New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen made no secret of his plan to add a quarterback this offseason. Schoen has followed through by agreeing to sign Drew Lock to a one-year contract worth $5 million, a league source confirmed to The Athletic.
The Giants were linked to many of the top backup quarterback options on the market, including a meeting with Russell Wilson last week before the nine-time Pro Bowler chose to sign with the Steelers. The Giants reportedly had interest in re-signing Tyrod Taylor, who is instead signing with the Jets. Jameis Winston, who is signing with the Browns, and Mason Rudolph, who remains on the market, were also mentioned as possible targets. And the possibility of trading for Bears quarterback Justin Fields was even floated.
The Giants landed on Lock, who ranked No. 140 on The Athletic’s list of the top 150 available free agents. The 27-year-old Lock has made 23 career starts, providing an experienced insurance policy for starting quarterback Daniel Jones, who is recovering from a torn ACL.
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How he fits
Schoen has repeatedly said he expects Jones, who is on track to be available by the start of training camp, to be the starting quarterback in Week 1. Adding Lock doesn’t change the equation, although he at least provides a viable alternative if Jones isn’t healthy or struggles again. The only other quarterback on the roster is Tommy DeVito, who had a nice run last season, but clearly isn’t viewed as legitimate No. 2 quarterback by the Giants.
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Lock spent the past two seasons as Geno Smith’s backup in Seattle. Lock didn’t play a snap in 2022, but he made four appearances last season. He led a touchdown drive against the Giants in place of Smith during the Seahawks’ 24-3 win in Week 4 and orchestrated a dramatic win against the Eagles in Week 15.
DREW LOCK DIMES JSN FOR THE LEAD! 🎯#PHIvsSEA pic.twitter.com/puyV6Lgw7I
— ESPN (@espn) December 19, 2023
Lock is a gunslinger, tying for second in average air yards per attempt in his last season as a starter in 2020 for the Broncos. He has 28 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions in his career, which illustrates his willingness to take risks.
2024 impact
It would be a surprise if the Giants hold an open quarterback competition between Jones and Lock. But Lock at least presents an experienced alternative to Jones. Meanwhile, Lock’s arrival keeps DeVito as the No. 3 quarterback, which puts the New Jersey native in jeopardy of not making the roster.
Adding Lock shouldn’t have any impact on the Giants’ draft plans. If the Giants want to take a quarterback early in the draft, they’ll take one. But there’s no guarantee the Giants will land a quarterback, so Schoen prioritized having a legit backup to Jones.
Here's the link to this morning's live room with @charlottecrrll breaking down an eventful start to free agency: https://t.co/SbvYFTY84V
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) March 12, 2024
History
Lock, who was a four-year starter at Missouri, and Jones were both in the 2019 draft class. The Giants took Jones with the No. 6 pick, while Lock slipped to the Broncos with the 42nd pick in the second round.
Lock lost a quarterback competition with veteran Teddy Bridgewater as a rookie, but he made five starts when the veteran was injured. Lock went 4-1 with seven touchdowns and three interceptions as a rookie.
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Lock entered his second season as the starter. He tallied 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while posting a 4-9 record in 13 starts. Lock was shipped to Seattle after the 2021 season as part of the blockbuster deal with the Seahawks for Wilson.
Cap update
The Giants entered free agency with $38.4 million in cap space. That is evaporating quickly, with outside linebacker Brian Burns and guard Jon Runyan combining to count $30 million against this year’s cap. With Lock reportedly getting $5 million guaranteed on a one-year deal, that should all count against the cap.
The cap hits for running back Devin Singletary and offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor aren’t yet known, but it’s safe to assume the Giants will need to create cap space soon. A restructure of left tackle Andrew Thomas is the most obvious avenue to open space.
Lock’s $5 million salary is in line with what Taylor made the past two seasons after signing a two-year, $11 million contract to serve as Jones’ backup.
Outlook
The Giants are in a funky spot at quarterback. Jones’ guaranteed $35.5 million salary assures he’ll be on the roster this season. But he’s recovering from a torn ACL and struggled last season, so his immediate and long-term future are unclear.
The Giants are believed to be exploring quarterback options in the draft, but there’s no guarantee they’ll be able to land one of the top prospects. Regardless of what happens with Jones and the draft, Schoen wanted to have a capable veteran backup on the roster. Lock fills that role.
(Photo of Drew Lock: Ryan Kang / Getty Images)