The New York Giants are set to sign former Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback Drew Lock to a one-year, $5 million deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter on March 12.
Teams may negotiate deals but cannot become official until the new league year begins on Wednesday, March 13 at 4 p.m. Eastern time.
New York Giants are giving former Seahawks QB Drew Lock a one-year deal worth up to $5 million, per source.
The former second-round pick of the Denver Broncos was shipped to Seattle as part of the Russell Wilson trade. The Giants met with Wilson recently after his release from Denver yet he opted to sign with the Steelers instead.
The Lock acquisition brings questions about the availability of Giants injured starting quarterback Daniel Jones.
The Giants New Backup QB
Coming out of college, Lock was viewed as a potential first-round pick. He ended up being selected early in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft.
In his rookie season, while backing up quarterback Joe Flacco, Lock went 4-1 as a starter throwing 7 touchdowns with only 3 interceptions and completed 64.1% of his passes.
The following season he started 13 games going 4-9 as a starter in Denver. He threw 16 touchdown passes. The 15 interceptions he threw tied him for the most in the league with then Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz.
The young quarterback would become a career backup starting five games the past two seasons after losing the quarterback battle to starter Geno Smith.
Smith played for the Giants during the 2017 season.
At just 27 years of age, Lock gives the Giants an interesting option. The mobile, strong-armed Lock more resembles what head coach Brian Daboll had in Buffalo with Josh Allen than the skill set Jones possesses.
2019 Prospect Preview: #Mizzou QB Drew Lock
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Lock can make a deep pass look so effortless. His natural arm talent is something Daboll doesn’t have with Jones. In the defense of the incumbent, Jones has had an above-average completion percentage in passes further than 20 yards.
Lock replaces quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who is set to sign a two-year deal worth up to $18 million to back up Aaron Rodgers with the in-city rival Jets, per NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero on March 11. Taylor got to test free agency without leaving his New York residence.
The Future of Daniel Jones?
Things started slowly for Jones after he signed a four-year $160 million deal before the 2023 season. He went 1-5 as a starter before a neck injury forced him to miss time. Upon his return, he tore his ACL in early November.
Jones waited a little over two weeks before he underwent surgery to repair his right knee. In early January, the front office gave a vote of confidence for Jones who was in the infancy of his recovery.
From @NFLGameDay Morning: Today could mark Saquon Barkley’s final game with the #Giants. Meanwhile, Daniel Jones is working toward being ready for Week 1 next season, even taking to some seated throws on his own recently.
Two months later, the front office changed course. Talk about the Giants wanting to draft a quarterback early in the draft continues to be brought up when discussing the offense. All options are on the table, according to Connor Hughes of SNY.
The #Giants always wanted to add a veteran QB with Daniel Jones working his way back from knee surgery. They did that with Drew Lock.
This signing does not change their plans for the draft at all. Everything still on table there
The future of Jones is murky, but a return isn’t out of the question. If released before June 1, the Giants would incur a $69.3 million dead cap charge. Designating him as a post-June 1 release lowers the hit to $47 million. That figure can be split up over two seasons.
Nonetheless, the Giants were in the backup quarterback market and filled one of their many needs.
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Giants Add Ex-Seahawks QB to Back Up Daniel Jones: Report