New York Giants insiders have been voicing a belief that the team’s interest in selecting a rookie quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft is not a smokescreen.
Having said that, the Giants could end up targeting a second-tier prospect within a very deep QB class. On April 1, Bleacher Report analyst Kristopher Knox laid out a trade proposal where Big Blue would jump back up into the first round in a blockbuster move with the Kansas City Chiefs. Below is the hypothetical deal that would target a quarterback of the future.
- Giants get: 2024 Round 1 Pick (No. 32), 2024 Round 4 Pick (No. 131).
- Chiefs get: 2024 Round 2 Pick (No. 47), 2024 Round 3 Pick (No. 70).
In this aggressive leap from No. 47 to No. 32, Knox has the Giants gunning for Washington’s Michael Penix or Oregon’s Bo Nix — assuming either of the two QB prospects fall that far on draft night. This trade would allow general manager Joe Schoen to land a new top-tier wide receiver for his offense, while also selecting a potential long-term signal-caller that would be eligible for a fifth-year option in 2028.
According to the 2024 NFL trade value chart, this deal would be relatively fair on paper as the Giants sacrifice 670 points worth of draft value for 631 points back in return from the Chiefs. Needless to say, the net loss in value is a small price to pay in a potential QB trade.
NFL Writer Explains Giants-Chiefs Draft Trade Rationale
After outlining his proposal, Knox offered an explanation as to why both organizations might be willing to carry out this 2024 draft trade.
“Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. represent the next tier of QBs and could be worth targeting at the bottom of Round 2,” Knox began from an NYG perspective. “Landing one of them on Day 1 would give New York access to the fifth-year option.”
He also reminded that when the Giants declined Daniel Jones’ fifth-year option, it “left them scrambling for an extension” in 2023. With Jones and veteran backup Drew Lock currently expected to make the Week 1 roster this season, a trade of this magnitude would allow head coach Brian Daboll ample time to develop a physically gifted talent like Penix or Nix.
As for the Chiefs, Knox reasoned that “the 2024 draft class has an impressive second tier of talent, so teams like the Kansas City Chiefs—who should be eager to augment their roster with rookie contracts—should be plenty interested in trading out of Round 1.”
In other words, an organization like the Chiefs who is confident in their ability to scout and develop prospects could be more interested in two Day 2 selections rather than a late-first that will come with a larger cap hit.
Knox cited the Houston Texans’ recent trade with the Minnesota Vikings as evidence of this pre-draft theory.
Should the Giants Consider Trading Down in Round 1?
Another route Schoen could go in round one is a trade down from No. 6 overall. Bleacher Report colleague Maurice Moton urged the Giants to consider this draft strategy on April 1.
“Big Blue should try to fill multiple needs on the offensive side of the ball rather than sacrifice draft capital to move up for [a quarterback],” the NFL writer argued.
“The Giants need a top-flight wide receiver and a promising young offensive lineman to compensate for Evan Neal’s lack of development,” he went on. Adding: “They may even consider a tight end as Darren Waller contemplates retirement.”
All of this led Moton to conclude that the Giants’ need more than six draft picks to plug each of their roster holes in 2024.
“Jones and [a new rookie quarterback] wouldn’t have enough around them if New York traded draft capital for the latter,” he stated. “The Giants should trade down and pick up picks to bolster their offense rather than chase a rookie quarterback who will need a strong supporting cast.”
In theory, the Giants could trade down from No. 6 as Moton suggested and then utilize their newfound draft capital to perform a secondary trade with a team like the Chiefs — and still land a new WR-QB combo. It will be interesting to see how Schoen and Daboll choose to handle a pivotal NFL draft for this franchise in April.