Sign one? Draft one? Phil Simms says New York Giants need to do both in quarterback hunt

Ex-Giant great breaks down how the team should approach fixing their quarterback problem

The New York Giants need to take a big swing at the quarterback position this offseason. The two clearest paths? Sign Sam Darnold of the Minnesota Vikings to a big-money contract if he hits free agency, or use the third pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to select Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders as their quarterback of the future.

How about both?

Former Giants quarterback and current NFL analyst Phil Simms told Big Blue View in an exclusive interview that he believes the Giants will take a quarterback at No. 3 regardless of what happens in free agency.

“I would think they’re going to sign a free agent and they’re going to draft somebody,” Simms said. “I don’t think they’ll go out there and say, oh, we signed this guy and now we’re not going to draft one. I would think somehow the Giants with the third pick in the draft, that they’re looking to get a quarterback in that spot.

“Do they have to move up? Maybe. There’s a lot of choices there. But I feel, and I don’t know anything, I’m just guessing, but I feel pretty good the fact that I think they’ll sign a free agent and then they’re going to go out and draft one. too, and try to solidify the position the way they want it.”

Yes. That means Simms believes drafting a quarterback at No. 3 is on the table even if the Giants spend big money on Darnold.

“Let’s just say it is Sam Darnold. I haven’t looked to see all the quarterbacks that are going to be free agents. It doesn’t matter,” Simms said. “If it’s him, they’re still going to draft one. They’re not going to move down. They’re not going to pick another player. I would think they’re going to take a quarterback.

“They want to make sure they get this quarterback situation to a place where they’re really happy with it. And not only is it, it makes them happy or whatever, but also they solidify it by not just getting one, let’s get two.”

The Giants had the sixth pick in the 2024 draft. They failed in an effort to trade up to No. 3 with the New England Patriots to select Drake Maye. At No. 6, we know that passed on J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr., and Bo Nix in favor of wide receiver Malik Nabers.

Simms can’t see the Giants passing on the opportunity to select a top quarterback for a second straight season.

“If they have the third pick of the draft and one of the two that everybody talks about is there and they don’t take them, I mean, oh my gosh, I don’t know what to say,” Simms said. “All hell will break loose. It’ll be great for radio and TV and everybody writing. You’ll have a lot of stuff to write about, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

The Darnold market

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The first thing the Giants, Vikings, or anyone else considering Darnold has to decide is whether they believe Darnold is the player he looked like for most of the season while helping Minnesota to a 13-4 record. Or, if his poor final two games and the lackluster first six seasons of his career are more indicative of the player he really is.

Simms buys what he saw from Darnold in 2024.

“Well, I trust it. I saw enough of it,” Simms said.

“Well, look, it’s probably the first time in his career. Well, it definitely is the first time in his career that he was with a unit and a coach where he had a chance to show more than he has. And he did that.

“And of course, you know, all this, what about the last two games? Well, okay, they’re part of the whole scenario that we look at. But, you know what? Whoever picks him up is not going to run Kevin O’Connell’s offense. So it’s going to be probably different than he played. But he showed everybody his physical skill is real.”

Chasing Darnold would, of course, take a big bite out of the estimated $43.38 million in salary cap space the Giants enter the offseason with.

While Darnold’s poor final two games against the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams likely knocked him out the $50 million per year range, former agent and current CBS Sports cap guru Joel Corry is still expecting Darnold to command at least $37.5 million annually, perhaps ranging into the mid-40s.

During our conversation, Simms did not seem enamored of spending that much money to sign Darnold.

“One way to go about this is to get a good free agent. All this, the money, how much are you going to pay Sam Darnold? Fifty million? I don’t know,” Simms said. “I can’t imagine somebody’s going to offer that kind of money. That almost kind of defeats the purpose of the whole thing.

“If you go out and give a quarterback, let’s say $40 million, you just eat into, you’re eliminating a couple of players they probably would want somewhere whether that’s free agent, draft or whatever. So, that’s why I don’t see it.”

Then again, it just takes one desperate team to drive up a player’s price tag.

“I’ll just say this. I’m really interested to see how the Sam Darnold situation does work out,” Simms said. “What happens? Will there be a lot of suitors? Will he get paid an exorbitant amount of money? Will it be less? Whatever. I’m honestly pretty curious about the whole thing.”

It’s about hope

The Giants just went through a miserable 3-14 season. They went 1-8 at home. Twice, planes flew over MetLife Stadium with messages imploring co-owner John Mara to fix the mess. A few fans wore paper bags over their heads during home games. The starting quarterback got waived.

On top of that, the Giants went through an embarrassingly public offseason which ended up with Saquon Barkley having a historic season in Philadelphia, with the Eagles potentially winning a Super Bowl.

Fans need some reason to believe there is light at the end of the tunnel. Simms understands that.

“Well, when it comes to the quarterbacks, there’s nine million opinions about it. The Giants, the big thing is, yes, find the quarterback or quarterbacks. But, they need to elevate the whole process. They need more dynamic players,” Simms said. “So that’s why this draft and offseason, I don’t know what their money situation is. So they got some money and they go out and maybe get a couple of dynamic players that fill some of the gaps.

“But first, they got to give everybody hope with the quarterback.”