Giants quickly find replacement for Tyrod Taylor at backup QB

Tyrod Taylor decided late Monday night to join the Jets. While the Giants may have a multifaceted QB plan this offseason, they need a backup in the short term. It looks like Drew Lock will fill that role.

The Giants are signing Lock, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero. He is coming to New York on a one-year, $5M accord, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. In all likelihood, the true value will check in south of $5M, with The Athletic’s Jeff Howe noting the contract can max out at that number. The former Broncos draftee spent the past two seasons as Geno Smith‘s backup in Seattle. With the Seahawks changing their coaching staff, Lock will land on a third NFL team.

A former Broncos second-round pick, Lock did not stick as Denver’s starter for too long. Proving erratic in leading the NFL in interceptions during an injury-shortened 2020 season, the Mizzou alum returned to the bench once the Broncos signed Teddy Bridgewater in 2021. Lock has not worked as a regular starter since. But Lock did make a memorable cameo last season, leading the Seahawks to a win over the Eagles. That included a game-winning drive culminating with a Lock toss to Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Granted, the Eagles’ Sean Desai– and Matt Patricia-supervised defensive swoon made that performance look slightly less impressive than it was at the moment. But Lock is a five-year veteran who has handled a backup role for a bit. With Daniel Jones rehabbing an ACL tear, Lock appears set to take first-team reps in the Giants’ offseason program. His status as the backup for 2024 may hinge on how the Giants proceed with their first-round pick.

Taylor served as the Giants’ backup for the past two years, but after the team kept him on the bench to play Tommy DeVito, rumors emerged the veteran was likely to leave. GM Joe Schoen confirmed the Giants would add a quarterback this offseason, and Lock is the Taylor replacement. This gives the Giants some insurance if Jones cannot return by training camp, though that is the expectation. But how the Giants’ QB depth chart looks coming out of the draft looks represents the bigger storyline.

The Giants have been linked to exploring trade-up moves for a quarterback in Round 1, and while we are entering smokescreen season, a regime that did not draft Jones has a chance to add an upgrade — with J.J. McCarthy now on the radar as a target — and get off the Jones contract by 2025. Jones will be on the team in 2024, however, and if the Giants do not draft a QB early, a QB depth chart comprised of 2019 prospects will take shape.