Articles

By Craig J. Santucci @NYGiantsRush

Now that you have seen Jake Fromm and Mike Glennon you can now fully appreciate Daniel Jones and how much…or little he has to work with.

While Daniel Jones sits on the sidelines and heals that mystery neck ailment, we writers over here at the “RUSH” thought we would play a bit of General Manager since the ship has been sailing into the abyss anyway. These are not recommendations…merely a snapshot of availability.

JONES

Daniel Jones could very well heal up and be ready for 2022. However, that won’t matter if the Giants do not fix the O-Line. Jones has had an uphill battle since being drafted No. 6 in 2019.

Two head coaches, three offensive coordinators, and a small army of bad receivers & journeyman O-linemen. If Jones had time, the game would finally slow down for him. However, the lack of protection, a running game, and a true baller at WR have produced a major lack of confidence.

He has cleaned up his fumbles from his rookie year and is going through progressions much better, but the production has been sparse. His receivers rarely give him much separation; though his effort & toughness are admirable. His arm strength is good, his ability to run the RPO is strong. He will play out his rookie contract; however, but his starting job could be up for grabs.

CARR

Derek Carr is a good quarterback having a good year. But in true love/hate fashion, the Raiders and want a winner now and Derek Carr is either the hero or the goat with a flip of a coin.

Carr, a 3x Pro Bowler has thrown for more yards in ’21 than he’s ever thrown and is projected to have a 55 to 60 QBR which is down from ’19 & ’20. Carr has stood strong with a long list of tragedies and distractions that have surrounded his team this season. He has been sacked 35 times (2nd highest of his career) with two games to go.

The last Raiders playoff appearance was in ’16 and Carr was injured. Without a deep run in the playoffs, the Raiders could be looking to move Carr with one year left on his deal. His brother was Eli’s backup, as the connection could be helpful, as Derek Carr can still play. Trade: It would take a 2nd & 4th (2022).

MARIOTA

Marcus Mariota, another Raiders QB might be available come the new year. The former #2 overall pick in 2015 has had some ups and downs including losing his starting job in Tennessee to Ryan Tannehill.

Mariota is still a young veteran at the age of 28 and has a very affordable price tag of 3MM. Mariota signed with the Raiders back in ’20 and would like a chance to start again.

Mariota’s best season was back in 2016 (Titans) where he threw for 3426 yards | 26 TDS | 9 Ints. The competition of Mariota vs. Jones would be very healthy for both QB’s, as Mariota is unlikely he resign as a backup. He has only played in one game at quarterback for the Raiders since signing in 2020.

Mariota could be a fun option; however, he would have to change his number.

DALTON

In 2020 Dalton signed with the Cowboys to be Dak Prescott’s backup. In 2021, Dalton signed a one-year deal to be the starter with the Bears. After hurting his knee in week two, rookie Justin Fields took over. Nick Foles is also in the picture due to injuries.

Dalton was a nine-year starter in Cincinnati and had five winning seasons in a row. At 34 his best seasons are behind him, but he could be a bridge to a new quarterback in 2023 or 2024.

While Dalton could be a solid, and cost-effective starter, he hasn’t had a winning season since 2015. If Foles wins these next few weeks starting for the injured Fields, Dalton could be on the move again.

WILSON

In the mind of most NY Giants fans, Russell Wilson could be what Kerry Collins was to the Giants in 1999…a playoff experienced big-game QB. Collins came to the Giants with baggage but injected life into a team that had been mired in QB mediocrity. Collins took the Giants to the playoffs 2x and the 2000 Super Bowl.

At 34, Wilson has a $19MM base/$37MM cap hit for the Seahawks ’22. With a Full “No Trade” clause Wilson has expressed interest in three potential new homes if he wanted out: Denver, New Orleans, & New York.

Wilson’s biggest complaint was the amount of abuse he was taking in Seattle and that management had not built a team to protect him. The Giants have the worst O-Line in football, so we know Wilson isn’t coming without a major fix. If the Giants are giving up two or three #1 picks…this is an instant pipe dream.

PICKETT

Kenny Pickett is from Monmouth County, New Jersey. The hometown crowd would love to see a local kid run the New York Giants. Currently, the Giants have too many needs to draft Pickett with their first pick, wherever that lands at season end. While this seems unlikely, the Giants’ new General Manager could very well want a new QB to push Jones.

The NFL combine will be where Pickett gets to show the world why he was a Heisman Finalist and is deserving of their pick. He has opted out of the Peach Bowl vs Michigan State University.

After a Covid shortened season, Pickett was granted an additional year in 2021 and truly ripped it with eye-popping 42 Touchdowns and 4300 yards. The only way I can see this happening is if the Giants were offered a draft-day trade where a team “leapfrogged” them to grab a player of need.

Honorable Mentions:

Nick Foles. Chad Henne. Mitch Trubisky.