Malik Nabers was no consolation prize. The New York Giants stood firm at No. 6 in the 2024 NFL Draft after their efforts to trade up for Drake Maye were denied. They liked Maye and reportedly made a strong offer to move up. But the New England Patriots didn’t budge, so the G-Men shifted gears and took the top receiver on their board.
Nabers delivered and then some—he broke the Giants’ single-season receptions record, finished with over 1,200 yards, and made the Pro Bowl in his first year. He did it while working with four different quarterbacks and a battered offensive line. He gave a 3-14 team a reason to keep watching.
The Giants now know exactly when they’ll face the team that blocked their move for Maye—Week 13, under the lights in Foxborough. It’s late in the season, the quarterback questions will be louder, and the spotlight will be massive. Everything about this game makes it must-watch.
Giants-Patriots Week 13 showdown could be the start of something bigger
This game has been circled since the schedule dropped. Giants fans haven’t forgotten how much the front office wanted Maye. It wasn’t a rumor. It wasn’t posturing. New York made a real push to move up to land him. Maye ended up in New England and looked the part as a rookie. The Giants ended up with Nabers and, one year later, added Jaxson Dart to the mix.
There’s a real shot this game becomes Dart’s coming out party. By Week 13, the Giants may have already turned the page at quarterback. Russell Wilson is on a one-year deal. Jameis Winston is behind him. Dart is waiting in the wings. If he’s on the field by December 1, the comparisons will write themselves.
Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic summed up the significance of the matchup:
“Patriots QB Drake Maye is always going to be the one who got away. The Giants tried to move up to No. 3 to select Maye in the 2024 NFL Draft, but were rebuffed by New England. He went on to produce an excellent rookie campaign and has the Patriots back on the ascent. Meanwhile, the Giants aren’t yet sure if they have a QB of the future on their roster. They drafted Jaxson Dart in the first round this year, but until he gets onto the field, it will be impossible to know for sure what they have. Perhaps in this marquee Monday night matchup late in the season we’ll get to see Maye and Dart square off.”
That’s the kind of backdrop that gives this game weight. It’s not just about the standings or prime-time drama. It’s about the Giants seeing what they have—and what they might’ve had. A chance to measure their plan against the quarterback they once hoped would be theirs.
And if we’re lucky, it could be the start of something bigger. Maye vs. Dart in December won’t carry Eli Manning-Tom Brady stakes—at least not yet—but it could be the first chapter in a brand new QB rivalry worth watching. The Giants and Patriots gave us Manning vs. Brady. Maybe, just maybe, Dart and Maye can be the start of a new era.