Getty New York Giants QB Daniel Jones.
By most accounts, the New York Giants remain committed to current starting quarterback Daniel Jones — but to what extent? As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on December 26, the G-Men are “planning” to bring back both Jones and head coach Joe Judge for at least one more rendezvous for the 2022 season. However, do those plans begin to alter this offseason if a blatant upgrade is up for grabs at the quarterback position?
As Schefter’s colleague, insider Jeremy Fowler, noted on December 29, Jones’ future in East Rutherford most likely hinges on who will be taking over the reins at general manager for the likely departed Dave Gettleman. Still, Gettleman or no Gettleman, Jones or no Jones, Fowler fully expects the Giants to be giving Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider a call this offseason to gauge the availability of quarterback Russell Wilson:
The Giants planning to keep Daniel Jones next season, as our Adam Schefter reported, makes sense given New York’s biggest priority — fixing the offensive line. The Giants believe that has been by far the biggest issue over the past few years. Jones’ 2022 cap hit is a team-friendly $8.4 million, providing room to utilize monetary and draft capital on a more formidable front. All that said, I expect the Giants to at least look into Russell Wilson if he’s available in a trade. It’s no secret that the New York market has intrigued Wilson, who one day wants to get into NFL ownership. New York can keep Jones and at least window shop. Much will depend on who is handling GM duties.
Seattle Facing a Wilson-Pete Carroll Conundrum
Hours before Seattle’s Week 17 kickoff against the Detroit Lions, Schefter reported what many have been speculating for the past few months — that Sunday could potentially be the last time Wilson and head coach Pete Carroll share a sideline at Lumen Field.
“There is a leaguewide feeling, according to sources, that Carroll and Wilson will not be together again next season, which would represent the end of one of the most successful head coach/quarterback duos in NFL history,” said Schefter. “There are many directions the organization can go after this season, its worst in more than a decade. There was constant speculation last offseason that Wilson could be traded, and multiple sources expect the same level of speculation this offseason.”
While he’s tried his best to focus on “the now,” Wilson has struggled to silence recent speculation of his future whereabouts. Speaking with reporters during his December 30 press conference, the eight-time Pro Bowler acknowledged the uncertainty.
“I know for me personally, I hope it’s not my last game [in Seattle],” Wilson said. “But at the same time, I know it won’t be my last game in the NFL.”
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Giants are Well Equipped to Make a Run at Wilson
In Schefter’s column, the NFL insider also made it a point to highlight that “some sources believe Schneider is open to starting anew with added draft picks, but he also knows the value of a quarterback like Wilson.”
Of course, you could make the argument that no team in football currently boasts more enticing draft capital than the Giants, who are projected to own two of the top eight picks in April’s draft and five in the first three rounds. In fact, according to Tankathon, the Giants check in at No. 4 on their latest Draft Power Rankings heading into the second-to-last week of the regular season:
4. New York Giants
Current Picks: 5, 8, 36, 67, 79, 110, 145, 172, 182
Total value: 4,238.7*This calculation assigns a value to every pick in the draft and ranks teams based on the sum of their pick values.
Now, having the draft capital to legitimately make a run at Wilson and actually doing so are two different animals. On one hand, the Giants haven’t had a consistent presence under center in quite some time. Wilson would give them that. Even in what many would describe as a down year for the Seahawks signal-caller, he still currently owns the NFL’s ninth-best quarterback rating (99.4), while tossing 18 touchdowns to just five interceptions over 12 games.
On the other hand, as intriguing as Wilson might be, selling the farm for a 33-year-old quarterback coming off his worst campaign in recent memory would seriously handicap New York’s ability to bulk up their roster around their quarterback — namely along the offensive line. This isn’t ideal considering a large majority of Wilson’s recent “struggles” have stemmed from uneven offensive line play in Seattle. However, if the Giants believe Wilson is good enough from a talent and leadership standpoint to turn their franchise around on the go (similar to Tom Brady in Tampa Bay and Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles), then it might be worth taking a swing. Ultimately, that’ll be up to the next general manager to decide.
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