The 2021 season was a brutal one for the New York Giants. They finished 4-13 and landed the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. However, anyone that watched them play throughout the second half of the season would see this team may be worse than their record indicates.
The Giants were a team that played without any passion down the stretch of the season. They were routinely embarrassed, as they lost seven of their last eight games of the season. All seven losses came by at least 11 points, as they were not competitive.
A big reason for the team’s lack of competitiveness was not having their starting quarterback, Daniel Jones. The offense at least put up a fight with him back there. With Mike Glennon and Jake Fromm under center, it was a mess.
But, Jones’s long-term outlook with the team is cloudy, at best. He has done little to show that he is a franchise quarterback and his NFL career would very well be on the line this upcoming season.
New York will undoubtedly bring in some competition for him or someone that will replace him. Here are three intriguing options at the quarterback position for the Giants to pursue this offseason.
3. Kenny Pickett
This is the least likely of the routes that the New York Giants will take. But, with two picks in the top-10, if the Giants fall in love with a prospect in this year’s draft class, they could pull the trigger.
One of the players that could intrigue them is Kenny Pickett. Pickett was the starting quarterback for Pitt and a Heisman finalist this season. He has developed nicely throughout his collegiate career and is a hard worker that has a lot of intangibles that NFL teams would like.
It is unlikely the Giants select a quarterback this season, especially with how deep the draft class could be in 2023. This was a similar situation with how the Giants ended up with Daniel Jones in the first place, as they forced a pick with a quarterback despite better classes being in the year before and coming in the year after.
The trading for a veteran route is something that the New York Giants will consider. The team isn’t very good, but it is fair to wonder how many more games they would have won with competent quarterback play throughout the season.
Early season games against the Denver Broncos, Washington Football Team and Atlanta Falcons could have set the tone for the season with good performances offensively. Could someone such as Russell Wilson be on their radar?
It would be costly to acquire him from the Seattle Seahawks. The Giants are more than a quarterback away from truly competing, but having a player of Wilson’s caliber running the offense would elevate the whole unit.
There are weapons to use, as Saquon Barkley, Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney are a talented trio to start with. The offensive line needs some work, but Andrew Thomas looks like a keeper at left tackle.
Acquiring Wilson would rejuvenate the team, as management would know the quarterback position is set. They would then have to build up the rest of the roster, which could be a challenge this offseason given how limited the cap space will be.
The New York Giants must bring in some competition for Daniel Jones this season. He has shown that he cannot stay healthy, which makes having a good backup that much more important.
New York didn’t prepare themselves well this season having Mike Glennon as the backup. They need to make an upgrade there and someone such as Marcus Mariota should be on their radar.
This would be a similar situation as to what Mariota went through at the end of his Tennessee Titans tenure. A former first-round pick in Ryan Tannehill was brought in looking to improve his career trajectory. Tannehill played well when called upon and the rest is history.
Mariota could have a similar outcome with the Giants. Jones has shown that he will miss a few games each season, which would open the door for Mariota, who had a winning record in three seasons with the Titans.
Given how little cap space the Giants will have, they could sell Mariota on a chance to fight for the starting job to compensate for the lack of money they can offer. Only 28-years old, Mariota could become their starter for years to come, much like Tannehill has with the Titans.
