After last week's NFL trade deadline, the NY Giants stayed with their current roster and decided not to make a move heading into the second half of the season.
There were rumors that the Giants would be sellers at the deadline, moving on from players like wide receiver Darius Slayton or linebacker Azeez Ojulari, who are both on expiring contracts and gain draft capital as they rebuild for the 2025 season.
Big Blue is at the bottom of the NFC at 2-8 and has lost its last five games, including last week's pathetic contest against the Carolina Panthers. The loss to the Panthers has officially given them the worst record in the NFC and they're now projected to have the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
While turmoil becomes the norm, many fans, analysts, and pundits have begun thinking about 2025 and what the team needs to do to return to the playoffs.
New York should prioritize the quarterback position in the NFL Draft with their first-round pick, as the Daniel Jones experiment has been a disaster. After the season, the franchise will likely opt out of Jones's contract, making him an unrestricted free agent. We can expect head coach Brian Daboll to sit a healthy Jones for the season's final games.
The New York Giants can’t risk keeping Daniel Jones at quarterback; so who’s QB1 next season? 🏈👀🤔 pic.twitter.com/7LOCoc9Kbu
— GoJo and Golic (@GoJoandGolic) November 13, 2024
ESPN recently took an early look at all 32 teams' most significant offseason needs heading into 2025. The article listed the Giants' biggest offseason need as addressing their offensive line, which is shocking, considering that the quarterback position would take a backseat to anything else given how poorly Jones has played.
ESPN doesn't believe QB is NY Giants' biggest need this offseason
The Giants improved their offensive line this season by adding Jon Runyan Jr., Jermaine Eluemenor, and Greg Van Roten. Even though the offensive line is significantly better than last year's, it's still not good enough.
The injury to former All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas has put the Giants in a tough position, forcing them to start former first-round pick Evan Neal, who has been underwhelming. As a result, ESPN highlighted Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. as a strong potential fit for the Giants.
While Banks would help NY's pass-blocking unit, the quarterback remains the team's No. 1 priority heading into next year.
Joe Schoen and the Giants had the chance to draft a quarterback in this past year’s talented class, but instead, they opted for LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers at No. 6 over Michigan’s JJ McCarthy and Oregon’s Bo Nix. The upcoming draft will offer another wealth of quarterback talent, and the G-Men can’t afford to miss out on bringing in a fresh face under center for 2025.
Despite the Giant's struggles this year, their rookie class, which includes Nabers, running back Tyrone Tracy Jr, and tight end Theo Johnson, has been tremendous. Could you imagine those weapons next season with a reliable quarterback under center?
Suppose the current draft position remains the same throughout the rest of the season. In that case, they will be looking at selecting Miami's Cam Ward, Alabama's Jalen Milroe, or Colorado's Sheuder Sanders. All three would provide a much-needed spark for the Giants on offense and fill a void Eli Manning left behind when he retired following the 2019 season.
ESPN missed the mark. Big Blue would be better off securing their QB of the future this offseason.