Getty New York Giants head coach Joe Judge.
Call me crazy, but I’m starting to think neither Jake Fromm nor Mike Glennon is the answer in New York. The Giants‘ quarterback carousel put forth yet another abysmal showing in Week 16 as the duo combined for a grand total of 118 yards and two interceptions in a 34-10 beatdown at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles. In both Fromm and Glennon’s defense, they were never supposed to be the answer under center. That honor of course goes to Daniel Jones, who currently resides on injured reserve with a strained neck.
Interestingly enough, Jones’ stock has appeared to rise over his now month-long absence — likely more so than it could have ever done had he been playing. As fans continue to feast their eyes on what is arguably the most inept offense in all of football, the reminder that Jones was able to muster up even any semblance of serviceable production within the same offensive unit is almost mindboggling.
Still, while all the noise out of East Rutherford continues to back Jones as the team’s starter for 2022, he is not currently locked up for the long term and the team will soon need to make a decision on whether to pick up Jones’ fifth-year option. Yes, he’s flashed at times throughout his Giants tenure. Then again, with just 12 wins to his name and nearly as many turnovers (49) as total touchdowns (50), he hasn’t exactly solidified himself as the guy.
ESPN Insider Proposes Giants Trade for Jimmy Garoppolo
With an expected shake-up in the front office this offseason and five picks in the first three rounds of April’s draft, a lot can change over the next few months regarding the Giants’ outlook on Jones and his staying power in New York.
“With Jones alternately injured and ineffective during his first three seasons, the Giants can’t reasonably justify guaranteeing their quarterback’s fifth-year option for the 2023 campaign,” wrote ESPN insider Bill Barnwell. “They have two first-round picks, which are currently projected to land at Nos. 5 and 6, but this isn’t a great draft for passers. They could try to trade one of those picks for a 2023 first-rounder, but there’s no guarantee they’ll be in position to land two top-10 picks again.”
If the team ultimately sours on the former Duke Blue Devil, Barnwell suggests the Giants could shift their focus to the trade market this offseason. Instead of gambling on a questionable quarterback class, Barnwell proposes the G-Men look to reunite head coach Joe Judge with one of his former players, proposing a trade for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
Here’s how Barnwell’s proposal breaks down:
- New York Giants Receive:
- QB Jimmy Garoppolo
- San Francisco 49ers Receive:
- QB Daniel Jones
- 2022 3rd-round pick
“A logical fallback plan might be Garoppolo, who began his career in New England in the same building as Giants coach Joe Judge,” Barnwell noted. “As I mentioned in the first scenario, the 49ers can’t expect to extract a premium pick for Garoppolo, but taking a flier on Jones gets the team a competent backup to push Trey Lance for the starting job. Jones might not end up as a premium starter, but his athleticism should make him a high-end backup. Garoppolo would be the short-term starter for the Giants, who could take a quarterback in 2023 if he underwhelms.”
The latest Giants news straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Heavy on Giants newsletter here!
Sign up for the Heavy on Giants Newsletter!
Garoppolo Trade Buzz Heating Up
Garoppolo’s name has begun to pick up steam in recent weeks as we near the end of the regular season, and understandably so. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Niners intend to move off Garoppolo this offseason as they transition 2021 first-round pick, Trey Lance, as their starter in 2022.
While he’s far from elite, Garoppolo has proven to be a serviceable — and more importantly — a winning quarterback over his career. Since arriving in San Francisco in 2017, the 30-year-old Garoppolo has won 30 regular-season games. That is eight more wins than the Giants have over that same period, despite the fact that the Giants have played 33 more games than Garoppolo has started during that span.
Still, it’s tough to sell Garoppolo as the answer in New York. Is he legitimately more talented than Jones? Enough so to flip Jones for a player six years his senior?
Garoppolo is the type of functioning quarterback that can take a quality roster and bump them into playoff contention. What he’s not, is the type of player to carry one of the league’s least talented rosters on his back and into legitimacy.