Tag: drew lock

PFN names this position New York Giants’ biggest remaining weakness

The New York Giants head into the 2024 season with fewer holes than they had in 2023. They fortified both fronts and added some much-needed depth and firepower to their roster.

One thing they failed to do, however, was bring in a possible replacement for embattled quarterback Daniel Jones. The folks at Pro Football Network have identified that as the Giants’ biggest need after the draft and free agency.

New York Giants

Quarterback

Daniel Jones is coming off a torn ACL, and Drew Lock is Drew Lock.

New York Giants fans can only hope that Jones will recapture his 2022 form, but that probably is wishful thinking as Jones has looked average at best for much of his career.

New York opted against taking a QB in the draft and instead used the No. 6 pick on receiver Malik Nabers.

The truth is, the Giants had just one quarterback in mind at the top of the draft — UNC’s Drake Maye, who was snatched up by the New England Patriots with the third overall pick.

It turns out the Pats had no intention of dealing the pick, and the conversations the Giants had with Washington, who held the second pick, were almost a non-starter.

They passed on Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy with the sixth pick (in favor of Nabers) and all of the other possibles were gone by the time they were on the clock again in Round 2.

So, they will proceed with Jones, who they are still very much under contract with, and back him up with Lock, who could end up being a free agent find.

Read all the best Giants coverage at NorthJersey.com and Giants Wire.

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Drew Lock might ‘flat-out win’ Giants’ starting QB job

After the New York Giants failed to land a new quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft, the debate immediately shifted to who would win the starting job out of training camp: Daniel Jones or Drew Lock.

The desperation to have anyone start other than Jones has clouded the minds of many, including former Giants vice president of player evaluation and director of college scouting Marc Ross.

Like many DJ detractors, Ross has convinced himself that the Giants won’t go with the former No. 6 overall pick under center. General manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll, despite transparently hitching their wagon to Jones, must go with someone else.

“Yes, (Lock) does (have a chance to start). And I think our guy Mike Garafolo hinted at it when they said, ‘Yeah, there can be an open competition.’ And I think there really should be,” Ross said on NFL Total Access this week. “You look at the Giants’ offense last year and they played better, they scored more points and they won more games when Tyrod Taylor and Tommy Cutlets, Tommy DeVito played, as opposed to Daniel, when Daniel Jones played. It’s the combination of the injuries and the inconsistent and, at times, not very good play there.

“So there’s still a little small contingent of Giants fans holding onto Daniel Jones. But Drew Lock, I think if they give him an honest, open competition, he might just flat-out win the job, if not Day 1 then at some point during the season.”

The main problem with Ross’ commentary is that Garafolo never said there would be an open competition between Jones and Lock. In fact, the veteran reporter very specifically stated that Jones would be the team’s starter in Week 1 and would only, potentially, relinquish that job if he regressed throughout the season.

“If you get into the season and Daniel Jones isn’t playing well then perhaps (Lock) will push him,” Garafolo said. “But I want to be clear about — and what the Giants have been clear about — is that if Daniel Jones is healthy, and they do hope and expect that he’s going to be healthy (by) Week 1, he is going to be the quarterback.”

At the time of his signing, the Giants very explicitly told Lock that Jones would be the starter and he’d be serving as DJ’s backup.

“Daniel Jones is the starter of this team. That’s been conveyed to me,” Lock told reporters in March. “Now, I need to come in and push Daniel to be the best that he can be. That’s the role that I played for Geno [Smith], that’s the role I played for Teddy [Bridgewater].”

But why let facts get in the way of a good offseason narrative? Something has to fill the empty space before training camp opens.

Read all the best Giants coverage at NorthJersey.com and Giants Wire.



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Giants’ Drew Lock has chance to compete a little bit with Daniel Jones

This offseason, the New York Giants signed quarterback Drew Lock in free agency on a one-year deal worth $5 million. The company line is that Lock was brought in to back up Daniel Jones.

But is that true?

After the Giants failed to land their top target in the NFL draft last week — UNC quarterback Drake Maye — and didn’t select another, their quarterback room is being questioned and scrutinized again.

“I said it in January after the season,” general manager Joe Schoen said in response to a question regarding the quarterback situation after the draft.

“Our expectation was Daniel would be our starter and we brought Drew Lock to be his backup and Tommy (DeVito) is a backup, so that’s where we are and that’s how we’ll move forward this season. Daniel is still under contract for three more years. As it sits today, that’s where we are.”

Jones is still rehabbing from a torn ACL he suffered midseason in 2023 but is expected to be ready for the season. But, what if he isn’t? And even then, what if he is?

NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo, a long-time Giants beat writer, believes Lock will be given a “chance to compete” this summer at camp.

“They have the faith in Daniel Jones to be ready to go in Week 1 and be a full participant in training camp,” Garafolo said. “And by the way, they also do believe that Drew Lock has a chance to compete a little bit and maybe push Daniel Jones. We’ll see.”

If Jones is healthy, he’ll be given the benefit of the doubt. After all, the Giants are paying Jones top dollar this year and they hope to get the most out of him. Lock would have to outplay him convincingly to take the starting job.

But there are other factors to be considered. Financial factors.

Sigmund Bloom of Football Guys outlines how the Giants’ failure to bring in a quarterback of the future ‘opens the door’ for Lock this season.

The Giants don’t want Daniel Jones (aptly called Janiel Dones by ​Malik Nabers) to be exposed to injuries that could kick in his $23 million injury guarantee for 2025, so they can release him before his $12 million roster bonus kicks in on the fifth day of the 2025 league year. Lock should at worst get a chance to start while the Giants want to protect their pocketbook a la the Raiders decision to bench Derek Carr at the end of 2022.

Since Jones is rehabbing from a torn ACL, Lock could also start to open the season. With the addition of Nabers, Lock could have some success and make the Giants very patient with Jones injury rehabilitation. Lock has the chance to earn at least a salary jump to bridge starter for 2025, and in a best case scenario could get a second contract from the Giants and incumbent status going into next season. The Giants passing on a quarterback in a draft with six going in the first 12 picks opens a door for Lock.

The Giants can get out of Jones’ contract after this season and turn the page should he not produce. Could Lock be the long-term answer? Stranger things have happened.



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Joe Schoen on alleged buyer’s remorse over Daniel Jones: ‘Not true’

In early March, Rich Eisen stirred the pot by sharing some rumors that had been whispered in his ear suggesting the New York Giants and general manager Joe Schoen had buyer’s remorse after giving quarterback Daniel Jones a long-term contract.

“The Giants are absolutely done with Daniel Jones,” Eisen said on The Rich Eisen Show. “Done. Might have to play him this year but that ain’t it. . . The words I heard at the Combine multiple times were ‘buyer’s remorse.’”

Eisen later cautioned that he could be “way off” on what he was hearing.

“I may be way off and this may be patently unfair,” he added.

On Thursday during his pre-draft press conference, Schoen agreed that Eisen was way off and that his shared rumor was patently false.

“I’m still confident in Daniel — the way he’s wired (and) what he showed in 2022,” Schoen told reporters. “There’s stuff out there all the time that’s not true and you really can’t let it bother you.

“I’ve got a good relationship with Daniel and we communicate all the time. Again, he’s here all the time. . . We’ve got a good relationship and we communicate well. If he has an issue or he hears something or (there’s) something that I need to talk to him about, we do that often.”

Asked point-blank to rebuff the Eisen “report,” Schoen spelled it out bluntly.

“That was not true,” he said.

Schoen also admitted that he’s under no pressure to select a quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft, whether in the first round or later down the line. After signing veteran Drew Lock in free agency to back up Jones, Schoen said he’d be confident going into the regular season with the quarterback room that’s already been established within the building.

“I think with Drew’s experience. . .  with Daniel’s experience and what Tommy (DeVito) did last year,” Schoen said, “I think we could go into the season with the three that we have and I’d be comfortable with that.”

Schoen’s expectations remain that Jones will return in time for training camp and start under center come Week 1.

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New York Giants’ Drew Lock could earn $3 million in incentives in 2024

At the onset of free agency, the New York Giants signed quarterback Drew Lock to a one-year, $5 million deal but as it turns out, that number was somewhat understated.

Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports that Lock has the potential to earn $3 million in additional incentives, making it a one-year contract worth up to $8 million.

Lock’s contract includes $1 million in playing time incentives, $1 million in performance incentives, and $1 million in playing time/team performance incentives.

Per Duggan, they are broken down as follows:

  • $250K for 40-49% of snaps
  • $250K for 50-59% of snaps
  • $250K for 60-69% of snaps
  • $250K for 70+% of snaps
  • $250K for 92.5 passer rating
  • $250K for 65% completion
  • $250K for 15 TD passes and 88 passer rating
  • $250K for 2,000 yards passing and 88 passer rating

The playing time/performance incentives are broken down similarly to what the Giants gave running back Saquon Barkley last year on his modified franchise tag.

  • $500K for 55-69% of snaps and a playoff berth
  • $500K for 70+% and playoff berth

Although Daniel Jones will start for the Giants when healthy, the team is clearly wary of his injury history and built Lock’s contract around those concerns.

Should Jones miss time in 2024, Lock will have the opportunity to earn a nice chunk of change.

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Giants told Russell Wilson that Daniel Jones would remain starter

Shortly after the New York Giants signed quarterback Drew Lock, Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider caused a stir.

Appearing on The Wyman and Bob Show, Schneider claimed that the Giants sold Lock on the possibility of winning the starting job over Daniel Jones.

“They basically sold him on the opportunity to compete to be the starter,” Schneider said. “And he felt like it was the right opportunity. He looked at Baker Mayfield’s opportunity last year and felt that this could be something similar.”

The only problem? That never happened.

During his introductory press conference, Lock told reporters that Giants brass made it abundantly clear that Jones would remain the starter and he would serve as the backup.

“Daniel Jones is the starter of this team. That’s been conveyed to me,” Lock said. “Now, I need to come in and push Daniel to be the best that he can be. That’s the role that I played for Geno (Smith), that’s the role I played for Teddy (Bridgewater).”

It’s a message that wasn’t delivered to Lock alone.

Before inking Lock to a new deal, the Giants held an “exploratory meeting” with veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, who ultimately ended up signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports that like Lock, the Giants informed Wilson that Jones would remain the starter and there was no guarantee he’d receive significant playing time.

Lock, indeed, was not offered a chance to compete for the starting job, according to a league source. The Giants did sell him on the idea of working with head coach Brian Daboll, who has a quarterback-friendly system that led to Jones’ best season in 2022.

There’s a pattern here, too. The Giants had an exploratory meeting last week with Russell Wilson, and the team didn’t make any promises about playing time, according to league sources. That’s been the Giants’ approach as they’ve built toward the 2024 season with Jones as the expected starter.

Despite outside speculation, Giants general manager Joe Schoen has been remarkably transparent about the team’s stance on Jones. When he’s healthy, he’s the starter and their faith in him has not waned.

Jones, who is recovering from a torn ACL, is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.

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New York Giants made it clear Daniel Jones is starting QB

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider caused a stir earlier this week, suggesting that the New York Giants sold quarterback Drew Lock on the possibility of being a starter.

“They basically sold him on the opportunity to compete to be the starter,” Schneider said on The Wyman and Bob Show. “And he felt like it was the right opportunity. He looked at Baker Mayfield’s opportunity last year and felt that this could be something similar.”

The implication was that Lock would compete with Jones for the starting job and that’s why the Seahawks were unable to retain him.

Schneider indicated that Lock viewed it as a Baker Mayfield-like situation from a year ago.

Lock clarified those remarks during his introductory press conference on Friday, saying he never spoke to Schneider about Mayfield and that the Giants made it clear Jones is their starter.

“Daniel Jones is the starter of this team. That’s been conveyed to me,” Lock said. “Now, I need to come in and push Daniel to be the best that he can be. That’s the role that I played for Geno [Smith], that’s the role I played for Teddy [Bridgewater].

Luck also revealed that he’s no stranger to Jones. The two were roommates at the 2019 Senior Bowl and while they got along, DJ was a little put off by some of Lock’s habits.

“I had a lot of fun with him that week,” Lock said. “He was a great roommate. He might’ve thought I was a little messy at times.”



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New York Giants are signing Drew Lock to a one-year deal

The New York Giants lost veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor to the New York Jets on Monday but wasted little time in replacing him.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the Giants are signing Drew Lock. The deal is for one year and worth up to $5 million.

The 27-year-old Lock was a second-round pick of the Denver Broncos in the 2019 NFL draft and spent the first three years of his career with the team. He was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in March of 2022 and spent the past two seasons backing up ex-Giant Geno Smith.

In 28 career games (23 starts), Lock has completed 59.7 percent of his passes for 5,283 yards, 28 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. He’s added 229 yards (3.9 ypc) and five touchdowns on the ground.

Lock will serve as a moderately-priced reserve in 2024 and compete with Tommy DeVito for the backup job to starter Daniel Jones.

Given that the Giants recently traded one of their two second-round picks and have now committed roughly $53.1 million in 2024 to the three quarterbacks on their roster, the odds of general manager Joe Schoen selecting a rookie QB in the early rounds of the 2024 NFL draft have diminished.



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