Giants' Daniel Jones replacement makes clear that this move isn't just about saving money

New York Giants fans, your long nightmare is finally over. Daniel Jones has been benched, almost assuredly bringing an end to his time as starting quarterback for Big Blue.

Not that New York needed a reason to demote a quarterback who currently ranks 26th out of 31 qualified passers in QBR, but this move sets the Giants up for a much-needed reset next offseason. Had Jones been allowed to play out the string of a lost season, a significant injury could've locked in $23 million in guarantees for next year. Now that his 2024 season is done, the Giants are assured of getting out from under Jones' contract with just $22 million in dead cap money. If it wasn't already, the writing is now certainly on the wall for former top-10 pick in New York, and the search for a new franchise quarterback can officially begin.

And based on their choice to replace Jones, New York doesn't want anything to get in the way of that search. Even if it means bottoming out for the rest of the year.

Giants announce that the tank is officially on by benching Daniel Jones for Tommy DeVito

You might have assumed that, with Jones on the bench, New York would turn to Drew Lock to finish out the year. The Giants went out and acquired the former second-round pick this past offseason to serve as Jones' backup, and he's currently listed as QB2 on the team's depth chart.

But Brian Daboll and Co. clearly aren't worried about remaining competitive down the stretch of another lost season. The Giants currently sit at 2-8; the only thing that a couple more wins are likely to do is tank New York's chances of landing its top choice at quarterback in next spring's draft. So Big Blue decided it wasn't leaving anything to chance: Rather than hand the offense to lock, the Giants will start third-stringer Tommy DeVito against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this coming Sunday.

Lock isn't exactly a Pro Bowler himself. He's thrown 28 touchdowns to 23 interceptions in his NFL career while completing less than 60 percent of his passes, and he's failed to stick as a starter for three different franchises now. But Lock does have a big arm and the ability to win a game or two; you just have to go back to last year for proof, when Lock subbed in for an injured Geno Smith to lead the Seattle Seahawks to a thrilling win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

DeVito, on the other hand, hasn't offered much evidence that he belongs on an NFL field. Tommy Cutlets became a folk hero in New York while leading the Giants to three straight wins last season, but things quickly fell apart once defenses adjusted to his game. There's a reason that he was an undrafted free agent two years ago, that New York eventually went back to Jones and that the team brought in Lock this spring: It doesn't trust DeVito to start competitive games, and neither does the rest of the league.

Of course, "competitive" is not what the Giants are going for anymore. Jones is as good as gone, and priority No. 1 on GM Joe Schoen's to-do list is finally fixing the team's quarterback problem. The easiest way to do that is to pick as high as possible in the 2025 NFL Draft. Lock isn't setting the world on fire, but he gives you at least the faintest hint of a downfield passing game, and an extra win or two down the stretch could be the difference between the first and fourth overall picks next spring. By opting for DeVito instead, New York has made crystal clear where its priorities lie, and after the past couple of seasons, you can't really blame them.