Former MVP reveals 'real problem' Giants face this offseason

CBS Sports NFL analyst and one-time Most Valuable Player Boomer Esiason suggested the New York Giants need to find an upgrade over quarterback Daniel Jones this coming offseason if at all possible. 

"But the real problem is, what are the Giants doing at quarterback? Who is their quarterback? Who is their Patrick Mahomes? Who’s their unquestioned leader?" Esiason asked during an edition of the WFAN "Boomer and Gio" program, as shared by Manuel Gómez of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. "There are a lot of guys across the league that are the unquestioned leaders … like, who is their Lamar Jackson? They don’t have one." 

The Giants hoped Jones would make a significant leap in the right direction after he signed a four-year contract in March 2023 that could be worth up to $160M. The 26-year-old instead regressed before he suffered a season-ending torn ACL on Nov. 5, as he tossed only two touchdown passes with six interceptions across fewer than six completed games. 

New York reportedly can move on from Jones' deal after next season. 

Esiason ripped Jones on multiple occasions this season for lacking "spirit" and being a "flatliner." More recently, the former New York Jets starter asked if the 2019 first-round draft pick is capable of generating "extra plays" for weapons such as running back Saquon Barkley. 

The Giants may let Barkley, a team captain, reach free agency this March. 

The 5-11 Giants go into Sunday's regular-season finale against the 11-5 Philadelphia Eagles holding the fifth overall pick of this year's NFL Draft. In their latest mock drafts, Ryan Wilson and Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports both predicted the Giants will use a first-round choice to land an eventual replacement for Jones. Trapasso thinks Big Blue could trade up to the No. 1 spot to select Caleb Williams of the USC Trojans.