends with an embrace between Nabers and Sanders.

Needless to say, this is news considering the Giants need a quarterback and currently have the best odds at the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Sanders is also the top-ranked QB prospect at this time, with Miami Hurricanes star Cam Ward gaining ground.

Nabers told reporters that he had no relationship with Sanders or Ward earlier this week on December 11, but did note that he attended Deion Sanders’ football camp with Shedeur when he was younger. The rookie wide receiver also provided his first public opinion of the two quarterback prospects during the Week 15 Q&A.

ESPN NFL Insider Field Yates Mocks Shedeur Sanders to Giants

ESPN NFL insider Field Yates published a mock draft on December 11, and he had the Giants selecting Sanders at No. 1 overall. Below was his explanation for doing so.

The Giants’ multiyear quest to find a quarterback — recall they tried to trade up in last April’s draft — should come to an end in 2025. They benched and subsequently cut Daniel Jones last month, ending his six-season era in New York. Sanders has put together an incredible final college season, leading the FBS in completion percentage (74.2%) and ranking top three in touchdown passes (35) and passing yards (3,926). He is at his best delivering from the pocket, as he throws with natural touch and is extremely poised. Sanders has met big moment after big moment at Colorado, and that unflappability bodes well for his NFL future.

For any franchise considering a QB in the top five next April, Sanders and Ward are the two consensus picks. The only question is — which signal-caller does each NFL team prefer?

Of course, with Sanders, family legacy does come into play. Deion Sanders has made it clear that he likes certain landing spots for his son, and he’s hinted that others may not be suitable.

To be clear, the Sanders family has never confirmed or denied the Giants as a potential destination. And recent events like Nabers and Shedeur playing catch or the latter getting a standing ovation at Madison Square Garden certainly signal that the QB prospect approves of NYC.

Shedeur Sanders Is Called ‘Arguably the Most Polarizing Prospect’ in 2025 QB Class

Not everyone sees Sanders as a can’t-miss prospect, despite the likelihood that he’ll go top three in the draft. The Athletic’s NFL draft expert Dane Brugler predicted that the Giants would select the Colorado QB on December 4, but at No. 3 overall instead of No. 1.

He also had the Las Vegas Raiders passing on Sanders for Ward at No. 2.

“In one of the more polarizing draft classes we’ve seen, Sanders is arguably the most polarizing prospect,” Brugler wrote. “Some NFL teams have graded him as an adequate NFL starter, while others are more optimistic.”

Brugler went on to add that while he doesn’t “know how the Giants feel” about Sanders, he does “believe Brian Daboll can get the most out of [him].”

Sanders to NYC definitely appears to be picking up steam in recent weeks.

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The latter is in New York City for the Heisman trophy ceremony this weekend, and he got his first taste of the NYC media on December 13.

“I just know if they get me, they’re gonna get everything I have,” Ward told NorthJersey.com media member and long-time NYG beat reporter Art Stapleton on Friday, when asked about the Giants’ potential interest in him in the upcoming draft. Per Stapleton, Ward said this with a “smile.”

The incoming rookie also seemed excited about the possibility of throwing the ball to star wide receiver Malik Nabers.

“It’d be good,” Ward responded, when asked about potentially playing with Nabers. “A player like that wins 50/50 balls, wins against man covers, he knows the soft spots in zones. He’s only going to make me better if I get a chance to play with him. He’s a No. 1 receiver for a reason.”

Nabers was similarly complimentary of Ward earlier this week on December 11.

Potential Giants QB Target Cam Ward Says He Doesn’t ‘Believe in Pressure’

It’s been said that neither Sanders nor Ward will run from the pressure of playing in New York City. The Miami signal-caller backed up those claims on December 13.

“I don’t really believe in pressure. I play football,” Ward told reporters on Friday. “Stay off the phone, that’s all I can say. Enjoy your life, make plays, everything will take care of itself.”

That’s the right mentality in general, but in a city like New York, it’s imperative that high-profile players operate as Ward suggests.

Eli Manning and Daniel Jones purposefully stayed off social media throughout their NYG tenures, and even if Jones’ career in New York didn’t work out in the long run, he’d likely tell you that he was better for it.

Manning would too. After all, he’s the one that advised Jones about what it’s like to play quarterback in New York in the first place.

Shedeur Sanders Embraces NYC Spotlight & Fans at Madison Square Garden

It’s only December 13, and Sanders versus Ward is already the hot topic debate around the Giants community. Big Blue cannot afford to miss on their next quarterback prospect, and being that Sanders and Ward are seen as the cream of the crop in 2025, fans are beginning to plant their flag in one camp or the other.

Clearly, Ward is not only open to representing the Giants as their next franchise QB, but he also appears to welcome it. On the flip side, it’s been publicly questioned as to whether or not Sanders feels the same — mainly because his father, NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, has made comments about wanting to have some say in where his sons end up.

In case you missed it, however, Shedeur Sanders made an appearance at Madison Square Garden on December 11, and he seemed to embrace the NYC spotlight rather than run from it. ESPN NYG beat reporter Jordan Raanan shared video of the interaction on X.

Sanders received a shout-out on the Madison Square Garden jumbotron during the New York Knicks game on Wednesday night, and the quarterback prospect stood and pumped up the crowd as fans gave him a loud ovation.

On social media, Raanan’s video also generated 4.3K likes and over 400,000 views.

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Orr compared rookie Nabers to another former LSU great, Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowler Ja’Marr Chase. The comparison was made when Orr spoke to reporters, including ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, on Thursday, December 12.

He told Hensley Nabers is “an explosive player. He kinda, you know he’s not there yet, but he kinda remind me, just from his college tape, kinda like Ja’Marr Chase from the sense of he’s explosive, he can make contested catches. He gets the ball in his hands, he’s a good RAC guy.”

Why should Orr’s take on Nabers worry the Ravens before their game against the Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, December 15? Well, because Chase has long been a thorn in the side of the Ravens, notably humiliating Orr’s defense for 264 yards and three touchdowns in Week 10.

Malik Nabers Needs the Ball

The Giants are committed to getting Nabers the ball, but the task is made difficult by the team’s carousel at quarterback. Popular third-stringer Tommy DeVito is set to return to the starting lineup in place of expensive backup Drew Lock, according to Hensley’s colleague Adam Schefter.

Neither passer is likely to scare the Ravens, but Nabers can create big plays against an overly generous pass defense. He’s still making an impact, like this after-catch run against the New Orleans Saints in Week 14, highlighted by Dan Schneier of CBS Sports.

This type of play should have the Ravens concerned. Particularly since Orr’s unit has already given up 1,493 yards after the catch this season, per Pro Football Reference.

There have been improvements in recent weeks, but Orr will need to adjust his schemes to prevent Nabers from running wild the way Chase has done against Baltimore this season.

Ravens Need New Plan for Ja’Marr Chase-Style WR

Chase’s Bengals are only 3-5 against the Ravens, but the wideout’s individual numbers are a different story. He’s burned the Ravens for just 38 yards shy of 1,000 in eight games, including 193 back in October, followed by 200-plus in November, per StatMuse.

If Orr is seeing the same traits in Nabers then he needs a new plan because what the Ravens have done against Chase hasn’t worked. Specifically, Chase shredded zone coverage in Week 10, like when he scored from 70 yards against Cover 4, according to Next Gen Stats.

The Ravens should employ more physical, press-man coverage against Nabers. Finding the right one-on-one matchup will be tough, even though Orr has Marlon Humphrey and Tre’Davious White available among a host of All-Pro cornerbacks on the back end.

Bolstering the cornerback room with veteran talent is starting to pay dividends. So is reshuffling the deck at safety.

Orr’s best plan for Nabers might still be to rattle and confound DeVito with pressure. The Ravens have one of the lowest blitz percentages in the league at 21.4, but this is a game to increase the number.

Increasing the pressure on an already struggling quarterback operation will prevent Nabers getting the targets he wants. That will leave the often outspoken receiver frustrated enough not to harm the Ravens too much.

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And although Nabers made sure not to gush over either out of respect to the current Giants’ signal-callers, he did acknowledge that “those guys are amazing players.”

Nabers also made it clear that he has no personal relationship to Sanders or Ward but has seen both play football. With Ward, the NYG rookie has only watched him on television, but in the case of Sanders, Nabers noted that he’s actually matched up against him at Deion Sanders’ camp.

“We actually played in — it was like a camp, the day after it was like a 7-on-7 camp — we met Shedeur in the finals,” Nabers recalled, stating that former LSU teammate Garrett Nussmeier was his quarterback in this mini-tournament. He didn’t say who won, but Nabers’ devilish grin hinted that it was a fond memory.

Later, after a follow-up question on Shedeur Sanders in particular, Nabers admitted that he’s always kept an eye on his collegiate career being that he and the QB prospect came out of the same high school class — and just the fact that he was Deion Sanders’ son.

“You always wanted to watch what those guys [were] doing, and they did it at a high level wherever they went,” Nabers concluded. “So, it was amazing and impressive to see what [Sanders] has done.”

Giants Fan Poll Provides Baseline for Shedeur Sanders vs. Cam Ward

Sanders versus Ward might be the No. 1 debate among Giants fans at the moment, and The Athletic posed this question to NYG supporters during a survey of nearly 4,000 fans on December 4.

“If the Giants secure the No. 1 pick in the draft, whom should they pick?” The Athletic asked, with the choices including Sanders, Ward, “trade back,” Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter, an offensive lineman and “other.”

In the end, three answer options dominated the poll and Ward led the way. The full results were:

• Cam Ward (34.5%).
• Trade back (27.3%).
• Shedeur Sanders (19.8%).
• Travis Hunter (9.9%).
• Offensive lineman (4.3%).
• Other (4.2%).

On that note, The Athletic’s NFL draft expert Dane Brugler argued that Ward is “the best fit” for the Giants on November 27, if they were to draft a quarterback.

“With his arm talent and elusiveness in the pocket, Ward is an exciting player who can keep plays alive and sling the ball to every inch of the field,” Brugler scouted. “The looseness in his game is a double-edged sword that allows him to improvise and create, but it also leads to turnover-worthy decisions and unnecessary sacks. And that isn’t going to change overnight. Sign a veteran starter and allow the rookie to develop at his own pace without forcing him onto the field.”

In terms of temperament — which is always a factor in New York City — Brugler described Ward as “reserved” but also “ultra-competitive” and “confidently smart.” He liked the Miami playmaker’s “mental toughness” as well.

On the flip side, he called Sanders confident, but not necessarily arrogant. “He doesn’t allow outside pressure to shrink his on-field play,” the scouting expert added, “and his Colorado teammates love him.”

Pro Football Network’s Mock Draft Data Illustrates National View of Shedeur Sanders vs. Cam Ward

According to data provided by Pro Football Network and their mock draft simulator, both Sanders and Ward are expected to be top three picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.

On August 26, neither QB had an average draft position (ADP) in the top 10, and Ward’s was as low as 81.3. As of December 2, however, PFN’s data shows that Sanders currently has the No. 1 ADP in the draft class, with Ward ranking third just behind Hunter.

Sanders and Ward are also the two most popular players that are mock drafted by the Giants as of December 2, and it’s not particularly close.

37.0% of fans tend to mock Sanders to Big Blue, which is a gradual rise from 24.3% in early September. Ward’s NYG popularity has skyrocketed though, jumping from less than 5.2% on September 9 to 31.8% on December 2.

Per PFN, 70.8% of fans expect the Giants to select a quarterback in round one of the 2025 NFL Draft.

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He may not be on the same level as Barkley, but the Giants could enact some revenge in free agency next spring, swiping starting offensive guard Mekhi Becton from the Eagles. Bleacher Report analyst Matt Holder suggested Becton as a good 2025 fit for Big Blue on December 9.

Reasoning: “New York will likely be welcoming a new quarterback this offseason, but the offense will have a hole to fill in the trenches. Greg Van Roten is only on a one-year deal and turns 35 years old in February.”

“Becton’s career got off to a rough start with the [New York] Jets,” Holder continued, “but he’s bounced back with a strong campaign in 2024. According to Pro Football Focus, the 25-year-old has earned a 72.6 grade overall and has only surrendered 19 pressures through Week 13.”

After one of his best outings of the season in Week 14, Becton has actually bumped that 2024 PFF grade up to 76.0. The hulking 6-foot-7 blocker has also excelled as a run blocker in Philadelphia — which has typically been his strong suit throughout his career — posting an accumulative 76.4 grade that is tied for 14th in the NFL (minimum 50% snaps played).

Ex-Jets First Rounder Mekhi Becton Has Reshaped His Career After Important Position Change

Most Giants fans probably have a decent recollection of Becton’s time with the Jets. He was often injured, struggled with weight issues or was inconsistent in pass protection.

Having said all of that, Becton exclusively played offensive tackle with the cross-town franchise — with most of his usage coming at left tackle.

In Philly, he’s remodeled himself as a quality offensive guard, logging 698 offensive snaps at RG in 2024. That’s already the second-most single season snaps of his career, topped only by his final year with the Jets in 2023.

He also got himself in better shape with the Eagles and assuming Becton closes out the season with no injuries, he should command a decent amount on the open market given the general OL need around the league. After all, Becton is a former first-round talent that’s still relatively young.

He’s a mauler in the ground game too, and his presence on the interior has certainly aided Barkley as the RB posts career numbers in Philly.

The Giants’ interest in Becton would certainly depend on whoever’s calling the shots in 2025, as well as the coaching staff’s offensive philosophy. However, it’s been a while since Big Blue deployed a dominant rushing attack.

Becton would help with that, even if his pass protection still ranks middle of the pack.

Would Mekhi Becton Return to MetLife Stadium & NYC Media After Injury-Ridden Tenure With Jets?

There is one potential hang-up of Becton to the Giants, and that’s him choosing to return to both NYC and MetLife Stadium.

NFL athletes have often voiced their displeasure with the MetLife Stadium turf many times in recent years, claiming that it has been the cause of several non-contact injuries. Certain free agents might not care about this potential issue, but Becton has reason to take it into consideration.

Becton has dealt with multiple knee injuries since entering the league, although it should be noted that none of these injuries actually occurred at MetLife Stadium. Still, the thought of returning to his old stomping grounds and New York City in general could be a potential drawback for the reclamation project after years of negativity and media scrutiny.

Especially since the Giants have created a similar amount of organizational chaos as the Jets in recent seasons.

Of course, it’s possible that Becton would like the idea of an NYC return — hoping to prove Jets naysayers wrong while starting in their own backyard. As usual, Becton’s biggest free agency factor will likely be the guaranteed money that he’s offered.

The Eagles only paid Becton $2.75 million in guarantees in 2024. The 25-year-old offensive lineman also earned approximately $18.45 million from his first-round contract with the Jets.

While $20 million-plus in career earnings is certainly nothing to sneeze at, Becton has yet to truly cash in on his football skillset. He’ll be looking to do that in 2025, and if the Giants offer the most guaranteed money, any other deciding factors could fall by the wayside.

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Jones is on the Vikings’ practice squad, so it’s not an ideal gig for him yet. Whether the Vikings will ever start Jones is in question, since Minnesota has quarterback Sam Darnold playing now and injured franchise quarterback J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings.

Now, one NFL analyst and expert is predicting that Jones might get for a “second chance” with a team really in need of a quarterback.

Daniel Jones Could Get a ‘Second Chance’

In a December 11 feature for FanSided, Christopher Kline states that Jones “deserves another chance away from Giants purgatory.”

He also calls the New York Giants’ environment “toxic” and notes that Jones was “the butt of jokes and the focal point of criticism after every loss.”

“Despite standing behind possibly the NFL’s leakiest offensive line, Jones received the majority of the blame for copious sacks and rushed throws,” the NFL expert added.

But, Kline thinks Jones could bring something to one particular NFL team, and that’s the Tennessee Titans.

Kline notes that even though it’s “unclear whether or not the Titans will move on from Will Levis outright next season,” the 2025 NFL draft doesn’t have the best quarterback roster, “so there’s a case for kicking that particular can down the road.”

“The best course of action may be signing an established vet to challenge Levis in training camp,” he added. “In short, a QB competition could be worthwhile.”

Daniel Jones is a ‘Prototypical Athlete’

That’s where Jones comes in. Kline states that “Jones can at least hold a fire to Levis’ feet.”

“If Jones outperforms Levis, that at least clarifies something about the future in Tennessee. Jones probably isn’t a long-term starting option, but he’s a prototypical athlete for the position — 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, with mobility and an occasional canon — and he could provide a bit more stability with real pass protection and a viable playmaking corps,” Kline added.

Kline also notes that the Giants’ decision to waive Jones was due to “optics” more than anything, to kind of make a statement. He also says that for Jones, there’s no real future with the Vikings unless it’s as their backup quarterback. If Jones wants to start somewhere, he’ll have to bolt.

“It is perhaps foolish to tab Jones as a definite starter in 2025, but one has to think he deserves another chance,” Kline added.

Kline also thinks Vikings quarterback Darnold and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders would be a good fit for the Titans. But, since Sanders will likely be the first quarterback picked in the 2025 NFL draft, they would have to get a very high spot in the draft.

The New York Giants are 2-11 going into their game against the Ravens, while Baltimore is 8-5. Believe it or not, the Giants are 14.5-point home underdogs to Baltimore per ESPN, which is a lot, to say the least. USA Today has them a 15-point home underdog.

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After Giants head coach Brian Daboll initially said during a press conference on Monday, December 9, that he was going with Lock as quarterback, now, there’s been a change.

Drew Lock Likely Won’t Start Against the Ravens

When the Giants take on Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, Lock won’t be their starting quarterback. Per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, “Drew Lock has a heel injury and is wearing a boot. That means it’s back to Tommy DeVito on Sunday as the starting quarterback vs. the Ravens.”

“Wonder if that boot has secret game-winning powers. Time to be magical,” one fan jokingly commented in response to Schwartz’s post.

Dan Salomone of the Giants’ website also confirmed the news, posting on X, “Brian Daboll said QB Drew Lock is in a boot with a heel injury. Tommy DeVito will take his reps at practice today and would start Sunday vs. Ravens if Lock can’t play.”

So, hometown boy DeVito will likely step up. Fans, chances are, will be divided on the pick, since even though DeVito is a local favorite, some don’t think he’s cut out for leading the Giants. Either way, it’s going to be a challenging game for the Giants without a franchise quarterback going into a matchup against the great Jackson.

Giants vs. Ravens Predictions

The New York Giants are 2-11 heading into their game against the Ravens, while Baltimore is 8-5.

The Giants are 14.5-point home underdogs to Baltimore per ESPN, which is biggest spread they’ve had at home since 1966. USA Today has them a 15-point home underdog.

NFL analyst and expert Jon Alfano of Sports Illustrated says that the Giants have “nothing to lose” against the Ravens.

“The Giants are essentially waiting for the season to end, as they’re now 2-11 and riding an eight-game losing streak,” he wrote in a December 11 feature. “They’ve also dealt with a plethora of injuries this season, including to their best players such as defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II and offensive tackle Andrew Thomas.”

He added that while “it would be very easy for the Giants to just give up on the rest of the season,” the team is “still playing for pride, and the fact they have nothing to lose adds a unique element to the matchup.”

What’s interesting is that even though this game might not mean a ton to the Giants, it means a lot to the Ravens. Their 8-5 record isn’t nearly as perfect as they would like, and they’ve struggled with some unexpected losses, such as against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2 and Cleveland Browns in Week 8. Losing another game to a team with a losing record like the Giants would be an irreversible blow to their season.

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At first, Daboll started fan favorite Tommy DeVito, but then switched to Drew Lock. Now, Daboll has made a call on which quarterback is going to play against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.

Brian Daboll Makes Final Quarterback Decision for Ravens Game

Speaking with press on Monday, December 9, Daboll said the Giants would be starting Lock, as long as he’s healthy enough.

“Yeah, Drew will be at quarterback this week, unless he can’t be based on injury,” Daboll said.

The move is somewhat of a surprise, since Lock’s stats from the past two games haven’t been great. Lock completed 51.9% of his passes for a total of 405 yards, two interceptions and no touchdowns in the Giants’ losses to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints.

NFL writer and expert Matt Sidney of GmenHQ stated that the move was a bit “puzzling.”

“The Giants face the Ravens this week, a team sitting at 8-5 and fighting for playoff positioning in the AFC. Baltimore opened as a heavy favorite, and few are expecting a Drew Lock-led offense to offer much resistance,” he stated in a December 10 feature. “With nothing to lose, the decision to stick with Lock feels more puzzling than purposeful.”

Of Lock, Sidney also stated, “While he did provide a brief spark with his legs, rushing for a team-high 59 yards, his overall performance was emblematic of the Giants’ season: uninspired, inconsistent, and ultimately ineffective.”

Giants HC Brian Daboll Talks Losing Streaks, Winning Streaks

Elsewhere in the press conference, Daboll talked about the Giants’ losing streak and said he’s been apart of losing streaks before.

“I’ve been part of some losing streaks like this and some winning streaks,” he told reporters. “I think you are part of a lot of different things when you do it for as long as I have. You get a little bit of roll; you start playing good. Turnovers are a big, usually a big factor in that. Situational football is usually a big factor in that. Whether that be red zone, third down, and that helps scoring points, or preventing points.”

Daboll added that he’s been a part of losing streaks where they started out and had a bunch of losses but then “finished strong.”

“Again, every season’s different, every game’s different,” Daboll added. Then, regarding the loss against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, December 8, he said there were “ebbs and flows” to the matchup and that they “had some opportunities there, I’d say, in all three phases.”

He also talked about the red zone plays of the game, stating, “We had the one thing in the red zone there, defensively, where they did a good job of shifting out, we had an uncovered guy. So, there’s plays every game, every season. Got to figure out a way to make those.”

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Team reporter Dan Salomone relayed them on X, listing the following transactions:

• CB Tre Hawkins III was placed on the injured reserve.
• C Jimmy Morrissey was placed on the practice squad injured reserve.
• DL Ross Blacklock, QB Tim Boyle, CB Ekow Boye-Doe and CB Azizi Hearn were signed to the practice squad.
• CB Greg Stroman was signed to the active roster from the practice squad.

Ex-Chiefs CB Ekow Boye-Doe & Former Second-Round Talent Ross Blacklock Headline Giants’ Week 15 Signings

Blacklock and Boye-Doe stand out as the more notable names among the newcomers. The former is a 26-year-old NFL journeyman that has plenty of experience since entering the league as a second-round selection of the Houston Texans in 2020.

In total, Blacklock has appeared in 44 regular season outings, but he only dressed for four games in 2023. He’s recorded 3.0 sacks and 5 tackles for a loss over his four years of NFL action, as well as 1 forced fumble and 9 QB hits.

Boye-Doe is another intriguing addition that the Giants will take a look at as they gear up for 2025. The 25-year-old cornerback is a former undrafted prospect that fought his way onto the practice squad of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023.

Later, he appeared in six regular season games for the Chiefs during their 2023 Super Bowl run, as well as one playoff outing. After earning a championship ring, Boye-Doe returned to KC for training camp in 2024, but he was unable to win a spot this time around.

The team cut him loose at the 53-man deadline, but the native Ghanaian and Kansas State product certainly has some upside at an area of need.

As for the other two, Boyle has seesawed on and off the roster as the third quarterback since Daniel Jones’ release. He’s another journeyman and an emergency QB option that has bounced around the league since 2018.

Hearn is a 25-year-old undrafted defensive back, like Boye-Doe. He spent the 2023 campaign on the New England Patriots’ practice squad and logged some time with Carolina in 2024. Hearn has yet to appear in a regular season outing.

Giants CB Tre Hawkins Suffers Season-Ending Injury After Encouraging Performance

Stroman will replace Hawkins on the active roster, and it’s a really disappointing turn of events for the 2023 sixth-round pick out of Old Dominion.

“CB Tre Hawkins suffered a fractured lumbar spine yesterday, per source,” The Athletic’s Dan Duggan reported on December 9. “Tough blow for the second-year corner after he played the best game of his career, including the first interception by a Giants DB this season.”

ESPN’s Jordan Raanan echoed Duggan’s sentiment in a follow-up post, adding: “Tre Hawkins played the best game of his young career on Sunday. This sucks for him. Was finally getting chance to play.”

It really has just been that kind of year for the Giants. The minute a player shows promise, he’s snuffed out by injury.

Stroman’s performed pretty well when called upon in 2024, but he’s a veteran at age 28, not a prospect with upside potential. While helpful right now, Stroman is not a future piece that the Giants can develop as the season plays out — he’s a solid reserve that is more of a placeholder than a long-term answer.

Along with Hawkins’ fractured lumbar spine, starting offensive guard Jon Runyan Jr. suffered an ankle injury in Week 15. Per The Athletic’s Charlotte Carroll on December 8, “Giants G Jon Runyan said [his] ankle feels relatively fine walking around and doesn’t think it will be long term. X-rays were negative.”

However, on December 9, head coach Brian Daboll relayed that Runyan will be “week-to-week” with this ankle injury, putting the remainder of his 2024 season in doubt.

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For those NYG supporters in particular, there was finally a bit of positive news on December 10.

“Per @PFN365, the NY [Giants] have — by far — the best chance at the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft at 38.9%,” Big Blue View’s Ed Valentine relayed on X. “The [New England] Patriots [(3-10)] are next at 18%, with the [Las Vegas] Raiders [(2-11)] at 16.6%.”

In a follow-up article, Valentine noted that he determined these odds using Pro Football Network’s simulator tool, which uses “a proprietary, state-of-the-art algorithm” to predict the results of the remaining games on each team’s schedule.

NFL Insider Says Giants Currently Hold No. 1 Overall Pick Over Raiders Entering Week 15

In terms of record entering Week 15, the Giants and the Raiders are currently locked in a two-way tie at the bottom.

Tankathon lists the Raiders ahead of the Giants for the No. 1 pick as of December 10, but ESPN NFL insider Field Yates reported the opposite on X, stating that the Giants are now at one. When followers questioned Yates in his replies, he doubled down, explaining: “To clarify as many people are responding [that the Giants are second]; per the official waiver order for NFL teams, the Giants currently have the edge for the number 1 pick, ahead of the Raiders.”

This head-to-head battle could end up being very important if the Giants determine that they have interest in Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The Raiders are thought to be the “preferred destination” for Sanders and his team — headed by his father Deion Sanders — although none of that speculation has been proven accurate.

The Giants will close out the 2024 campaign at home versus the Baltimore Ravens (8-5), on the road against the Atlanta Falcons (6-7), at home facing the Indianapolis Colts (6-7) and on the road in Philadelphia to close out the season versus the division-leading Eagles (11-2).

As for the Raiders and Patriots, below are their remaining schedules:

• Raiders: Falcons (6-7) at home, Jacksonville Jaguars (3-10) at home, New Orleans Saints (5-8) on the road, Los Angeles Chargers (8-5) at home.
• Patriots: Arizona Cardinals (6-7) on the road, Buffalo Bills (10-3) on the road, Chargers (8-5) at home, Bills (10-3) at home.

The Carolina Panthers, Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New York Jets and Cleveland Browns all remain in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick at 3-10 — similar to the Patriots. Having said that, New England has better odds of finishing last due to their schedule.

One More Giants Win Could Shift NFL Draft Odds for the No. 1 Overall Pick

It goes without saying, but even one more win would likely shift these odds dramatically, giving the Pats, Raiders or any of the 3-10 teams a much better shot at the No. 1 overall pick.

The Giants have the best percentage — in large part — because they’re expected to lose every game the rest of the way. After all, the Ravens and Eagles are top-tier playoff teams, and the Falcons and Colts are middle-of-the-pack but the fact that they’re in contention gives them a lot more to play for.

If you’re among those rooting for the tank, one scenario to watch could be the Eagles pulling their starters in Week 18. The Giants beat Philadelphia to close out the year in 2023, and although it was a meaningless game for both teams in terms immediate impact, the victory did help drop Big Blue in the draft order.

And when a meaningless win costs you a potential quarterback of the future like Drake Maye or Sanders, it becomes very meaningful very quickly — except, in a negative way.

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Enter quarterback Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons. One NFL expert and analyst thinks Cousins could be the answer to the Giants’ quarterback woes.

Kirk Cousins Could Be the Veteran Quarterback the New York Giants Need

In a December 8 feature for FanSided, reporter Grayson Freestone includes the Giants as one of the teams who could trade for Cousins during the offseason.

“New York Giants’ quarterback disasters could end with Kirk Cousins,” he notes in the feature. That’s quite a statement.

Freestone adds that while the Giants’ “coaching staff and front office is to be determined,” they’ll probably change a lot after the “disastrous season.”

“Knowing the intentions of how this team will approach the quarterback position is impossible. We have to wait to see who they hire,” he said. “However, fixing the quarterback position has to be done, and Kirk Cousins could do just that.”

It’s not all a go, though. Freestone admits that signing a veteran quarterback given the Giants’ roster “might not be the most wise thing to do,” but that since their hands were tied “after the Daniel Jones pick, perhaps adding a short-term solution isn’t the worst idea.”

He also says the Giants could do what the Falcons did and trade for Cousins while also drafting a solid quarterback.

Kirk Cousins Could Be a Top Trade Piece for 2025

Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon ranked his top seven trade pieces for the 2025 offseason in a feature published Saturday, December 7. Cousins was No. 7 on the tally.

“Rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the eighth overall pick of the 2024 draft, is considered the future of the Atlanta Falcons. But what’s the timeline?” Kenyon stated.

Kenyon added that the Falcons made a big “splash in free agency last offseason” but adding Cousins on a four-year, $180 million contract. He continued that, “However, the Falcons selected Penix one month later. They clearly plan on having him take control of the team at some point, which typically happens in short order with top-10 picks.”

Kenyon added that one good thing for the Falcons is that they currently stand “atop the NFC South with a playoff bid looking likely. In such a bad division—one that doesn’t project to improve much by 2025—why rush to make changes?”

But, he adds that they shouldn’t necessarily be “scared of unleashing Penix” if he’s ready. “Cousins has a $40 million cap number next season, but he’s still effective enough to have a legitimate trade market,” he added.

Dave Holcomb of Sports Illustrated adds in a December 9 feature, “There’s little debate that Cousins is a potential trade chip. But all that really says is he has value on the trade market. That doesn’t mean the Falcons will have any interest in shopping him.”

He continued, “When the 36-year-old quarterback signed with the Falcons, it really appeared to be a 2-year deal with the potential for longer depending on his level of play.” Holcomb adds that he doesn’t think anything “has happened this season to change that plan.”

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Missing out on Daniels was compounded by the playmaker landing with NFC East rivals the Washington Commanders. He’s since led the Commanders to an 8-5 record, including wins over the Giants in Weeks 2 and 9, and into playoff contention, while Big Blue is floundering at 2-10 amid a slew of disasters at quarterback.

Using the 2025 draft as a do-over for acquiring a signal-caller like Daniels is an idea from Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News. He believes “Ward can be the next dynamic dual threat in the vein of Jayden Daniels, who is lighting it up for the rival Commanders as a rookie. With Daniel Jones gone, the Giants should be fine addressing a franchise QB early in April.”

Taking a raw but undoubtedly gifted athlete like Ward would give the Giants a chance for a much-needed reset at football’s most important position. It’s been long overdue.

Cam Ward Has Traits Giants Can’t Ignore

Ward has dominated for the Miami Hurricanes because of the same multi-faceted flair that made Daniels a star at LSU. Like Daniels, Ward plays a game defined by escapability, succeeding off-script and finding any way to make highlight-worthy plays.

All of those qualities showed up on this ad-libbed splash play against Virginia Tech, highlighted by ESPN.

Plays like this used to be out of the norm, but they are fast becoming part of the blueprint for the modern pro quarterback. Think Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. Think Lamar Jackson. Think Daniels and fellow rookie, New England Patriots starter Drake Maye.

Like those established NFL names, Ward has been prolific in both phases at the collegiate level this season. He’s thrown for 4,123 yards and 36 touchdowns, while also rushing for a quartet of scores, per Sports Reference.

The Giants have lacked a truly versatile playmaker as their QB1 for too long. Somebody capable of transforming their offense into a big play likely to happen from anywhere on the field.

Things might have been different had head coach Brian Daboll exerted more influence during the pre-draft process this year.

Giants Have Rued Jayden Daniels Miss

The Commanders took Daniels off the board with the second-overall pick, so the Giants would’ve needed to trade up, but they had the incentive. Especially when Daboll openly declared his fondness for Daniels’ talents.

Unfortunately, a front office led by general manager Joe Schoen opted to double down on the already hefty investment in erratic veteran Daniels Jones. That decision backfired and Jones was unceremoniously released in November.

The Giants have since been content to trust high-priced backup Drew Lock and undrafted free agent Tommy DeVito with the reins. It’s hardly surprising then the team has lost three-straight and some frustrated fans are taking their calls for change public and to the skies.

If the Giants are mailing in this season in the hopes of preserving a top-three pick to choose a quarterback, Ward may be the best option. Even if Schoen and Daboll, the architects of bypassing Daniels and endorsing Jones, are no longer around to make the selection.

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Footage of the banner was posted by Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic, clearly showing the message, “MR MARA ENOUGH – PLZ FIX THIS DUMPSTER FIRE.”

The message is likely to be voiced louder and more often after Daboll oversaw a 14-11 defeat at home on Sunday, December 8. It marked an eight-straight loss for the 2-11 Giants, who haven’t won at home this season, so Daboll said he understands the frustration among fans.

Speaking to reporters after the game, including ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, Daboll responded, “Look, we won two games. Not happy either.”

Daboll might share their feelings, but fans wanting change will care more about what the primary decision-maker has to say about the banner. Unfortunately, Giants CEO Mara “declined to comment,” according to NJ.com’s Steve Politi.

Mara’s not talking now, but he won’t be able to avoid this question forever. Not when Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen have backed themselves into a corner with several contentious personnel decisions that simply haven’t worked out as anticipated.

Decision Looming for John Mara After Saints Debacle

He’s previously given Daboll and Schoen a vote of confidence, but pressure is building for Mara to change his mind. The 70-year-old wants some continuity and to give a regime he handpicked in 2022 the time to build something that lasts.

That’s all good in theory, but the Giants have gone backwards after Schoen and Daboll inspired a surprise playoff berth two seasons ago. Big Blue has won just eight games since, cycled through one unconvincing quarterback after another and parted company with several talented players who are thriving elsewhere.

Those failings are yielding weekly humiliations, with a botched comeback against the Saints the lowest point. The Giants trailed by three, but Graham Gano had a 35-yard field goal attempt to send a game no spectator would have wanted to see prolonged into overtime.

Instead, second-year Saints defensive lineman Bryan Bresee broke through to block the kick.

The special teams gaffe meant the Giants were beaten by a four-win team led by an interim head coach. This looks like the nadir of Daboll’s tenure.

Mara wouldn’t be accused of any knee-jerk reactions if he parted company with Daboll and Schoen. The boss has all the information he needs to make a tough call many fans would welcome.

Brian Daboll’s Giants Rebuild Has Failed

There’s a laundry list worth of team-building mistakes made by Daboll and Schoen. None more so than choosing to pay erratic quarterback Daniel Jones over two-time Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley in 2023.

Fast forward to today and Jones has been released, while Barkley is leading the league in rushing for the Giants fiercest NFC East rivals the Philadelphia Eagles. Mara was never comfortable with the decision to let Barkley enter free agency, but he should also feel bitter about the other key players allowed to leave in recent years.

They include safety Xavier McKinney, this season’s joint-leader in interceptions as a member of the Green Bay Packers. Meanwhile, defensive tackle Leonard Williams has embraced being traded to the Seattle Seahawks and is playing some of the best football of his career.

Personnel calls aren’t the only things Daboll and Co. have gotten wrong. The coach’s decision to take play-calling responsibilities away from offensive coordinator Mike Kafka has backfired.

A Daboll-called offense averages just 15.3 points per game and has scored a mere 19 touchdowns, per ESPN. Daboll-led changes on the other side of the ball also haven’t worked.

Popular defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale parted company with the Giants after an apparent spat with the head coach. Like many former Giants players, Martindale feels the grass is greener.

Daboll chose Shane Bown to replace Martindale, but the defense has snatched just two interceptions and been inconsistent putting pressure on quarterbacks.

Mara won’t have to make a compelling case for moving on from Daboll and Schoen. He’ll find it tougher to justify keeping the duo.

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