The New York Giants diligently explored the quarterback prospects in this year’s draft, but they passed on the position after failing to trade up to the third pick to land North Carolina’s Drake Maye. Time will tell if the Giants made the right call to pass on the three quarterbacks — Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix — who went in the six picks after the Giants selected LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers at No. 6.
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Passing on those quarterbacks shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as a vote of confidence for incumbent starter Daniel Jones. Giants brass wouldn’t have invested so much time and resources in evaluating this quarterback class if it was fully committed to him. But the Nabers pick granted Jones a stay of execution and another chance to prove he can be a franchise quarterback.
Jones is now facing another prove-it season despite signing a four-year, $160 million contract in March 2023. That contract was structured to give the Giants an escape hatch after two years, with the team due to eat $22.2 million in dead money on the salary cap if it dumps Jones after this season. Odds point toward the Giants exercising that out barring a drastic turnaround from Jones as he returns from a torn ACL and six abysmal starts last season.
With all of that in mind, here’s an early look at the Giants’ potential quarterback options for 2025 and beyond.
In-house options
Daniel Jones
As much as the deck is stacked against Jones, he can’t be ruled out. He was in a similar position entering the 2022 season, and he rose to the occasion to earn the extension. If Jones plays well this season, the Giants’ cleanest path forward is keeping him as the starting quarterback. But with cap hits of $41.6 million in 2025 and $58.6 million in 2026, the bar is much higher this time for Jones to again stake his claim as the team’s QB of the future.
Drew Lock
There has been debate about what exactly was communicated to Lock before he signed with the Giants on a one-year, $5 million contract with an additional $3 million available in incentives. But what’s undeniable is that Lock decided to leave Seattle, where he had been Geno Smith’s backup for the past two seasons, to come to New York for a relatively modest contract. Lock at least had to believe the Giants offered a better opportunity to start than Seattle.
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Lock got an opportunity to make an impression while taking all of the first-team reps as Jones rehabbed during the offseason program. There are no signs the Giants will conduct a quarterback competition during training camp, but if Jones falters or gets injured, Lock could get a shot for a Smith-like career reboot that could earn him the starting job in the best-case scenario for the 27-year-old.
Tommy DeVito
DeVito faces long odds as the third-string quarterback entering camp. But he overcame longer odds to engineer a three-game winning streak as an undrafted rookie last season. It’s at least possible to envision a scenario where Jones and Lock get injured or perform poorly enough to give DeVito another shot. It would be extremely economical to have DeVito as the starting quarterback in 2025 on a minimum salary. But that’s also extremely unlikely.
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Free-agent options
Dak Prescott, Cowboys
Prescott’s name is going to hover over the entire league this season. Any team with a question at quarterback will at least have to monitor Prescott’s situation with the Cowboys, who have been unwilling to join the parade of teams showering franchise quarterbacks with record-setting contracts.
Prescott’s uninspiring playoff track record overshadows his excellence in eight seasons as the Cowboys’ quarterback. He has a 73-41 career record, including a 12-2 mark against the Giants. He has topped 4,000 yards and 30 touchdown passes three times each, including a league-leading 36 TD passes last season.
Prescott turns 31 in July. His age and production would make him the most attractive quarterback to hit free agency since … Tom Brady in 2020?
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The price tag will reflect Prescott’s desirability. Could the Giants really pivot from Jones to a replacement who will cost $60 million per year? If they’re desperate to win in 2025, Prescott represents their best option.
Russell Wilson, Steelers
The Giants had an “exploratory meeting” with Wilson this offseason before he signed a one-year deal with a Steelers team coming off a playoff appearance. That sets up the nine-time Pro Bowler to hit the market again next offseason. The 35-year-old could be a win-now option for the Giants at a much lower price point than Prescott.
Justin Fields, Steelers
Fields is a wild-card entry. Traded by the Bears to Pittsburgh in March to serve as Wilson’s backup, Fields was the No. 11 pick in the 2021 draft. He showed some promise in three seasons with the Bears, but not enough to prevent them from taking USC’s Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft.
Fields profiles similar to Jones as a dual-threat quarterback with limitations as a passer. Fields would be a prove-it/bridge option if the Giants move on from Jones. Fields has more upside than other bridge options like Sam Darnold and Mac Jones.
Green Bay’s Jordan Love and Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa weren’t considered even though they’re set to enter the final year of their existing deals. It’s widely expected they’ll sign extensions with their current teams or at least get franchise tags next offseason.
Potential cap casualty options
Geno Smith, Seahawks
Like Jones, Smith cashed in after a strong prove-it season in 2022. But the Seahawks were far more judicious, giving the former Jets bust a three-year, $75 million contract with an even cleaner out after two years ($13.5 million dead money if cut next offseason).
Smith had an eventful 2017 season with the Giants, taking over as the starter in the game that ended Eli Manning’s streak of 210 consecutive starts. Smith handled that uncomfortable situation well, and he has found a new lease on life in Seattle. Smith ranks sixth in passing yards and touchdown passes over the past two seasons. The 33-year-old could be an alternative if the Giants want a proven starter without breaking the bank for Prescott.
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Derek Carr, Saints
Carr is another mid-tier quarterback who signed a lucrative contract in 2023 (four years, $150 million) with a potential out for the Saints after two seasons. The 33-year-old Carr isn’t the sexiest option, but he’s been consistently productive. Again, the Giants’ interest in veteran options depends on how much they’ll prioritize adding a quarterback capable of winning immediately over fully hitting the reset button with a rookie.
There could be other quarterbacks unexpectedly added to the market as cap casualties, like Wilson was this offseason, but Smith and Carr are the obvious candidates now.
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Trade options
Kirk Cousins, Falcons
The Falcons’ puzzling decision to take Penix with the eighth pick in the draft a month after signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract immediately called into question the long-term future of Cousins. It’s at least possible he could be moved next year depending on how things unfold this season. The 35-year-old Cousins would fit with a win-now timeline. A trade would make his contract more affordable, although the Giants would need to part with draft assets in the deal.
Matthew Stafford, Rams
The continued unrest about Stafford’s contract could make him available if the sides can’t resolve their differences. The 36-year-old Stafford is still playing at a high level, but if the Rams aren’t willing to make a commitment to him for the future, they could be open to a trade.
There are usually wild-card entrants in this category, with Arizona’s Kyler Murray looming as a potential trade chip. But Cousins and Stafford stick out as the obvious potential trade candidates when operating from a presumption that the Giants intend to compete immediately if they pursue a veteran quarterback.
Draft options
The Giants are far more likely to go this route if they move on from Jones. And the Giants’ projected win total of 6.5 has them in line for another top pick.
A potential benefit for the Giants is that some of the other teams with the lowest win total projections — Patriots, Broncos, Commanders, Vikings — took quarterbacks in the first round this year, so there could be less competition for the top 2025 prospects. The downside is the early evaluations have pegged the 2025 quarterback class as significantly weaker than the 2024 crop. But things can change, so here’s an early look at the top quarterback prospects in next year’s draft.
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Carson Beck, Georgia
Beck is the early favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft. The Giants shouldn’t be expected to pick that high, but it’s possible the pick could become available if a team like the Patriots lands at No. 1. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Beck has prototypical size and is poised to post monster stats this season for a national title contender. It’s easy to forecast Beck becoming the prize of this class.
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Quinn Ewers, Texas
The No. 1 prospect in the 2021 recruiting class, Ewers transferred to Texas after one year at Ohio State. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Ewers hasn’t lived up to his recruiting hype, but his talent is undeniable. Ewers could vault up draft boards with a strong season.
Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Deion Sanders’ son enters the season with more buzz than any college quarterback. Sanders earned attention with his performance (27 touchdowns, three interceptions) last season despite Colorado’s porous offensive line. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Sanders doesn’t have overwhelming physical tools, but he’s a refined passer. It will be interesting to see if NFL teams are turned off by his father’s oversized influence.
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Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
A top quarterback prospect from Ole Miss may be too good to pass up for the Giants after their experience with Manning. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Dart can make plays with his legs, but he needs to maintain improved ball security after throwing 11 interceptions in 2022.
Cam Ward, Miami
Ward is staying in college for another year of a roller-coaster career. He began his career at FCS Incarnate Word and then spent two seasons at Washington State. Ward briefly entered the 2024 draft before changing course and transferring to Miami. The 6-foot-2, 223-pound Ward is loaded with talent, but he has been careless with the ball. He could be a major riser on draft boards with a breakout season.
Jalen Milroe, Alabama
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Milroe is a true dual-threat quarterback. He’s not as big as Bills quarterback Josh Allen, but there are some parallels as a raw athlete with a strong arm and quality intangibles that could appeal to Giants brass. Milroe has the tools to be a quarterback who makes a big jump between now and the 2025 draft.
Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
There are parallels between Leonard and Daniel Jones beyond their shared Duke background. And remember, this regime gave Jones a $160 million contract a year ago. Like Jones, the 6-foot-4, 216-pound Leonard is tough and athletic. Leonard must improve his accuracy, but he’ll have a chance to show progress with a better supporting cast after transferring to Notre Dame.
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Conner Weigman, Texas A&M
Weigman missed most of last season with a foot injury, so his résumé is thinner than other top quarterback prospects. But the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Weigman has the physical and mental traits teams are seeking in franchise quarterbacks. A healthy and productive season could push Weigman up draft boards.
This is just a sampling of the top quarterback prospects 10 months before the draft. Some of these players will drop and others will rise. But Giants fans may want to keep an eye out for these names this fall.
(Photo of Dak Prescott: Ryan Kang / Getty Images)
