The Giants told Drew Lock he would have the chance to compete to be their starting quarterback.
Seahawks GM John Schneider said that’s why Lock left Seattle, even though they wanted him back.
“Another rough conversation: Really happy for Drew,” Schneider said Thursday on “The Wyman and Bob Show” on 710 Seattle Sport. “And it’s really the opportunity. Yes, to your point, they basically sold him on the opportunity to compete to be the starter. And he felt like it was the right opportunity. He looked at Baker Mayfield’s opportunity last year [in Tampa] and felt that this could be something similar.”
Schneider may have been talking out of school, but he’s right. Multiple league sources also told the Daily News the exact same thing earlier Thursday.
“Drew signed there because they told him he’d have a chance to start,” one league source told The News.
This further clarifies Russell Wilson’s free agent visit with the Giants before his eventual signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wilson never would have traveled to New Jersey if he didn’t think there was a potential opportunity to play.
The Giants aren’t guaranteeing anyone they will be handed Jones’ job. So Wilson ended up in Pittsburgh, knowing there was a chance he could end up as Jones’ backup once he got healthy.
But simply an opportunity to win the gig was enough for Lock, who signed on a one-year, $5 million contract.
Giants Super Bowl XXI MVP Phil Simms said on the “Talkin’ Ball with Pat Leonard” podcast that landing Lock is a “great deal” for the Giants.
Simms said Lock made “tremendous strides” last year in Seattle with a “fantastic” preseason and strong regular season play when he spotted an injured Geno Smith.
“You could tell he was leading the team,” Simms said Thursday. “If he has to play for the Giants, it won’t be a big drop-off, that’s for sure. To say he’s a good backup, that might be a little bit of an understatement. He’s a good backup-plus.”
Jones’ health is a part of this equation along with his play.
Jones is “behind schedule” in his ACL recovery that was initially intended to have him ready for Week 1, according to former NFL GM Michael Lombardi on “:The GM Shuffle” podcast.
GM Joe Schoen promised to be in the veteran quarterback market all along. The Giants also were tied to Jameis Winston before he signed with the Cleveland Browns.
But if Lock views this as an opportunity like Mayfield had with the Buccaneers last year, that means he believes there is a genuine chance to win the job outright and resurrect his career to a bigger payday somewhere in 2025.
And why shouldn’t he?
People around the league have noticed that the Giants organization did not push back in any meaningful public way on NFL Network host Rich Eisen’s recent report that “the Giants are absolutely done with Daniel Jones.”
It’s possible the Giants are just letting Schoen’s previous comments about his confidence in Jones speak for them, but those statements ring hollow now.
Lock arriving to compete as the starter doesn’t mean the Giants won’t draft a quarterback with their No. 6 overall pick in the NFL Draft or even try to trade up for their guy. But Simms thinks they’re more likely to take a position player high in the first round and get a quarterback later.
He doesn’t see New England taking a QB at No. 3, either. Both teams signed capable starters in free agency already, the way Simms sees it.
“New England, they signed Jacoby Brissett. Between him and then Drew Lock — which got no fanfare — Drew Lock is capable and has got the skills we talked about. And that makes me think both of those teams are not big time into taking a quarterback [at the top of the draft],” Simms said.
“Could I be wrong? Of course,” Simms added. “But there’s other things they need to cover and do [on their rosters]. Maybe somebody moves up and they can move down and still get the guy they want … later in the draft. That’s possible. But right now my guess is those two teams, I don’t think either one will draft a quarterback [at the top of the first round].”
The Seahawks and Schneider, for their part, pivoted off Lock’s departure and traded for Washington quarterback Sam Howell.
That strengthened the perception that picks No. 1 and 2 in the draft will be USC quarterback Caleb Williams to the Chicago Bears and then LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels to the Commanders.
Maybe the Patriots will take Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. at No. 3 after that. Maybe they’ll trade back. Maybe the Giants will make a move up for a QB. Maybe they won’t.
But one thing is clear: Lock isn’t just here to back up Jones. He’s here to compete for his job. And with the Giants expected to take a QB somewhere in the draft, if not high in the first round, the clock is ticking as loudly as ever on Jones’ time as their franchise QB.
