The Giants ran on "parallel tracks" during their conversations with quarterbacks in free agency, none of which led them into a corner. And that is what Joe Schoen wanted.
"We can go any direction," the general manager said Monday at the Annual League Meetings when asked about how the signings affect the pursuit of a quarterback in the draft. "We can go play a game right now, so it doesn't force you into a corner or force you to have to take something based on need."
The first game won't actually be for five months, but the Giants do start spring football in a few weeks. When that happens, Schoen said 10-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson will take first-team reps when he gets on the field for the first time with his new team.
Jameis Winston, meanwhile, has played "every role" that the quarterback room has to offer. The Giants were eager to add another productive veteran to the mix after playing seven different quarterbacks over the past two seasons.
Schoen said at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis that he was going to "take swings" at the position, and that's what they did.
"I knew that going into it Tommy [DeVito] was the only one under contract," Schoen said in Palm Beach, Fla. "We were looking at not just trade options but free agency, and we'll also look to the draft. So, we got a pretty good feel what the landscape looks like, who is available, how they're going to be available.
"As we started to go through it, we ended up landing where we did. That was one of the plans as we went through it, hey, this is also a plan that if we end up with Russell and Jameis, we're good with that. We did have conversations with other quarterbacks and other teams, and this is where we landed."
View every move made by the New York Giants during the 2025 cycle.
WR Ryan Miller - Claimed off waivers from TB (December 11)
WR Beaux Collins - Designated for Return / Returned to Practice (December 10)
OL Joshua Ezeudu - Returned to Practice (December 10)
WR Xavier Gipson - Practice Squad Exception (December 10)
P Cameron Johnston - Practice Squad Veteran (December 10)
WR Ray-Ray McCloud - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (December 10)
CB Myles Purchase- Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (December 10)
ILB Darius Muasau - Designated for Return / Returned to Practice (December 9)
CB Art Green - Designated for Return / Returned to Practice (December 9)
DL Casey Rogers - Practice Squad (December 8)
OLB Tomon Fox - Practice Squad Exception (December 4)
OLB Tomon Fox - Waived, No Recall (December 2)
OLB Tomon Fox - Free Agent Signing from NYG PS (December 1)
LB Swayze Bozeman - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (December 1)
WR Dalen Cambre - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (December 1)
CB Myles Purchase - Practice Squad (November 25)
TE Maximilian Mang - International Practice Player Signing (November 24)
K Jude McAtamney - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (November 24)
RB Eric Gray - Activated, from Reserve (November 22)
TE Thomas Fidone II - Reserve/Injured (November 22)
LB Swayze Bozeman - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 22)
WR Dalen Cambre - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 22)
OLB Tomon Fox - Practice Squad Exception (November 19)
RB Eric Gray - Returned to Practice (November 19)
OLB Tomon Fox - Waived, No Recall (November 17)
K Younghoe Koo - Free Agent Signing from NYG PS (November 15)
G Evan Neal - Reserve/Injured (November 15)
WR Dalen Cambre - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 15)
DL Elijah Chatman - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 15)
WR Isaiah Hodgins - Free Agent Signing from PIT PS (November 13)
OLB Trace Ford - Practice Squad (November 13)
K Graham Gano - Reserve/Injured (November 12)
TE Zach Davidson - Practice Squad (November 11)
K Ben Sauls - Practice Squad (November 11)
LB Zaire Barnes - Free Agent Signing (from NYG PS) (November 8)
OLB Tomon Fox - Free Agent Signing (from NYG PS) (November 8)
WR Beaux Collins - Reserve/Injured (November 8)
ILB Darius Muasau - Reserve/Injured (November 8)
K Younghoo Koo - Activated from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 8)
WR Ray-Ray McCloud - Activated from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 8)
CB Rico Payton - Activated, from Reserve (November 1)
CB Art Green - Reserve/Injured (November 1)
WR Ray-Ray McCloud III - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 1)
LB Zaire Barnes - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 1)
CB Rico Payton - Designated for Return / Returned to Practice (October 29)
DB Jarrick Bernard-Converse - Claimed, off Waivers from CLE (October 28)
RB Cam Skattebo - Reserve/Injured (October 28)
LB Swayze Bozeman - Practice Squad (October 28)
WR Juice Wells Jr. - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 28)
K Graham Gano - Activated, from Reserve (October 25)
LB Swayze Bozeman - Waived, No Recall (October 25)
WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 25)
S Raheem Layne - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 25)
WR Ray-Ray McCloud III - Practice Squad Veteran (October 23)
K Jude McAtamney - International Practice Player Signing (October 23)
DB LaMareon James - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 23)
K Graham Gano - Designated for Return/Returned to Practice (October 22)
CB Korie Black - Free Agent Signing (October 21)
K Jude McAtamney - Waived, No Recall (October 21)
DL Elijah Garcia - Practice Squad (October 21)
LB Jonas Griffith - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 21)
OLB Victor Dimukeje - Activated, from Reserve (October 18)
DL Elijah Garcia - Waived, No Recall (October 18)
WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 18)
LB Zaire Barnes - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 18)
OLB Victor Dimukeje - Returned to Practice (October 15)
WR Juice Wells Jr. - Practice Squad (October 13)
LB Jonas Griffith - Practice Squad Veteran (October 13)
LB Neville Hewitt - Free Agent Signing (from NYG PS) (October 9)
K Jude McAtamney - Free Agent Signing (from NYG PS) (October 9)
WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 9)
LB Zaire Barnes - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 9)
LB Neville Hewitt - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 4)
K Jude McAtamney - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 4)
OLB Tomon Fox - Practice Squad Exception (October 1)
WR Malik Nabers - Reserve/Injured (September 29)
OLB Tomon Fox - Waived, No Recall (September 29)
DL Elijah Garcia - Free Agent Signing from NYG PS (September 27)
OLB Tomon Fox - Free Agent Signing from NYG PS (September 27)
K Jude McAtamney - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 27)
LB Neville Hewitt - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 27)
K Graham Gano - Reserve/Injured (September 27)
OLB Tomon Fox - Practice Squad Exception (September 24)
K Younghoe Koo - Practice Squad Veteran (September 23)
LB Curtis Jacobs - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 23)
OLB Tomon Fox - Waived, No Recall (September 22)
OLB Tomon Fox - Free Agent Signing from NYG PS (September 20)
WR Xavier Gipson - Waived, No Recall (September 20)
DL Elijah Garcia - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 20)
LB Neville Hewitt - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 20)
DB LaMareon James - Practice Squad (September 17)
DB Dee Williams - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 17)
LB Swayze Bozeman - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (September 16)
LB Chris Board - Reserve/Injured (September 16)
LB Neville Hewitt - Practice Squad Veteran (September 16)
LB Curtis Jacobs - Practice Squad Exception (September 16)
WR Dalen Cambre - Practice Squad (September 16)
TE Qadir Ismail - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 16)
DB Patrick McMorris - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 16)
DL Elijah Garcia - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 13)
LB Swayze Bozeman - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 13)
WR Xavier Gipson - Claimed off Waivers from NYJ (September 11)
ILB Micah McFadden - Reserve/Injured (September 11)
CB Tre Hawkins III - Waived, No Recall from Reserve/Injured (September 9)
T Reid Holskey - Practice Squad (September 8)
G McClendon Curtis - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 8)
DL Elijah Garcia - Activated from Practice Squad/Standard Elevation (Sept. 6)
WR Gunner Olszewski - Free Agent Signing (August 29)
CB Rico Payton - Reserve/Injured (August 29)
LB Zaire Barnes - Practice Squad (August 29)
G McClendon Curtis - Practice Squad (August 29)
OLB Trace Ford - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (August 29)
LB Swayze Bozeman, TE Qadir Ismail, DB Patrick McMorris - Practice Squad (August 28)
S Beau Brade - Claimed off Waivers from BAL (August 27)
CB Rico Payton - Claimed off Waivers from NOR (August 27)
CB Korie Black - Waived, No Recall (August 27)
WR Gunner Olszewski - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 27)
WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette - Practice Squad Veteran (August 27)
WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey - Practice Squad Veteran (August 27)
K Jude McAtamney - International Practice Player Signing (August 27)
OLB Trace Ford, DL Elijah Garcia, OL Bryan Hudson, G Jake Kubas, S Raheem Layne, RB Dante Miller - Practice Squad (August 27)
DL Elijah Chatman, OLB Tomon Fox, DL Jordon Riley, CB Dee Williams - Practice Squad Exception (August 27)
OL Joshua Ezeudu - Reserve/Injured / Designated for Return (August 26)
RB Eric Gray - Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (August 26)
OLB Victor Dimukeje - Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (August 26)
WR Da'Quan Felton, CB Tre Hawkins, TE Jermaine Terry - Waived, Injured (August 26)
T Stone Forsythe, WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey, DL Jeremiah Ledbetter, WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette, RB Jonathan Ward - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 26)
WR Dalen Cambre, DL Elijah Chatman, QB Tommy DeVito, TE Greg Dulcich, DL Cory Durden, OLB Trace Ford, OLB Tomon Fox, DL Elijah Garcia, OL Bryan Hudson, G Jake Kubas, S Raheem Layne, K Jude McAtamney, RB Dante Miller, S Makari Paige, DL Jordon Riley, WR Antwane Wells, DB Dee Williams - Waived, No Recall (August 26)
CB TJ Moore - Reserve/Injured (August 24)
S K'Von Wallace - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 24)
WR Zach Pascal - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 22)
WR Jordan Bly, ILB K.J. Cloyd, CB O'Donnell Fortune, ILB Dyontae Johnson, C Jimmy Morrissey, WR Montrell Washington, OL Jaison Williams - Waived, No Recall (August 22)
T Andrew Thomas - Passed Physical (August 19)
LB K.J. Cloyd - Free Agent Signing (August 4)
RB Jonathan Ward - Free Agent Signing (August 4)
LB Ty Summers - Reserve/Injured (August 4)
RB Rushawn Baker - Waived, Injured (August 4)
WR Gunner Olszewski - Free Agent Signing (July 28)
WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton - Reserve/Injured (July 28)
S K'Von Wallace - Free Agent Signing (July 22)
DB Anthony Johnson - Waived, Injured (July 22)
T Andrew Thomas - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 22)
RB Eric Gray - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 22)
OLB Victor Dimukeje - Declared Non-Football Injury (July 22)
Giants receive 2026 sixth-round draft pick from Dolphins in exchange for conditional 2027 seventh-round selection and TE Darren Waller (July 7)
RB Cam Skattebo - Selection List Signing (June 18)
DL Darius Alexander - Selection List Signing (June 2)
QB Jaxson Dart - Selection List Signing (May 30)
OLB Abdul Carter - Selection List Signing (May 22)
WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey - Free Agent Signing (May 12)
CB T.J. Moore - Free Agent Signing (May 12)
DB R.J. Delancy III - Waived, No Recall (May 12)
DB Tommy McCormick - Waived, No Recall (May 12)
OL Marcus Mbow - Selection List Signing (May 9)
TE Thomas Fidone II - Selection List Signing (May 9)
CB Korie Black - Selection List Signing (May 9)
RB Rushawn Baker, WR Jordan Bly, WR Dalen Cambre, WR Beaux Collins, DB R.J. Delancey, WR Da'Quan Felton, OLB Trace Ford, DB O'Donnell Fortune, DB Tommy McCormick, DB Makari Paige, TE Jermaine Terry, WR Antwane Wells, OL Jaison Williams - Free Agent Signing (May 9)
WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (May 9)
DL Casey Rogers - Waived, No Recall (May 8)
CB Korie Black - Selected in the 7th Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 246 overall) (April 26)
TE Thomas Fidone II - Selected in the 7th Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 219 overall) (April 26)
OL Marcus Mbow - Selected in the 5th Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 154 overall) (April 26)
RB Cam Skattebo - Selected in the 4th Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 105 overall) (April 26)
DL Darius Alexander - Selected in the 3rd Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 65 overall) (April 25)
QB Jaxson Dart - Selected in the 1st Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 25 overall) (April 24)
LB Abdul Carter - Selected in the 1st Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 3 overall) (April 24)
DT Ross Blacklock - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (April 15)
QB Jameis Winston - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 31)
LB Ty Summers - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 31)
QB Russell Wilson - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 26)
ILB Dyontae Johnson - Exclusive Rights Signing (March 26)
WR Zach Pascal - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 25)
OL Aaron Stinnie - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 25)
OLB Victor Dimukeje - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 21)
WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 21)
OL Greg Van Roten - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 19)
DL Jeremiah Ledbetter - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 18)
LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles - Free Agent Signing (March 17)
CB Paulson Adebo - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
S Jevón Holland - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
WR Darius Slayton - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
DL Chauncey Golston - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
OL James Hudson III - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
LB Chris Board - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
OL Stone Forsythe - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette - Re-signed (March 12)
DT Roy Robertson-Harris - Free Agent Signing (March 10)
P Jamie Gillan - Re-signed (March 8)
TE Chris Manhertz - Re-signed (March 8)
QB Tommy DeVito - Re-signed (March 8)
OLB Tomon Fox - Re-signed (March 7)
LS Casey Kreiter - Re-signed (March 5)
WR Montrell Washington - Free Agent Signing (February 14)
CB Nic Jones - Free Agent Signing (February 14)
DT Ross Blacklock - Reserve/Future (January 6)
C Bryan Hudson - Reserve/Future (January 6)
K Jude McAtamney - Reserve/Future (January 6)
C Jimmy Morrissey - Reserve/Future (January 6)
DT Casey Rogers - Reserve/Future (January 6)
The roster is far from complete – at quarterback or otherwise.
The Giants have eight overall picks, including five choices in the first 105, thanks to a compensatory selection that the team gained in the third round. Schoen believes you can find a quarterback past the first round, but he won't take one just for the sake of it.
People need to ask, "What if there's not a guy?"
"The assumption is there is going to be a guy [in the first round]," Schoen said of the outside perception. "Like I understand the narrative of that. As we do our homework, if there is not a guy, we'll take one that checks the box. If there is not a guy, that's not a good plan."
Schoen added: "So, if there is another guy in the second or third or Mr. Irrelevant that can become a franchise quarterback, heck yeah, you would love to do that. We're going to do our homework on all the quarterbacks and all the positions. We've set it up where we're not backed into a corner that we have to take any particular position at any point."
Furthermore, even with the draft less than a month away, the information-gathering is not complete. That is true for all 32 clubs, including possible trade partners.
"There are still pro days, particularly, because the position I know you're talking about, Colorado doesn't go until Friday," Schoen said. "Miami just went last week. Last week was a big day for pro days, some of the schools that went. We'll continue to gather information. There is still information coming in. I think most of the clubs – again, it's incomplete still until you get all the information. We'll see on that."
The same is true for non-quarterbacks.
"We're going to continue to gather information," Schoen said. "Still a little bit incomplete. Two of the players I'm assuming you're talking about haven't even worked out. We're still gathering that information. Again, we're in a position where we can take who we think is the best football player at that time."
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