It was the first weekend without football, but the constant chatter about who the next quarterback for the New York Giants will be hasn’t slowed down at all. Not only is it the most talked-about topic among the fan base on social media, but it’s also making waves across the entire football world.
The Matthew Stafford trade rumors continue to swirl, and whether that deal happens or not, most believe it wouldn’t prevent the Giants and general manager Joe Schoen from drafting a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft. After all, Stafford is 37 years old and nearing the final stretch of his career, meaning the Giants would need a long-term plan in place if they were to acquire him.
For now, the Giants still hold the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. If they don’t trade for Stafford, they can still target a quarterback with their high selection. Some believe it could be Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, while others think Miami’s Cam Ward is the better fit. Both quarterbacks have been linked to the Giants in several mock drafts since the start of the 2024 season.
In Cory Woodruff’s 2025 NFL Predictions for USA Today, two massive draft trades are projected that would shake up the draft and impact the Giants significantly.
Woodruff predicts that the Titans will land Aaron Rodgers (and reunite him with Davante Adams), allowing them to move on from the No. 1 pick. The Las Vegas Raiders would then trade up to the top spot and take Sanders as their next franchise quarterback.
There has been speculation that the Giants are high on Sanders, based on extensive scouting, but in this scenario, Las Vegas beats them to the punch by leveraging Tennessee’s desire to land a veteran quarterback.
With the Browns predicted to sign Cousins, Woodruff’s projection suggests that Cleveland would then trade down from No. 2, allowing the Giants to move up one spot to secure Cam Ward as their next franchise quarterback.
Cam Ward 🤝 New York Giants pic.twitter.com/PGX3CcgJst
— _ (@ryandisdier) January 30, 2025
What the Giants would have to give up to move up one spot is not mentioned. They would likely have to give up the number three pick to Cleveland, plus other picks as well. A year ago, the Giants tried to move up from the number six slot to the New England Patriots' number three slot in order to take Drake Maye, but the Patriots wanted Maye for themselves and declined the Giants' trade offer.
With Schoen potentially on the hot seat, along with head coach Brian Daboll, Schoen could be feeling the pressure to not only find the team’s next franchise quarterback but to ensure that they land someone with a top pick and not be denied for a quarterback, unlike last year.
With these predictions of the Titans and Browns trading the first and second overall picks, respectively, it would be history repeating itself from the 2016 NFL Draft. The Titans had the first overall pick heading into the draft nine years ago but decided to trade that pick to the Los Angeles Rams so they could draft Jared Goff.
The Browns had the second overall pick, but they decided to trade that pick to another NFC East team that needed a quarterback in the Philadelphia Eagles, who took Carson Wentz. Imagine if history found its way to repeat itself again, as the Titans and Browns both possess the first two picks and decide to trade them away to teams in need of quarterbacks.
Just like it did in 2016, those trades shook the foundation of the NFL Draft. These predicted trades, along with the signings made, would drastically change the 2025 NFL Draft, especially if Tennessee and Cleveland decide to sign veteran quarterbacks, which would then allow the Giants to get one of the top quarterbacks available.