Tommy Cutlets could cost the Giants a top-tier QB for second straight year

Daniel Jones has ostensibly played his last down for the New York Giants, thrusting Tommy DeVito into action.

Despite Drew Lock being penciled in as New York's No. 2 quarterback, the team turned to DeVito, AKA "Tommy Cutlets." It was a puzzling move that even left Lock himself confused. Nonetheless, Giants fans have been down this road with the latter before.

Nearly a year to the date, DeVito took over for Jones. Oddly enough, the Giants were 2-7 when the undrafted signal-caller stepped in. Currently sitting at 2-8, history is virtually repeating itself, although Big Blue Nation hopes this time yields different results.

Tommy Cutlets could cost the Giants a top-tier QB for second straight year

DeVito was successful under center last season — to a detriment. New York began rattling off wins, including three straight victories from Weeks 11-14. Ultimately, that proved costly, considering it knocked the Giants a few spots back in the 2024 NFL Draft order.

As Fox Sports' Peter Schrager highlights, "DeVitomania" already cost the Giants once. The unheralded passer swept the nation during the 2023 campaign, quickly emerging as a phenomenon. While it was a fun underdog story, the organization missed a prime opportunity to land its long-term quarterback solution.

The Washington Commanders and New England Patriots struggled mightily down the stretch, leapfrogging the Giants in the reverse-standings order. Ultimately, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye fell into their laps with this year's Nos. 2 and 3 selections. Alas, the Giants picked sixth, which they spent on standout wide receiver Malik Nabers.

Ironically, the DeVito-led Giants beat the Commanders and Patriots. By doing so, they squandered a chance to find a post-Eli Manning franchise centerpiece. And for what? Overall, the cost-benefit analysis of the outcome is wildly lopsided.

Thanks to DeVito, what was supposed to be a stretch of meaningless games for the Giants turned out to be devastatingly altering. Suddenly, Schrager and many alike can't help but feel déjà vu.

"[General manager Joe] Schoen has a huge decision ahead of him," Schrager states. But the options now might not be "as appealing as they were a year ago, had the Giants had a slightly better pick," he notes.

Regardless, in DeVito again, ready to muck things up for the Giants.