An acclaimed Sports Illustrated projected the Giants' QB plans in the first round of the NFL Draft
Sports Illustrated American football journalist Albert Breer gave an honest take on whether the New York Giants will draft a quarterback with the No. 3 pick. The pressure is on this franchise over the offseason, as returning head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen are clearly on the hot seat. New York has been busy this offseason, particularly at the quarterback position. In free agency, the Giants signed former No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston and future Hall of Fame quarterback Russell Wilson. However, neither player is likely the long-term solution for the franchise under center.
In a recent article, Breer breaks down the thought process likely going on within the organization over the No. 3 overall pick.
“While we’re there, the way the New York Giants have built their quarterback room, it sure looks like they’ll be turning to another position at No. 3. We can start with the makeup of the contracts that New York gave Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. Wilson has an incentive package of $10.5 million, and $8 million of it requires him to play more than half the Giants’ snaps, with the other $2.5 million based on stats that he’d have a hard time hitting without that. Winston, meanwhile, has $4 million in incentives that begin kicking in at 43% playing time.
The bottom line is that both guys are not just fighting for their careers as starters, but each has their money directly tied to how much they play…Now ask yourself: If you were taking a quarterback at No. 3, would you build a room this way? I think the answer to that is probably no. That, by the way, doesn’t preclude anything on Day 2, because taking a Jaxson Dart or Tyler Shough later comes with a totally different context…And so, if I had to guess right now, I’d say they’d love (Travis) Hunter, they’d love (Abdul) Carter, and they’ll look at quarterbacks on Day 2.”
Overall, Breer's take is very understandable. Selecting a quarterback at No. 3 for the Giants would be an odd choice considering the franchise's moves in free agency. In addition, there's a good chance that the top two QB prospects, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, go No. 1 and No. 2 in the NFL Draft. Reaching for someone outside of those two would be an irrational move for a franchise with several concerning weaknesses on its roster.
Travis Hunter could potentially resolve two positional needs at cornerback and wide receiver. On the other hand, Abdul Carter would be joining a pass-rush group that includes Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns. However, it never hurts to further solidify a defensive line that must be among the best in the league for the Giants to be a threat in the NFC East. New York has to get this pick right, and Hunter or Carter would both be safe selections at this spot.
