It is clear the New York Giants are looking for a new direction at quarterback for 2025, as they have all but ended the Daniel Jones era by benching him following their bye week.
Since then, the entire football world has been speculating about who will take over after Daniel Jones, assuming it is not Tommy DeVito, who is set to make the first start following Jones' benching. Regardless of what DeVito accomplishes, there is a strong chance the Giants will be searching for their next quarterback at the conclusion of the 2024 season.
Could it be someone in the 2025 NFL Draft? What if it is not? What if the next quarterback after Daniel Jones is already playing in the league? While on his WFAN New York radio show, former Giants running back Tiki Barber suggested the Giants pursue an offseason trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars to acquire Trevor Lawrence.
Tiki makes the case for Giants to try for a Trevor Lawrence trade:@EvanandTikiWFAN pic.twitter.com/I92kWeCb1d
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) November 21, 2024
Giants great Tiki Barber thinks they should make a push for Trevor Lawrence
The Jaguars are currently enduring a disastrous 2024 season, one that could push the franchise to reset everything, including parting ways with Trevor Lawrence, the team’s former number-one overall pick from the 2021 NFL Draft.
Some are highly skeptical of trading for Trevor Lawrence, as he signed a five-year, $275 million extension with the Jaguars before the start of the season. For the Giants to consider this move, it would not be cheap financially. The Giants are expected to release Daniel Jones in March, parting ways with the $160 million contract they gave him in March 2023. In reality, they are escaping $82 million paid over the past two years while absorbing a $22 million dead cap hit.
Those who oppose a trade might question why the Giants would take on another big-money contract after just getting out of a previous one. However, Trevor Lawrence offers much more upside. At only 25 years old, he was once considered the best player coming out of college. Lawrence has already thrown for over 4,000 yards twice in his career and has multiple seasons with 20 or more touchdown passes, achievements Daniel Jones could not accomplish in six seasons.
This leads to the next question, and perhaps the biggest mystery of all. If the Jaguars decide to trade Trevor Lawrence, what would they ask for in return for their former number-one overall pick? Considering Lawrence’s massive contract, which still has many years remaining, it is hard to imagine Jacksonville demanding a first-round pick, especially in the 2025 NFL Draft. If the Jaguars were to insist on that, the Giants would simply need to decline and focus on finding their next quarterback at a fraction of Lawrence’s cost.
Here’s my first ever Jersey Swap! Trevor Lawrence in a New York Giants jersey 👀 pic.twitter.com/aBIB5OM7jL
— Dan Lee (@DanL03) January 10, 2019
What if Jacksonville does not get greedy and instead asks for a second or even a third-round pick as a starting point in trade talks for Trevor Lawrence? That scenario might be much more feasible for both the Giants and the Jaguars to reach an agreement and finalize a deal.
If that is not enough, this is where things get interesting. What if the Giants are not as high on a quarterback in the draft compared to others? As of late Thursday night and early Friday morning following the Thursday Night Game, the Giants hold the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
If they were to trade for Trevor Lawrence, their pick would become even more valuable to a team looking to move up for a quarterback like Cam Ward, Jalen Milroe, or Shedeur Sanders. This could lead to the Giants trading the pick and receiving a significant haul of draft selections in return.
Coming to New York and getting a fresh start away from Jacksonville could be exactly what Trevor Lawrence needs. It would also allow Brian Daboll to build his offense around a former number-one overall pick with playoff experience and a postseason victory.
Travis Hunter and Trevor Lawrence for a 3/4th. Jags will fire Peterson and will look for a new direction. It makes no sense for Giants to bring back Daboll and Schoen and expect them to win right away with a rookie. Lawrence contract is manageable and I personally think https://t.co/paXZBZUYQO
— Dan Ingham (@D_Ingham5) November 17, 2024
At the same time, if Joe Schoen remains in charge of constructing the roster after the 2024 season, he should avoid being overly desperate to acquire Trevor Lawrence. Instead, he should use the Giants’ potential high draft pick as leverage if trade discussions with Jacksonville ever take place. If the Jaguars are motivated to move Lawrence, they need to make it worthwhile for the Giants to consider making the trade.
With two months remaining in the 2024 season, Trevor Lawrence will likely be one of several potential options discussed for the Giants as they head into the offseason before the 2025 season. While it might seem like an unlikely scenario, it could also depend on Jacksonville’s situation once the 2024 season concludes.
If the Jaguars decide to trade Lawrence, a team like the Giants could become a serious contender to make a deal.