Though the New York Giants have signed both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston this spring, another quarterback early in the draft is not off the table.
However, general manager Joe Schoen made clear he isn’t going to “force” taking a quarterback that early in the draft, setting a high bar for such a selection.
“Yeah, if you’re talking about where we’re picking, you’d like that guy to be able to be a franchise quarterback that you can win with, you’re winning the NFC East every year,” Schoen said. “The ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl if you’re taking a guy that high, so they have to be able to check (all) those boxes.”
Schoen added that the Giants are in a position to take the best player available at No. 3, regardless of position.
The Giants are picking behind the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns, two quarterback-needy teams, and Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are the two QB prospects universally projected to be high picks.
Giants owner John Mara said at the start of the offseason that finding a “quarterback of the future” was their No. 1 priority. Since then, New York signed ex-Super Bowl champion Wilson, 36, and former No. 1 overall pick-turned-journeyman Winston, 31.
Wilson said in his introductory press conference that he expects to be New York’s starter. Schoen said Monday that the team didn’t guarantee to Wilson that it wouldn’t also draft a quarterback.
“I didn’t tell him what we’re going to do at (Pick) 3, but I said we’re open to everything,” Schoen said. “So yeah, you can’t give a promise that you’re not going to take a certain position or something like that. That’s not fair.
“We can go any which direction. 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 needs, so gives us optionality to go many different directions.”
Winston met with reporters Monday and said he was looking for a team that could offer a starting or “bridge” quarterback role. The Giants signed him before adding Wilson.
“My role was explained to me as there is an opportunity at the quarterback position that we’re looking forward to getting better at,” Winston said. “I signed up for that because I’m looking forward to getting better and being my very best self myself.
“So that’s how was it. I didn’t get a clean explanation of my role because I played so many different roles already. I’ve played every role that the quarterback room has to offer, so I’m ready for anything.”
Winston said he had a good relationship with Wilson, revealing that Wilson once let him have a look at how “Russ ran his enterprise, ran his businesses, how he took care of his body and how he trained and what did he do to go into his mental approach.”
If the Giants add a quarterback in the draft, at No. 3 or in a later round, Winston will be happy to play the mentor.
“Me having that experience, being in rooms with great veteran quarterbacks such as Ryan Fitzpatrick, being in rooms with … Derek Carr, Deshaun Watson last year, having the chance to mentor Dorian Thompson-Robinson when he had a chance to get back in his starting role with the Cleveland Browns. I’ve been able to learn so many different things from my time, my career,” Winston said.
“So catering to a young quarterback and serving them would be something that I would definitely take on with a great responsibility and cherish it.”
–Field Level Media
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