New $45 million Giants security Jevón Holland stated he didn’t ask the group what their plans have been at quarterback earlier than agreeing to check in New York.
That’s not his job.
“No, I didn’t ask them what their quarterback plans were,” Holland stated on Zoom Thursday. “My job as a defender is to give the ball back to the quarterback… I know they’re going to pick the right guy for the organization, for the team, and he’s going to help us win.”
Perhaps Holland ought to have requested. Perhaps if he had identified that Joe Flacco can be visiting the Giants as a critical free agent choice on Thursday, it might have clarified for Holland simply how shaky this franchise’s outlook has turn into.
Cash talks in free company, so Holland and nook Paulson Adebo ($54 million) signed huge contracts with the Giants this week. And huge receiver Darius Slayton returned on a three-year, $36 million deal whereas admitting “I understand why people would be surprised” that he’s again.
The uncertainty at quarterback is unattainable to disregard, although, and it doesn’t encourage confidence — particularly once they’re genuinely contemplating Flacco, 40, coming into his 18th season off an underwhelming six begins (2-4) with the Indianapolis Colts.
Slayton stated he’s intently following Aaron Rodgers’ and Russell Wilson’s every day actions, updates, visits and seaside paparazzi photographs identical to everybody else.
All that the Giants have driving on it’s, properly, every thing.
“I don’t have notifications on, but you can’t get on Twitter or Instagram without seeing the updates,” Slayton stated. “I see them, and I follow them. But at the end of the day, I don’t make the decision for who becomes the guy. But I do make the decision of being able to support the guy and play to the best of my ability for the guy, whoever he is, when he gets here.”
Whereas Slayton performs the great soldier, the very fact is the Giants have been stunningly inactive on the offensive aspect of the ball exterior of their to date empty quarterback search.
The offensive personnel look nearly precisely the identical, all the way in which all the way down to Wednesday’s reported re-signing of proper guard Greg Van Roten after Colts free agent lineman Will Fries selected the Vikings over New York.
There are nonetheless months of roster-building to go, together with April’s NFL Draft. The Giants maintain eight picks, together with 5 within the high 105.
However their potential to land a succesful successful quarterback will say every thing about simply what sort of likelihood the Giants really need to be aggressive in 2025 coming off their 3-14 season in 2024.
Not that Rodgers or Wilson will certainly be successful gamers on this group in the event that they signal. Their pedigrees and skills at the least get gamers like Slayton excited, although.
Wilson is visiting the Giants on Friday right here in East Rutherford, N.J., after spending time with the Browns in Ohio on Thursday.
Slayton stated he would like to play with the 10-time Professional Bowler and Tremendous Bowl champion former Seahawk, Bronco and Steeler.
“Selfishly I think he’s been noted as having a great deep ball,” Slayton stated with a smile. “I love that, of course. He’s somebody who has won in this league, played well last year for the Steelers. So clearly he’s still got gas in the tank. If he’s who we bring in, or whoever we bring in, we’ll embrace him and do our best to rally around him.”
Rodgers, in the meantime, continues to deliberate with the Giants, Steelers, Vikings, and retirement that are all thought-about choices for the four-time MVP.
Slayton stated lately on the Talkin’ Ball with Pat Leonard podcast that he hoped the Giants would construct a system across the particular talent set of their new quarterback, ideally a rookie or youthful vet that would develop in that offense 12 months over 12 months.
However Rodgers’ expertise is unattainable to disregard for his friends, and Slayton granted “it’s not often in this league you get a chance to play with a Hall of Fame, all-time quarterback.”
The chance nonetheless exists, nevertheless, that the Giants might lose out on each Rodgers and Wilson. After which what? A veteran like Flacco, Jameis Winston or Cooper Rush could possibly be subsequent in line.
Kirk Cousins lurks as a attainable goal down the road if the Falcons ever let him out of Atlanta. However that’s nothing any group can plan for at this second with the NFL Draft arising, the Giants holding the No. 3 total choose, and Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll determined for a Week 1 QB who can win them video games.
Slayton was doing his finest on Thursday to promote Rodgers or Wilson on what the Giants boast on offense.
He stated “the sky is the limit” for any QB who joins the Giants’ “very quarterback-friendly” solid of “weapons.” He raved about their offensive tackles and expressed confidence that the group’s fortunes will flip.
With no quarterback, although, it’s all speak. It’s all hope. And nothing feels settled or certain concerning the Giants’ possibilities in 2025.
Initially Printed: March 13, 2025 at 6:11 PM EDT
