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For months, we have wondered and speculated about who the New York Giants’ starting quarterback will be in 2025. Well, we’re finally going to get some answers this week. Probably.
NFL free agency and the official tampering period begins at noon ET today, and the Giants seem poised to add a veteran signal caller.
What we’re wondering is if their move will ultimately bring glee or despair to Giants fans. So, today we’re going to jump the gun and guess what fans will love or hate about the move, depending, of course, on the quarterback the Giants choose to bring in. Hopefully, both sides of the “spin” will help you sort through your feelings about which QB you want the Giants to acquire.
What if the Giants sign Sam Darnold?
Positive spin: Darnold just delivered a career year in Minnesota (4,319 yards, 39 touchdowns), leading the Vikings to a 14-3 season and a playoff berth. Yeah, he fell off at the end, but that was more a problem with Minnesota’s offensive line than him. Most of the season, Darnold displayed the high ceiling many thought he had when the Jets drafted him No. 3 in 2018. And Darnold is still young — he won’t turn 28 until June — which means he could become the Giants’ long-term answer at QB. All good things, right?
Negative spin: Paying big money to a historically below-average QB after a career year? This feels like Daniel Jones 2.0. While the Giants might think they’ll get the best out of Darnold, his environment in Minnesota was better than what he’ll have in New York. More than likely, the ghosts of MetLife Stadium will return to haunt Darnold and the Giants, who will regret handing big money to another sub-par QB.
Draft spin: Darnold is the only free agent who would indicate the Giants won’t draft a quarterback in the first round. Darnold is young and has shown big upside. The Giants might try to build the best team they can around him rather than draft his eventual replacement. I’m not saying that’s the right choice, but between his youth and the expected contractual investment, New York might not feel the urgency to use its top pick on a QB.
Positive spin: Rodgers will be two years removed from his Achilles tear and finished the 2024 season strong. The 41-year-old likely will be hellbent to prove people wrong and show he’s still got something in the tank. He’ll also be significantly cheaper than what the Giants would have had to pay Rams QB Matthew Stafford, and the Giants won’t lose any draft assets in acquiring him. He’s not the same Rodgers we once knew, but the future Hall of Famer can still sling it. He finished last year with 28 touchdown passes versus just 11 interceptions. That’s not bad. And hey, he already knows how to get to the stadium.
Negative spin: Oh no. What did we sign up for? Not only are his years as a high-level QB behind him, but drama follows this guy everywhere he goes. How’s his personality going to mesh with often hot-headed coach Brian Daboll? This move has a chance of blowing up in the faces of Daboll and GM Joe Schoen.
Draft spin: This is a no-brainer: Given Rodgers’ age and inconsistent play last season, the Giants must invest in the future at this position during the draft. Signing Rodgers shouldn’t preclude them from taking a “big swing” in April, whether that’s trading up to No. 1 or staying at No. 3. Hopefully, Rodgers can be a good mentor.
What if the Giants sign Justin Fields?
Positive spin: He’s the next Darnold/Geno Smith/Baker Mayfield — he’s ready to put it all together after things didn’t work out in his first couple of NFL stops (Chicago, Pittsburgh). Of all these QBs, Fields has the best combination of high upside and low risk. He still has a ton of talent, and it won’t take a huge commitment to get him. He can sign a one-year deal and thrive in a new environment under an offensive-minded coach like Daboll. It’s a gamble — like any free agent or draft pick — but Fields is only 26 years old. There’s reason to believe he’s got a lot of untapped potential.
Negative spin: Not every failed first-round gets to be a reclamation project success story. Fields didn’t make it in Chicago, and he was usurped by the next guy on this list last year in Pittsburgh. One of his biggest problems has been taking too many sacks (151 in 50 career games). What do you think will happen behind a so-so offensive line in New York?
Draft spin: Given his age, he’s the other candidate on this list who makes me curious about New York’s draft strategy. I still think it’s smart to draft one early, but what if Fields ends up being the guy? If you’re New York, you still should draft someone and hope that’s the problem you’re dealing with next offseason.
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What if the Giants sign Russell Wilson?
Positive spin: Wilson, like Rodgers, is a proven winner and a Super Bowl champion. He led the Steelers to the playoffs last year despite a limited supporting cast on offense. He still throws a gorgeous deep ball, which is great news for Malik Nabers and for the fantasy football players who draft him. He’s probably not going to lead a top-10 offense, but he’s a more than serviceable bridge quarterback.
Negative spin: Wilson is 36 years old and is clearly on the tail-end of his career. He may have started strong for Pittsburgh, but the Steelers finished the regular season on a four-game losing streak that was capped off by the franchise’s sixth straight playoff loss. With a worse team around him in New York, the ceiling is pretty low. At least the Giants won’t have to force a rookie onto the field right away.
Draft spin: They’re drafting a QB — probably in the first round. As with Rodgers, the Giants can’t rely on an aging Wilson as the future of the position. They’ll need to draft a player to learn from Wilson and take over the role next season (at the latest).
What if the Giants miss out on the top four available QBs?
Positive spin: In Cam Ward the Giants trust? If the Giants miss out on all these guys, they’ll have to do whatever it takes — including potentially moving up to No. 1 — to pick their top QB in the draft. Coming out of the NFL combine, the consensus seems to be that Ward is the top QB. Maybe the Giants feel differently. But you have to believe they’re doing everything in their power to get their guy.
Negative spin: The flip side of wanting to move up is that the Giants will lose leverage with the teams ahead of them — Tennessee and Cleveland — who will know they need to trade up for a quarterback. The price to trade up will reflect that.
Then there’s the Kirk Cousins of it all, which is its own messy situation. For now, the Falcons are sticking to the story that they’re going to keep Cousins as the No. 2 option. This comes after signing him for a four-year, $180 million deal last offseason, then benching him late in the year for first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. Maybe if the Giants miss out on the top free agents, they could still land Cousins if Atlanta opts to cut him. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? You can decide.
Beyond those options, the Giants could sign other less-inspiring stopgaps, including Mac Jones, Marcus Mariota, Gardner Minshew, Jameis Winston, Jacoby Brissett, Jimmy Garoppolo or Trey Lance.
Oh, looks like I missed one. Some guy named Daniel Jones is available. We’ll have to see about that.
(Photo: Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)
