Former MVP warns Giants about rookie QBs after failed pursuit of Rams’ Matthew Stafford
Before the Los Angeles Rams confirmed on Friday that they would retain quarterback Matthew Stafford, former NFL MVP and analyst Boomer Esiason warned New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll about targeting Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders in the upcoming draft.
“Then there will be a new coach next year,” Esiason said during Friday’s edition of the WFAN “Boomer and Gio” program about New York starting either Ward or Sanders during the 2025 season, Audacy’s Ryan Chichester shared. “I feel bad for Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll. They’re trying to win…it seems very unlikely that they’re going to be able to trade for Matthew Stafford at this point. It seems that ship has sailed.”
NFL insider Connor Hughes of SNY has said Schoen could “be aggressive” and trade up from the third overall pick of the upcoming draft to first to take either Ward or Sanders. However, numerous analysts and NFL personnel have repeatedly said neither signal-caller is as good as the six quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2024 draft.
In a mock draft updated earlier this week, NFL Media’s Bucky Brooks predicted that the Giants would stay at the third pick and be able to get Sanders. Stories began linking New York with Sanders this past fall.
Earlier this month, Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II suggested that either Ward or Sanders could lead that team to the playoffs as rookies, similar to how Jayden Daniels recently guided the Washington Commanders to the NFC Championship Game as a first-year pro. Esiason doesn’t envision such a scenario playing out for the 2025 Giants.
“They’re not winning with a rookie quarterback,” Esiason added. “Neither [Ward nor Sanders] are Jayden Daniels or C.J. Stroud, and the Giants roster as currently constructed is not good enough to support the growth of a young quarterback that isn’t ready for the NFL yet.”
The Giants could target Sam Darnold of the Minnesota Vikings when the free-agent negotiating window opens on March 10. Darnold is on track to become the top quarterback of this year’s free-agency class, and it appears the Raiders aren’t keen on paying the 27-year-old who became a revelation under Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.
