Undoubtedly, the New York Giants' centennial season has been something else. With just one week remaining, New York sits at 3-13 and has finally snapped a franchise-record 10-game losing streak with their first home victory in over a year, defeating the Indianapolis Colts.
While the win lifted spirits around the Giants' locker room, fans expressed frustration on social media over the tank-ruining Week 17 victory, which lowered their draft position. The win over the Colts dropped Big Blue from the first overall pick to the fourth, behind the Patriots, Titans, and Browns.
This win brought back memories of last season, when New York had a chance at a top-three pick but earned a couple of late-season wins thanks to Tommy DeVito’s success. Giants fans criticized the team for that as well, as they ended up with the No. 6 pick and drafted receiver Malik Nabers. Now, with quarterback being the clear priority, fans are starting to grow impatient.
With the Giants in desperate need of a quarterback and Daniel Jones no longer Joe Schoen's problem, Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward had started to gain traction as top options. Both looked like significant choices to become the franchise's next long-term signal-caller. Still, with the drop in draft position, the G-Men might now look at Oregon's Dillon Gabriel, Alabama's Jalen Milroe, or Georgia's Carson Beck as alternatives.
The Giants still have a shot to land Sanders or Ward, as one of the three teams ahead of them in the 2025 NFL Draft order is unlikely to draft a quarterback—most likely the New England Patriots, who selected Drake Maye with the third overall pick last year. The Giants had expressed interest in trading up to No. 3 to draft Maye, but after talks fell through, they stayed at No. 6 and took Nabers.
While it's unlikely Schoen and the Giants will pass on a quarterback again in the first round, this weaker QB draft class might prompt them to explore alternative strategies. Fans are eager for the Giants to draft their franchise quarterback; however, the team could choose to wait one more year to target Texas' Arch Manning and sign a veteran on a short-term deal in free agency.
THE NEXT QUARTERBACK OF THE NEW YORK #GIANTS: ARCH MANNING.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) December 29, 2024
This should’ve always been the plan for the G-men… better off building your team and then adding Arch as the final piece.
👀
(📸@Dav1dChabot) pic.twitter.com/vgETUspaHP
Arch Manning to the New York Giants seems realistic all of a sudden
There’s no doubt Big Blue fans would love to see another Manning at quarterback in New York. Giants fans were spoiled with 16 seasons and two Super Bowl victories with Eli Manning under center, so why not take a shot at the future Hall of Famer's nephew?
If the Giants decide to go in a different direction in the draft, they could use their first-round pick on Michigan defensive back Will Johnson to boost their secondary. The team could certainly use a significant upgrade at cornerback, given the underwhelming performance of 2022 first-rounder Deonte Banks in his second year.
The Giants would then look to sign a veteran quarterback as a one-year bridge option before integrating Manning into their offense in 2026. Some potential free-agent options for Schoen and New York include Sam Darnold, Justin Fields, and Russell Wilson. Big Blue could also explore trading for Kirk Cousins, who the Falcons recently demoted in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr.
While waiting another season for a franchise quarterback might slow the development of younger offensive playmakers like Nabers, the opportunity to have another Manning leading the Giants could be a long-term move that fans would embrace—and it might not be the worst idea.