The New York Giants tried to trade for Matthew Stafford. Though if he was traded it probably would of been to the Las Vegas Raiders after Stafford coincidentally ran into now-Raiders minority owner Tom Brady at a ski resort. A reminder that Stafford bumped into Sean McVay in Cabo leading to his trade to the Los Angeles Rams. Nonetheless, it seems the Giants might be willing to do whatever it takes to get their franchise quarterback, even if it could lead to a fatal mistake.
The Giants have a lot of holes to fill, but none more important than the quarterback position. They could spend the $100 million they were supposedly willing to give to Stafford on free agent Sam Darnold, but that is risky after he had one good year with the Minnesota Vikings, then crumbled down the stretch.
That means they will most likely turn their attention to the draft. Most agree that Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are the top two prospects at the position. Most scouts agree that Ward is ahead of Sanders, per SNY's Connor Hughes.
After the Giants' rough season, John Mara made it crystal clear that the team needed to find their next signal caller. After whiffing on Stafford, Joe Schoen may be ready to make a bold move to get their quarterback, such as moving up to the No. 1 pick to ensure they get him. That is, at least, the buzz coming out of the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. But trading up to No. 1 to get Sanders is a bold move.
Giants trading up to No. 1 to draft Shedeur Sanders would be a bold risk by Joe Schoen
Sanders is a risky prospect. It's been reported that he has only taken interviews seriously for the teams he wants to go to, but based on the fact he was throwing to Malik Nabers before the Heisman ceremony and his Giant-colored cleats in pregame versus BYU in the Alamo Bowl, it's safe to say New York is one of those places.
As previously mentioned, many in the NFL told Hughes they believe Ward is ahead of the pact, meaning the Giants might not need to trade up if they want Sanders. Some believe he will slip out of the top five altogether.
At the end of the day, no one will remember who or where the Giants turn in their pick for as long as he is great. Everyone was stunned when the Detroit Lions selected Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round in 2023. They were even more stunned when the Falcons moved up to select Michael Penix last year. The verdict is still out on Penix, but Gibbs has been great. So Schoen needs to make sure he makes the right pick at quarterback. If not, his job will be on the line.