For the first time since Eli Manning was under center, it's finally starting to feel like the Giants' quarterback situation isn't an abject disaster.
With potential franchise quarterback Jaxson Dart leading the charge with Jameis Winston behind him, the ceiling is the roof! After letting Russell Wilson walk in free agency, it had been a two-man show in John Harbaugh's QB room. But after hiring Matt Nagy as offensive coordinator and Brian Callahan as the club's passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach, they’ve clearly leaned into a ‘the more, the merrier’ approach, which led to the surprise signing of Brandon Allen.
It's a lot of who you know, not what you know, as the 33-year-old starts his third stint with Callahan after spending three seasons with him in Cincinnati (2020-22) and some time with him in Tennessee last season. But now with three QBs on the roster, a classic Harbaugh draft strategy might have officially just gone kaput.
For anyone expecting the G-Men to look for a late-round signal-caller to develop behind Dart and Famous Jameis, that plan just got sent to the Upside Down.
Brandon Allen signing might’ve closed door on Giants drafting a QB
Omitting first-round picks Lamar Jackson and Joe Flacco, Harby has used six picks on quarterbacks across his 18 seasons in Baltimore. Devin Leary, Trace McSorley, Keith Wenning, Tyrod Taylor, Troy Smith, and Derek Anderson were all Day 3 selections, which led to speculation he’d do the same with one of Big Blue’s three sixth-rounders this year.
Arkansas' Taylen Green, North Dakota State's Cole Payton, and Penn State's Drew Allar all have a good chance to hear their names on draft weekend -- likely on Day 3. Each has an interesting skill set but lacks the consistency and poise to be more appealing.
Instead, it'll be Allen stepping in as the break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option for 2026. Through six seasons, the 2016 sixth-round pick has an unimpressive 2-8 record as a starter, throwing for 1,882 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions with a 56.7% completion percentage across 19 games.
Ideally, he never ever sees a meaningful snap in Giants blue. It's clear from the numbers above that he's nothing more than a below-average backup. But that doesn't mean he's completely useless.
The only real asset the Fayetteville, Arkansas native brings to the QB room is being able to play coach extension for Dart. He speaks Callahan better than most, which could make life easier for Dart, especially with all the turnover happening in New York. That can be a lot for a young QB.
Allen fills out the quarterback room, which likely takes a late quarterback out of the equation. Harby's taken plenty of swings on those guys over the years, but with three already in the room -- and a lack of success to show for it anyway -- it doesn’t feel like a card they need to play.
Add us as a preferred source on Google