New York Giants need an unlikely savior in 2024 NFL season

If the New York Giants are going to reach their full potential in 2024, it's not going to happen with Daniel Jones under center.

The rumors that persisted leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft about the Giants being interested in the quarterback position may have resulted in a massive nothing burger, but that doesn't mean the team won't have a quarterback controversy on its hands this offseason.

The Giants went out in NFL free agency and signed former Denver Broncos second-round pick Drew Lock, who has been spending most of the last two seasons learning in Seattle and playing spot-starter duty behind Geno Smith. Lock didn't play at all in the 2022 season -- his first year in Seattle -- but shined when his number was called in 2023.

Things didn't look great for Lock in his first crucial relief appearance last year when he came in against the Los Angeles Rams and almost immediately threw an interception. Lock has a history of not taking good care of the football, but Giants fans know a thing or two about that with Daniel Jones as well.

Getting his first start of the year against San Francisco, Lock made a couple of mistakes by throwing a pair of interceptions but he also completed over 70 percent of his throws and had a pair of touchdowns in a loss. The very next game, the Seattle Seahawks looked like absolte goners against the Philadelphia Eagles. They were going back home for Lock's second start of the season, and their playoff chances were hanging in the balance.

Lock led the Seahawks on a game-winning drive against the Eagles while completing over 66 percent of his passes with one touchdown (a brilliant one) and no interceptions. It was a small sample for Lock in 2023, but enough for the Giants to give him a $5 million deal for the 2024 season.

With Daniel Jones still recovering from injury and the Giants seriously flirting with the idea of trading up to take Drake Maye in the 2024 NFL Draft, it's possible that this team would want Drew Lock to win the starting job. Sometimes it's the devil you don't know...

Lock beating Daniel Jones for the starting gig in New York would be a major headline this year, and it might be the only way this Giants team is competitive in the NFC East. Lock may be prone to turning the ball over, but that's also been a major issue for Jones and the ceiling is potentially higher with Lock under center.

Maybe at this point we all know what you're going to get with either Daniel Jones or Drew Lock. Maybe there's a limit to the ceiling no matter what. But there's at least a chance that Lock could be a reclamation project while Jones has been the same guy almost every year of his career.