Report: The Giants Are Looking For Their Next Franchise Quarterback

The Giants’ front office is apparently as fed up with Eli Manning as anyone who has watched a Giants game this year has been, and is, according to ESPN, working to find a new quarterback in this year’s draft.

ESPN Giants beat reporter Jordan Raanan reports today that the Giants have taken a particular interest in UCLA QB Josh Rosen and USC QB Sam Darnold, and have dispatched scouts to monitor both players. There’s also this funny, kinda weird line:

Darnold may be the most intriguing option, but whispers in league circles are that he may remain at USC for another year. Rosen (personality) and [Wyoming QB Josh] Allen (level of competition) also come with questions.

Personality! Level of competition! The NFL never changes.

After last week’s loss to the Rams that put the team at 1-7 on the season, John Mara basically told reporters the QB position is anyone’s to take at this point. Manning, who is under contract for another two years, clearly wants to play, but he’s 36 years old and quite bad now, and the Giants would be out of their minds not to begin an earnest search for a long-term replacement.

The entire situation has put third-string rookie quarterback Davis Webb in an awkward position. Webb was drafted in the third round of the 2017 draft, and could have conceivably been on track to take over for Manning in two years. But the Giants and Manning being this bad this quickly has messed up the timeline, and now it’s unlikely Webb is going to get a look before someone like Rosen or Darnold does.

The Giants play the 49ers this Sunday in Santa Clara and are, horrifically, the underdogs to the zero-win home team. There have been a lot of low points for the Giants this season, but if they do lose to what is basically a practice squad team this late in the season, it might be the point at which everyone finally snaps. Sounds fun!