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Jordan Raanan, ESPN Staff Writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Daniel Jones signed a $160 million deal 12 months ago, but the New York Giants may still come out of the offseason with their next franchise quarterback.
General manager Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll brought in former Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson for an “exploratory meeting” this month, though it later came out that Wilson had no guarantee he would start over Jones. And Drew Lock, who the Giants signed in free agency, confirmed he would start the season as a backup.
“Daniel Jones is the starter of this team,” Lock said. “That has been conveyed to me.”
Jones is the starter for now, but the Giants seem to be done building around him.
Multiple sources have told ESPN that Jones’ injury history is what has the team contemplating moving on. The evaluation of the player hasn’t changed all that much in the four games that Jones played from start to finish since signing that lucrative deal.
But Jones now has two neck injuries and a torn ACL in the past three years. That would be risky to build around, especially after the Giants fought until the final minutes in negotiations for the team-friendly structure of the contract. Jones got his $40 million per season; the Giants set it up with an out after two years.
The Giants met with the consensus top six quarterbacks at the NFL scouting combine, according to sources. That includes likely No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.
Schoen and director of player personnel Tim McDonnell were even at USC’s Pro Day on Wednesday to watch Williams throw. The Giants also already had UNC’s Drake Maye and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy in for visits and are expected to have private workouts with most of the top quarterbacks in the coming weeks.
The NFL draft begins on April 25, and the Giants have the No. 6 pick. It seems unlikely the Giants can get Williams or LSU’s Jayden Daniels, no matter the scenario. As of now, there isn’t a willing trade partner among the teams with the top three picks in the draft (Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and New England Patriots, respectively), according to sources.
The Minnesota Vikings could be the Giants’ biggest threat for that fourth quarterback, whether it be Maye or McCarthy. The Vikings recently added a second first-round pick in this year’s draft that most in the league believe they are going to use as ammunition to move up and get a quarterback (they own the No. 11 and No. 23 pick).
It’s entirely possible at this point that the Giants get shut out of a quarterback in the top six picks. They may be just fine with that. If free agency did anything, it suggested that a trade back — not up — could now be the most likely outcome.
After trading for standout edge rusher Brian Burns, the Giants are left with just six picks in this year’s draft. Only two teams have fewer. And if Schoen has proven anything in his first two years on the job, it’s that he’s going to be active in the draft.
A move back from No. 6 could allow the Giants to land one of the second-tier quarterbacks (Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr.), while also accumulating more draft capital. Or perhaps a quarterback like Tulane’s Michael Pratt or Spencer Rattler piques their interest.
Drafting a quarterback later in the draft could help them land a wide receiver, as well. The Giants are expected to add a notable wide receiver at some point in the draft (likely in the first two rounds) or via trade. They did little to address the position in free agency, aside from re-signing Isaiah Hodgins and signing Isaiah McKenzie.
“It’s a good quarterback draft. It’s not just at the top,” Schoen said at the combine.