Giants’ interest in quarterbacks not a smokescreen

The New York Giants have spent a significant amount of time scouting, working out, and meeting with many of the quarterback prospects ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.

Some argue that it’s a mere smokescreen with general manager Joe Schoen wanting to temp other teams to move up, allowing a top wide receiver to fall into their laps at No. 6 overall.

However, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan says that’s not the case at all.

“They’re traveling around the country, they’re looking at these guys, they’re working them all out,” Raanan said on the Breaking Big Blue podcast. “Pretty much all the top quarterbacks have visited the Giants, worked out for them privately — so they’ve seen them throw — they met them all at the combine.

“And people who think this is a smokescreen, you’re not wasting this much time and this many resources for a smokescreen.”

The Giants have traveled coast to coast to watch the prospects throw and have held numerous meetings with the likes of Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy, and Michael Penix Jr. — some in person, some virtual.

“Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll are not flying from the owner’s meetings in Orlando to LSU to see Jayden Daniels the next day, to Washington all the way across the country the next day as a smokescreen,” Raanan said. “They’re just not. Sorry.”

Although the Giants remain committed to Daniel Jones as their starter, there are growing concerns over his injury history. He is currently recovering from a torn ACL but it’s his neck that has given the Giants pause.

Even if the Giants draft a quarterback at No. 6 overall, Raanan expects them to sit the rookie behind Jones for a year or until DJ misses some time.