Tell me if you've heard this one before: The New York Giants need a quarterback. Because apparently, throwing Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito, and Tim Boyle out on the field hasn't necessarily worked wonders for the G-Men. Aside from DeVito, the Giants will need to replace the entire quarterback room, and that's best-case scenario for a team devoid of legitimate QB play.
At the NFL Combine, general manager Joe Schoen told the world he would do anything and everything in his power to bring a signal caller to New York. He officially put rocks on notice, claiming there would be no stone left unturned in their search. Well, about a week or so after his comments, it seems as if he's a man of his word.
Since the rock gauntlet was thrown, Schoen has had his hands in many a cookie jar. It started with the Matthew Stafford trade rumors, which then led to the No. 1 overall pick trade rumors, which led to the Aaron Rodgers free agency rumors, and now we’re here—staring down what might be the Giants' most realistic quarterback option yet.
For once, Schoen might not even have to lift a rock. The quarterback market just handed him a golden opportunity on a silver platter.
The Minnesota Vikings are unlikely to franchise tag Sam Darnold
In a recent report from ESPN, the Vikings are reportedly not going to be giving Darnold the franchise tag, instead opting to send him to free agency. Now, that doesn't mean they aren't interested in bringing him back. It just means that he now has the option to explore other opportunities. And explore he shall...
Darnold's career has been interesting, to say the least. After widely being regarded as a draft bust, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell has 180'd Darnold's image and made him a prized free-agent target after an incredible seventh season in the league (his first in Minnesota). He threw for career highs in yards (4,319), touchdowns (35), and completion percentage (66.2). This culminated in his first Pro Bowl appearance.
After striking out on Stafford, the Giants need to pivot to another option. With the Vikings rumored to not use the franchise tag on him, this is the perfect opportunity for Schoen to snag the top quarterback of free agency. Darnold has been linked to the Giants for a while now, and the fit does make some sense. He's still relatively young (27), meaning he could be a stopgap quarterback or the quarterback of the future.
His upcoming contract will likely mirror the one the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gave to Baker Mayfield (three years, $100 million). The Giants are operating with about $48 million in cap space with ways to increase it, so this wouldn't leave them hamstrung. The opportunity to draft a quarterback is still in play if they choose to sign Darnold, too. They could have them sit behind him as they develop.
Regardless of how things play out, the Darnold update is very interesting for the Giants as they approach the most important free agency in recent memory. With Stafford off the table and the Rodgers situation looking uninspiring at best, Darnold is suddenly a real possibility. Whether the Giants go all-in or not remains to be seen, but it’s clear he’s now one of their most legitimate options.