The New York Giants are just one year removed from a disastrous offseason in which their missteps led to a Super Bowl championship for the Philadelphia Eagles. New York elected to place their faith in quarterback Daniel Jones rather than running back Saquon Barkley, and they quickly regretted the decision.
Jones was benched and subsequently released midseason after leading the team to a 2-8 record through 10 games. The Giants won just one of their remaining seven games and finished the season with the second-worst scoring offense in the league.
New York entered the offseason with a clear need at the quarterback position, but misplaced faith may once again be holding them back. New York has focused in on Aaron Rodgers, who was released by the New York Jets earlier this offseason. Rodgers, however, is currently basking in limelight. Much like Brett Favre, Rodgers has enjoyed generated headlines every offseason by remaining cryptic about his future.
Giants may just be hurting themselves by waiting for Aaron Rodgers
If the Giants keep waiting for Rodgers, they’ll likely have fewer options available if he rejects them. Teams in need of passers quickly scooped up the remaining available quarterbacks in free agency. Only four of the 11 quarterbacks listed on The Athletic’s top 150 free agents remain unsigned: Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Trey Lance.
With the potential targets dwindling down, the Giants are beginning to run out of options. There’s no guarantee that Rodgers will decide to remain in New Jersey and sign with the Giants either. Rodgers has reportedly preferred the Minnesota Vikings, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have also expressed interest in the 41-year-old quarterback.
The Giants recently hosted veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, but have yet to sign him. The only passer currently under contract with the Giants is third-year quarterback Tommy DeVito, who was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023.
If nothing else pans out, New York can at least take comfort in knowing they hold the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. That selection may be high enough to land either Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shadeur Sanders, who are widely considered to be the top two quarterback prospects in this year’s draft class.
If the Giants ultimately select a quarterback with their first-round pick, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring in a veteran who could help mentor that rookie passer. In that case, perhaps there are better options than Rodgers for that leadership role, Regardless, the Giants have to make a move sooner or later.