With New York Giants training camp beginning in late July, BigBlueInteractive.com (BBI) breaks down each of the team’s positional groups until the players report at Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
FIND A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL BREAKDOWNS HERE
POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN: Quarterbacks
2023 YEAR IN REVIEW: After signing a 4-year, $160 million contact in March 2023, the rest of the year was a disaster for Daniel Jones. He suffered his second career neck injury in Week 5 and missed the next three games. When he returned in Week 9, he tore the ACL in his right knee, ending his season. On top of all of that, Jones was 1-5 in games that he did start, finishing the year with just 909 passing yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Tyrod Taylor started five games, finishing with a 2-3 record. His first three starts came in October after Daniel Jones was lost due to a neck injury. However, Taylor injured his ribs early in his third start, causing him to be placed on Injured Reserve for a month until December. When he returned to the 53-man roster, the team chose to start Tommy DeVito for two more games before turning back to Taylor in the final two games. Overall, Taylor played in 11 games with five starts, completing 64.4 percent of his passes for 1,341 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also rushed for 197 yards.
The Giants signed Tommy DeVito as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2023 NFL Draft. Considered more of a camp arm when they signed him, DeVito was added to the Practice Squad in late August. After Daniel Jones was first injured, DeVito was a standard elevation from the Practice Squad for three games and then was signed to the 53-man roster on Halloween. When Tyrod Taylor and Daniel Jones (again) were injured in consecutive games, DeVito was forced to enter those contests, predictably looking shaky in two losses. He then shockingly started the next six games in a row. DeVito struggled in his first start, but then won three consecutive games with a quarterback rating over 100. Then came two subpar losses and DeVito was benched in favor of Taylor. DeVito finished his surprising rookie year playing in nine games with six starts (3-3 overall record). He completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,101 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also rushed for 195 yards and one touchdown.
ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: Tyrod Taylor signed a 2-year, $12 million contract with the New York Jets. The Giants signed Drew Lock from the Seattle Seahawks to a 1-year, $5 million contract. They also claimed Nathan Rourke off of waivers from the New England Patriots after the NFL Draft.
TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES: No player in New York Giants history has caused more endless and tiresome debate than Daniel Jones. Some view him as a tragic figure, others believe the Giants simply refuse to admit a mistake. What we may never know is just how serious the team was in their attempt to possibly replace him with Drake Maye in the 2024 NFL Draft. Could it have been smoke to confuse other teams, or a publicity stunt to pacify an increasingly irritable fan base? Those fans will also be closely monitoring the other quarterbacks the Giants passed on, including J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix, and Bo Nix. It’s likely the weekly, snapshot overreactions will bring on a new level of unpleasantness.
For better or worse, conventional wisdom strongly suggests this team still belongs to Daniel Jones. The franchise insists there is no open quarterback competition. Entering his sixth NFL season, Jones is only still just 27 years old. He appears to be recovering well from his ACL injury, although the Giants will likely limit his practice snaps in training camp. The bigger shadow may in fact be the ramifications of a potential third neck injury. The two previous neck injuries have been downplayed, but Jones is a running quarterback and a third such injury would set off alarm bells.
Injuries aside, Jones is obviously on the hot seat with a fan base that is ready to turn the page. He briefly won over their hearts in minds late in 2022, but most of that goodwill has evaporated. While questions remain about the offensive line, this will clearly be the most-talented receiving group Jones has had in his entire career. Anything less than his somewhat overrated 2022 level of play would be another major disappointment. Jones has not thrown for more than 20 touchdowns since 2019. That has to change. So does his embarrassingly-low yards gained per pass attempt. He also has to prove he can stay healthy and that he is not gun-shy, mentally-damaged goods after five years of being pummeled.
If Jones misses time again, Drew Lock will get his chance to redefine his career. The fourth quarterback taken in the 2019 NFL Draft after Kyler Murray, Daniel Jones, and Dwayne Haskins, Lock is now on his third NFL team. Lock appears to have matured and has flashed at times, but he clearly has not lived up to expectations. That said, if Jones gets hurt and/or struggles again, and there is no noticeable drop off in play with Lock under center, that could very well be the final nail for Jones. It could also open the door for a new deal for Lock in 2025 if he performs well. It will also be interesting to see if Tommy DeVito’s 15 minutes of fame are up or if this is some long-range potential there.
ON THE BUBBLE: In terms of making the 53-man roster, barring injury, Jones and Lock are clearly going to make it. The bigger question with both is this their last year with the franchise? Nathan Rourke’s best shot is a Practice Squad quarterback. What to do with DeVito? Much depends on how he performs in training camp and the preseason. Despite the fact that carrying three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster is tough, the Giants may not want to expose him to waivers.
FROM THE COACHES: Brian Daboll on Daniel Jones: “He’s really right on point with where he needs to be.”
Daboll on Drew Lock: “He understands his role. I think he’s come a long way. There is a lot to learn playing that position. There is a lot of vocabulary, there’s new plays. One word means something to him in another system. He’s been to a few different places. He has been a true pro. He has definitely improved since he has gotten here.”
Daboll on Tommy DeVito: “Now he’s in the second year of the terminology. Being able to get in the huddle, hear the call, spit it out, know what to see. It’s been helpful for him. He’s had a good camp. He’s had a good camp up to this point.”
FINAL THOUGHTS: This could go a number of ways for the Giants with Daniel Jones in 2024:
- He gets hurt again and the Giants look like idiots.
- He performs poorly again and the Giants look like idiots.
- He stays healthy and plays OK, but is clearly not elevating the team.
- He stays healthy and has his best year, leaving a lot of people with egg on their face.
In five NFL seasons, Jones has remained healthy only once (2022). So the odds overwhelmingly suggest he is going to miss time again. His inability to throw touchdowns and consistently threaten defenses down the field span multiple seasons and coaching staffs, again suggesting these trends will continue. These are the realities that “Daniel Jones Fan Club” members minimize or refuse to acknowledge. It doesn’t mean fans are rooting against Jones. It means the evidence indicates there are real problems with the player.
Most NFL teams have similar talent levels. What separates them is usually quarterback play. Unless Jones or Lock have a career renaissance, or DeVito is the next Brock Purdy, the odds are the Giants are in quarterback hell and will remain so for at least another wasted season.
That all said, ending this on a positive note, Jones has a receiving group that can make his life easier. Malik Nabers, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, and Darius Slayton can turn short throws into 80-yard touchdowns. Theo Johnson is a big target who can get down the seam. Devin Singletary and Tyrone Tracy can catch the ball out of the backfield. Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka know how to scheme. It is not out of the realm of possibility that Jones throws for more than 4,000 yards and reaches a career-high in touchdown passes.
But the first step is remain on the field, and to prove he’s not mentally-damaged goods.
FINAL DEPTH CHART: Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVito
