The New York Giants are likely to retain starting quarterback Daniel Jones in the offseason. However, if long-term contract talks stalled, they should ponder the alternatives, and luckily for the organization, there are many strong options in the trade market.
Before the 2022 season, the Giants took a calculated risk and chose to forego offering the player they took in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft an extension. It was an understandable choice as Jones seemed to regress the last two seasons while he consistently battled injuries.
However, under new head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, the 25-year-old had a career year. He proved to be one of the better dual threats in the league and helped lead the team to their first playoff appearance since 2016.
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With good quarterbacks hard to find, the New York Giants are expected to slap a franchise tag on Jones and look to negotiate a long-term deal. However, those talks could possibly fall apart, especially with rumors of a $40 million annual price tag. Instead of the insecurity of a starting QB on another one-year deal, the team may prefer more security and/or upside from a player with a rival team.
If things did not work out and New York felt the options on the trade market were better in the short and long term, these four quarterbacks could be targets for the Giants in the offseason.
Derek Carr
The Las Vegas Raiders brought an end to Derek Carr’s nine-season run with the team with two games left on the NFL schedule. All signs point to the team trading the 31-year-old in the next couple of months. Considering how players like Josh Allen and Daniel Jones have succeeded under Daboll, there is a very good chance Carr could have a bounceback season in New York.
Carr isn’t a superstar talent, but there is no denying the three Pro Bowls and four 4,000-plus yard seasons on his resume. He is undoubtedly an upgrade and certainly would make the Giants a contender in the NFC East next season.
For the Raiders, if they were unsure they could land deals for NFL legends like Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers in the offseason, they could view Jones as a solid return for a player they have publicly given up on.
Mac Jones
Mac Jones regressed this season, but the same could be said of the entire New England Patriots offense. New reports suggest the offense was a strategic mess all season, so a case could be made that Jones is not the player we saw in 2022-2023.
However, if the Patriots were inclined to move on from the Alabama alum, a swap of young quarterbacks with the New York Giants could be an option. New England would give Jones a one-season tryout to see if he is an upgrade, or if they need to look elsewhere. For the Giants, they get a player that threw for 3,801 in 2021 that improves the passing game in ways Jones couldn’t.
Lamar Jackson
The Baltimore Ravens are going to do all they can to hold on to Lamar Jackson long-term. However, with the one-time NFL MVP representing himself in negotiations and being dead-set on a fully guaranteed deal, talks could certainly fall apart after they franchise tag him after this season.
Jackson would be a massive upgrade and a great fit for the Giant’s offense. Plus he would make them a legit Super Bowl contender in 2023. A deal including Jones and multiple first-round picks as a starting point could be enticing enough for Baltimore and worth the risk for the New York Giants.
Aaron Rodgers
Green Bay Packers legend Aaron Rodgers could be on the trade block in the coming weeks. While the 39-year-old isn’t a long-term answer at QB for the New York Giants, much like Jackson, he certainly would move them closer to title contention next season.
Green Bay may welcome a QB competition between Jones and Jordan Love, and a couple of first-round picks. While such a bold move is out of character for the Giants, it might be worth it if they feel they can seriously contend for a championship. Plus, of the two football teams in New York, Rodgers is more likely to want to go to the one that actually made the playoffs in 2023.