It’s unfair to bench any QB after Week 1. Or is it? Daniel Jones, according to former 2021 teammate Kyle Rudolph, is shell-shocked… his “confidence looks completely destroyed.” Rudolph barely recognizes the QB from the 2022 playoffs. The Giants will give Jones more starts but he is on a very short leash.
Does anyone think Jones is the answer in 2025? Between a limited ceiling, the potential impact of his second neck injury on his play, the injury clause in his contract ($23M potential hit in 2025 if can’t pass physical), and two other QBs on the roster, it is quickly becoming time to bench Jones. How quick? Soon. Either Jones starts playing a lot better right now, or he’ll get the clipboard.
Drew Lock needs to be given an opportunity with this Offense. In 2020, he got his only year of full time starting snaps. As a second year player, it was obviously an unremarkable performance. We look at his primary WR targets: Rookie Jerry Jeudy and Tim Patrick. This needs to be juxtaposed against Wandale Robinson and Malik Nabers. Jeudy and Patrick were not moving any needles for the Denver passing attack.
THE NY GIANTS WIDE RECEIVERS HAD THE 4th HIGHEST SEPARATION OF ANY NFL TEAM IN WEEK 1.
Drew Lock deserves a chance to get meaningful starts. Maybe this leads to starts the rest of the way. Let’s give Lock the opportunity to throw to a developing star in Nabers and other good options on this team. During preseason, Lock was criticized for his inaccuracy. He was never given 1st team practice snaps. Let’s give Lock the QB whisperer:
- the guy who made magic for Josh Allen
- the guy who made Jones a playoff winner
- the guy who enabled a UFA rookie from Jersey to win 3 games, despite not having an OL
The Giants are going nowhere in 2024. Let Lock get an opportunity to start meaningful games. Maybe Daboll has something he can build a team around. I’m skeptical too. But the team can create a huge save if they can get a minor miracle and find a serviceable QB. We don’t know whether Lock was ever given a true chance. Don’t underestimate the value of experience. Everyone has written off Drew Lock. Yet he can benefit from so many things he hasn’t had in his career: nearly a full year of playing with good WRs and a QB guru. Isn’t that a better option than what the Giants are looking at right now?
Separately, but related, don’t fall asleep on Tommy DeVito either. DeVito’s ceiling isn’t as high as Lock’s. But DeVito has one thing that Lock doesn’t have- a year in this offense with starts to prove it. That may provide a floor for the Giants if it doesn’t work out for both Jones and Lock. I’d rather test Lock’s ceiling or DeVito’s floor over Jones’ certainty to underperform.
Both Lock and DeVito are willing to sling that ball and place far more trust & confidence in these WRs than Jones is doing. The Giants are losing with conservatism, so they may as well lose with aggressiveness. Either Jones starts attacking or Daboll will find someone else.
Daboll was asked this week how to get Malik Nabers more involved. His response was an indictment: “Throw him the ball.” Sounds like a plan.