The Giants are an interesting wild card in the top 10. Are they looking to replace Daniel Jones? Or are they more interested in getting him some help, which could potentially involve trading back?
Teams outside the top 10 that are eyeballing quarterbacks – Broncos, Vikings, Raiders – could be either trying to trade above the Giants or perhaps trade with them.
New York signed Daniel Jones is a four-year deal worth $160 million a year ago. With the structure of that contract, the time to get rid of him (should it play out that way) will be in the offseason next year. So the Giants’ strategy could instead revolve around trying to put better pieces around him.
Drafting a Jones replacement, of course, would involve them liking somebody in the draft. Would New York be interested in Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy if either was still around at pick No. 6?
The Giants need a better offensive line (they allowed 85 sacks last year, the 2nd-most ever) and they could use a playmaking wide receiver.
Picking through the numbers from last year, they’re pretty rough. I notice that Jones averaged only 8.4 yards per completion. (Not per attempt, but on throws that were completed – everything was short.) That’s a historically low number.
Since the merger in 1970, 1,751 quarterbacks have completed at least 100 passes in a season. Only one of those guys – last-season Steve McNair on the 2007 Ravens – averaged fewer yards per completion than Jones last year. Pretty brutal.
In the chart below, you’re looking at the worst 40 such quarterbacks since the merger. I notice that the chart illustrates the evolution of the game, with more teams right now attempting more short passes. Six of the quarterbacks listed (tagged with black dots) came from 2023, the most of any season. Another 10 came from the 2020-22 seasons.
Only 3 quarterbacks, on the other hand, came from the ’70s, and none came from the ‘80s. Only 4 came from the ‘90s. More quarterbacks right now are looking to get rid of the ball on shorter, quicker passes.
LOWEST YARDS-PER-COMPLETION (since 1970) | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Cmp | Att | Yds | YPC | TD | Int |
2007 | Steve McNair, Balt. | 133 | 205 | 1113 | 8.37 | 2 | 4 |
2023 | Daniel Jones, NYG | 108 | 160 | 909 | 8.42 | 2 | 6 |
1998 | Bobby Hoying, Phil. | 114 | 224 | 961 | 8.43 | 0 | 9 |
2008 | Ryan Fitzpatrick, Cin. | 221 | 372 | 1905 | 8.62 | 8 | 9 |
2021 | Tyler Huntley, Balt. | 122 | 188 | 1081 | 8.86 | 3 | 4 |
2017 | Joe Flacco, Balt. | 352 | 549 | 3141 | 8.92 | 18 | 13 |
1999 | Donovan McNabb, Phil. | 106 | 216 | 948 | 8.94 | 8 | 7 |
2000 | Doug Pederson, Cle. | 117 | 210 | 1047 | 8.95 | 2 | 8 |
2021 | Jacoby Brissett, Mia. | 141 | 225 | 1283 | 9.10 | 5 | 4 |
1993 | Mark Rypien, Was. | 166 | 319 | 1514 | 9.12 | 4 | 10 |
2023 | • Bryce Young, Car. | 315 | 527 | 2877 | 9.13 | 11 | 10 |
2022 | Kyler Murray, Ari. | 259 | 390 | 2368 | 9.14 | 14 | 7 |
1999 | Kordell Stewart, Pitt. | 160 | 275 | 1464 | 9.15 | 6 | 10 |
2006 | David Carr, Hou. | 302 | 442 | 2767 | 9.16 | 11 | 12 |
2020 | Nick Foles, Chi. | 202 | 312 | 1852 | 9.17 | 10 | 8 |
2005 | Jeff Garcia, Det. | 102 | 173 | 937 | 9.19 | 3 | 6 |
2015 | Zach Mettenberger, Ten. | 101 | 166 | 935 | 9.26 | 4 | 7 |
2003 | Kelly Holcomb, Cle. | 193 | 302 | 1797 | 9.31 | 10 | 12 |
2003 | Joey Harrington, Det. | 309 | 554 | 2880 | 9.32 | 17 | 22 |
2006 | Bruce Gradkowski, T.B. | 177 | 328 | 1661 | 9.38 | 9 | 9 |
2014 | Derek Carr, Oak. | 348 | 599 | 3270 | 9.40 | 21 | 12 |
2023 | • Joshua Dobbs, 2TM | 262 | 417 | 2464 | 9.40 | 13 | 10 |
2020 | Alex Smith, Was. | 168 | 252 | 1582 | 9.42 | 6 | 8 |
2000 | Shane Matthews, Chi. | 102 | 178 | 964 | 9.45 | 3 | 6 |
2023 | • Joe Burrow, Cin. | 244 | 365 | 2309 | 9.46 | 15 | 6 |
2023 | • Mac Jones, N.E. | 224 | 345 | 2120 | 9.46 | 10 | 12 |
1975 | Gary Huff, Chi. | 114 | 205 | 1083 | 9.50 | 3 | 9 |
2020 | Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt. | 399 | 608 | 3803 | 9.53 | 33 | 10 |
2018 | Jeff Driskel, Cin. | 105 | 176 | 1003 | 9.55 | 6 | 2 |
2022 | Joe Flacco, NYJ | 110 | 191 | 1051 | 9.55 | 5 | 3 |
1976 | Joe Namath, NYJ | 114 | 230 | 1090 | 9.56 | 4 | 16 |
2017 | Brett Hundley, G.B. | 192 | 316 | 1836 | 9.56 | 9 | 12 |
2022 | Tom Brady, T.B. | 490 | 733 | 4694 | 9.58 | 25 | 9 |
2021 | Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt. | 390 | 605 | 3740 | 9.59 | 22 | 10 |
1973 | Dan Pastorini, Hou. | 154 | 290 | 1482 | 9.62 | 5 | 17 |
2019 | Mitchell Trubisky, Chi. | 326 | 516 | 3138 | 9.63 | 17 | 10 |
2005 | Anthony Wright, Balt. | 164 | 266 | 1582 | 9.65 | 6 | 9 |
2020 | Mike Glennon, Jac. | 111 | 179 | 1072 | 9.66 | 7 | 5 |
2023 | • Tommy DeVito, NYG | 114 | 178 | 1101 | 9.66 | 8 | 3 |
2007 | Brodie Croyle, K.C. | 127 | 224 | 1227 | 9.66 | 6 | 6 |
—Ian Allan