Will the New York Giants select a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft?
That’s a question no one can answer with any level of certainty at the moment but it hasn’t stopped most analysts from mocking a Daniel Jones replacement to Big Blue in their pre-draft projections.
However, former NFL general manager Rick Spielman sees fault in that line of thinking. Despite the noise, he doesn’t believe the Giants will go quarterback in Round 1 because the current regime has already hitched their wagon to Jones.
Former #Vikings GM Rick Spielman doesn't think the #Giants could realistically explain to ownership that they'll use a top-6 pick on a QB after giving out $81M fully-guaranteed to Daniel Jones just a year ago.
"I'm pushing my chips in the middle right now." pic.twitter.com/nvsPPpxNPX
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 19, 2024
“At number six, you’re going to get a significant player,” Spielman said. “Assuming Daniel Jones is healthy they have to go with him. If he struggles, maybe Drew Lock comes in. . . but they won’t address the quarterback need in the first round this year.
“You still have to give Daniel Jones a chance, and maybe he can emulate what he did the first year he was under (Brian) Daboll and the success that he had to get that kind of contract. So to me, it makes no sense that people are talking about them looking at number six and a quarterback right now because there’s a significant player that’s going to be there that will help them win this year.”
The flaw in Spielman’s stance is that Giants co-owner John Mara has already given general manager Joe Schoen a stamp of approval if he decides to draft a quarterback. It’s something that Mara has even acknowledged publicly.
Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean Schoen will draft a quarterback. He’s certainly under no pressure to do so, as he outlined during his pre-draft press conference earlier this week.
“I think with Drew’s experience. . . with Daniel’s experience and what Tommy (DeVito) did last year,” Schoen said, “I think we could go into the season with the three that we have and I’d be comfortable with that.”
