The 2025 NFL free agency period floodgates are about to burst on Monday, and the New York Giants still find themselves between a rock and a hard place regarding their quarterback situation.
For much of the past, everything they’ve been doing since the combine seems to signal their attempt at securing a veteran quarterback to plug in and help them win games next season.
That initial effort failed, as the team missed out on Matthew Stafford, whom they tried to trade for. Stafford remained with the Los Angeles Rams after drawn-out contract negotiations.
The Giants’ plan has reportedly since shifted to soon-to-be former New York Jets gunslinger Aaron Rodgers. They are reportedly trying to work out an agreement with the 41-year-old to bring him over to the other side of New Jersey once the Jets release him.
Alongside that highly debated decision, there have been countless other reports surrounding the Giants interest in moving up the draft board. They’ve been working to formulate a trade with the Tennessee Titans to get up to the No. 1 overall pick and assure they have a choice of either Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders for their rookie quarterback of the future.
As much as the Giants want to put themselves in a good position for the long-term stability of the franchise with a prospect in April’s draft, there is no guarantee they will be in reach of one of them if Tennessee or Cleveland doesn’t oblige. Joe Scheon and Brian Daboll are also desperate to preserve their jobs beyond the 2025 season to make a go at breeding a future arm that comes their way.
Simply put, the Giants' options feel severely limited, as they could miss out on a bunch of top names in the next couple of months of the offseason. So, what is the direction they should take to still come out of it all with the pieces they need for a good offseason?
ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky had his own trifecta in mind, which he shared during an Air It Out on Whistle Sports appearance. He suggested the Giants dance with Rodgers and then run the non-quarterback route in the draft if the top two prospects aren’t at their No. 3 selection.
“If I’m the Giants and you’re at No. 3, let’s say Cam Ward No. 1 and Shedeur goes No. 2, or Abdul Carter or someone else, and you say this is our plan,” Orlovsky said.
“We’re going to sign Rodgers as a free agent, draft Travis Hunter at three, and then with the second or third pick in the second round, we’re going to draft Jalen Milroe.
“So now we’re sitting there going, well, on offense, we’ve got Nabers and Travis Hunter. Travis can play a little bit of DB, and then Aaron can play for maybe September and see how it goes.”
With the Schoen-Daboll regime heading towards staking their tenures in East Rutherford with a veteran quarterback, the idea of pairing with Rodgers has been highly backed among the NFL world.
Although his age is past his prime years and his mobility has declined, many people believe Rodgers is still the best win-now quarterback among the candidates on the market once the spending spree unofficially opens on Monday.
The Giants have reportedly been interested in other proven gunslingers, such as Russell Wilson, whom they spoke to last offseason about a potential move to the Big Apple, but the money would have to work for both sides.
As of March 8, the Giants had about $45.6 million in cap space, but a cheaper deal with Rodgers could help them spare a little more for the other positions on their roster that need filling.
Rodgers could also bring a healthy dose of production in the pocket like he did with the Jets, finishing eighth in the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns despite a 5-12 record.
If the Giants don’t land one of their coveted rookie arms at No. 3 or make a big move up the board with the Titans, the next best move would be to steal the best available player in the class, Travis Hunter.
Orlovsky’s proposal of throwing Hunter alongside Malik Nabers at wide receiver is tempting. Still, it would be surprising if the Giants don’t try to focus him on the defensive end with their weak secondary position that needs reinforcements of his caliber after the youth movement has been a colossal misstep for the team.
Still, adding those two to Rodgers’ arsenal of playmakers could make for an interesting huddle next season, especially with the veteran’s ability to let it fly if he is given the proper amount of time to throw the football. He held a few games with a long of 42+ yards in 2024 and 25 throws with over 20 air yards for 740 yards and nine touchdowns.
Then, the Giants could focus their future attention on one of the second-tier prospects in the draft with their No. 34 selection, where names like Milroe and Jaxson Dart have been rising after some solid performances at the scouting combine in Indianapolis.
If the experiment with Rodgers isn’t pulling as much weight as the Giants’ thought, they can always switch to the last resort of the rookie quarterback to find that regime-saving spark and test Brian Daboll’s abilities to develop a quarterback in a tell-all moment.
“I think Brian Daboll is a really good coach, but there is the reality of desperation and urgency there,” Orlovsky said.
He added, “All of a sudden, you might get to October or November, and you are doing okay, but you need that punch. Well, here comes Jalen Milroe and his ability to push the ball downfield to now both of those people on the outside.
“But also, the athletic quarterback run that he can deploy, and that has my attention if I am a Giants fan.”
Short of landing the ideal package of Rodgers and Ward, the most highly agreed-upon quarterback prospect in the draft, this slew of moves could be a good solution to the Giants locker room's present and future needs.
One concern with Milroe has been his hand size, which comes into play when throwing and protecting the football on the run.
However, this might not be enough to sway the Giants away.
Perhaps taking Dart in round two would hold the better upside for the Giants since ball protection has always been an issue for their lackluster offense. Both players had impressive resumes in SEC football and could fit the bill around the same basic intangibles.
It’s all hypothetical, albeit intriguing, from Orlovsky until we see how the winds settle on free agency next week. The Giants will be busy, and their contingencies will be the same as they build a winning product for the 2025 season.
