New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen announced Tuesday that the club will prioritize a quarterback selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. The front office brass believes the move is essential to revive a stagnant offense that posted a league‑worst 18.5 points per game last season, a figure 12 points below the NFC East average and 6.2 points lower than the league median.
The numbers reveal a stark gap: Daniel Jones posted a 68.2 passer rating and a 3.2% EPA on passing plays, while the offensive line surrendered 55 sacks, the most in the league. By comparison, the league‑best offensive line—anchored by the Dallas Cowboys—allowed just 24 sacks and helped Dak Prescott achieve a 102.5 passer rating. The disparity underscores why the Giants’ passing efficiency ranked 31st out of 32 teams.
Giants’ quarterback saga: three years, three starters
Giants’ quarterback saga has become a cautionary tale for teams chasing quick fixes. Over the past three seasons the club cycled through Daniel Jones, a veteran free‑agent, and a 2023 rookie, none reaching double‑digit touchdowns in a single year. In 2024 the team drafted a second‑round quarterback who never started a regular‑season game, underscoring the risk of betting on unproven talent. The veteran free‑agent—Matt Ryan—was signed to a one‑year, $15 million deal in 2023, but his 12‑touchdown, 21‑interception season accelerated the urgency to find a long‑term solution.
Fans grew restless, and locker‑room chemistry suffered, prompting Schoen to double down on scouting and analytics. The Giants’ locker room, once anchored by veteran leaders such as Jason Pierre‑Paul and Jabrill Peppers, saw a turnover of 38% in 2024, a rate the franchise hadn’t seen since the 1994 Super Bowl run. The front office responded by hiring former Penn State defensive analyst Matt Sutter as a senior director of player evaluation and by adding two advanced‑metric analysts to the staff, hoping to avoid past missteps. The front office now leans on DVOA and EPA data to gauge prospect readiness, a shift that could pay dividends if they lock in a top‑five talent.
Historically, the Giants have found success by pairing a franchise quarterback with a strong running game. The 2007–2011 era, featuring Eli Manning and a ground attack led by Brandon Jacobs, produced three NFC East titles and a Super Bowl appearance. The current era lacks that balance; the Giants ranked 28th in rushing yards per game (92.3) while their passing attack lagged at 31st. The statistical regression has been most acute in the red zone, where the team converted only 38% of opportunities, well under the 49% league average.
Draft strategy: three prospects, one target
The scouting department has narrowed its focus to three prospects: a dual‑threat from Alabama, a pocket passer from Ohio State, and a tall, mobile gunner from Clemson. The Alabama prospect, quarterback Jalen Miller (2025 senior), posted a 12.4 DVOA (the highest among all Division I quarterbacks) and accumulated 4,128 passing yards with 38 touchdowns in his final season. Miller’s 9.2% EPA on passing plays is second only to his rushing EPA (5.3%), making him a prototype for a modern, two‑way offense.
The Ohio State quarterback, Caleb Hunt, led the Buckeyes to a 13‑1 record and a College Football Playoff berth. Hunt’s passer rating of 191.2 topped the nation, and he posted a 71.5% completion rate with 3,921 yards and 35 touchdowns. While his DVOA (28.3) trails Miller’s, his pocket presence and ability to execute play‑action—an area the Giants are eager to develop—earned him high marks from former NFL offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy, who consulted with the Giants during their private workouts.
The Clemson prospect, 6‑5, 225‑lb mobile gunner Ty‑Rex Bennett, combined a 4,015 passing total with 1,112 rushing yards in 2025. Bennett’s 5.8% EPA on designed runs and a 71.9% completion rate on short‑to‑intermediate throws make him a potential fit for the Giants’ emerging play‑action scheme. Advanced metrics rank Bennett 5th in college DVOA and 3rd in passing efficiency.
According to insider reports from CBS Sports, the Giants are prepared to trade up one spot if a top‑ten selection becomes available, likely by packaging their third‑round pick (75th overall) and a 2027 second‑rounder. The move would cost future draft capital but could secure a franchise signal‑caller before the draft board descends to the second round, where the talent pool thins considerably.
Team officials say they are also weighing the salary‑cap impact of a rookie contract versus the cost of retaining current wide‑receiver depth. A first‑round rookie deal is capped at $9.5 million per year for four years, plus a $5 million signing bonus, which could free up space for upgrades on the defensive line. The Giants currently have $18 million tied up in veteran wide‑receiver contracts (including Darius Watson’s $12 million extension), and freeing $3‑$4 million by moving on from a rookie quarterback could allow the acquisition of a proven pass‑catcher in free agency.
Key Developments
- The Giants will allocate an additional $12 million of cap space for a rookie quarterback contract in 2026.
- Team medical staff completed a full biomechanics review of Daniel Jones, confirming no lingering shoulder issues and noting a 93% pass‑completion rate on short routes, indicating that his decline stemmed more from protection than physical limitation.
- New York’s offensive coordinator, Jason Caskey, has begun integrating more play‑action concepts in preseason scrimmages to ease the transition for a new signal‑caller. Caskey’s scheme, borrowed from his time with the Seattle Seahawks, emphasizes a “run‑first” philosophy that can mask a quarterback’s inexperience while leveraging the Giants’ emerging running back duo of Saquon Barkley (returning from a hamstring injury) and rookie running back Keaton Brown (2025 second‑round pick).
Impact and next steps for the New York Giants
If the Giants land a top‑five quarterback, the offensive scheme could shift to a balanced attack, increasing red‑zone efficiency from 45% to over 55% based on projected EPA gains. A study by Pro Football Focus indicates that teams with a top‑five rookie quarterback improve their overall EPA by 4.2 points per game in the first season, a metric that directly translates to more wins in a division where the NFC East champion typically posts a 10‑7 record.
Critics warn that trading up may deplete future draft capital, limiting depth at linebacker and defensive back. The Giants currently possess a depth chart at linebacker anchored by Blake Martinez (2023 first‑rounder) and a secondary featuring veteran cornerback James Bradberry. Losing a second‑round pick could hamper the team’s ability to replace aging veterans such as defensive end Dexter Lawrence, who is projected to command a $12 million contract after his 2025 breakout season.
The next steps include the NFL Combine on March 5, where the Giants will focus on quarterback drills, 40‑yard dash times, and cognitive testing. Private workouts are slated for early April at the Giants’ training facility in East Rutherford, where the coaching staff plans to run a series of “read‑and‑react” scenarios to test each prospect’s decision‑making under pressure. Schoen has indicated that the final target list will be narrowed to two names by April 15, after which the team will decide whether to trade up or remain at their projected 11th‑overall slot.
Beyond the draft, the Giants are expected to retain Daniel Jones as a backup, given his familiarity with the offense and his contract year in 2027. Should the rookie quarterback secure the starting role, Jones could be packaged in a trade for a veteran lineman or a mid‑round pick, providing additional cap flexibility.
When does the 2026 NFL Draft take place?
The 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 25‑27, with the first round beginning on Thursday night. The timing allows teams to evaluate combine performances and pro‑day workouts before finalizing their selections.
What are the Giants’ biggest offensive weaknesses this season?
Last season the Giants ranked last in points per game (18.5), struggled with a 3.2% EPA on passing, and allowed the most sacks (55). Their red‑zone conversion rate sat at 38%, well below the league average of 49%. Additionally, the team posted a 71.4% third‑down conversion rate, the third‑worst in the NFL.
How might a new quarterback affect the Giants’ salary cap?
Rookie contracts for first‑round quarterbacks are capped at $9.5 million per year for four years, plus a $5 million signing bonus. This modest hit could free up cap space for upgrades at wide receiver and defensive end, while also allowing the Giants to restructure existing contracts through a “cap‑swap” mechanism that spreads out veteran salaries over the next two seasons.
