New information has come to light on the deal quarterback Drew Lock agreed to when he left the Seattle Seahawks to sign with the New York Giants during free agency, and it could point to what they want to do in the draft.
Most analysts thought the basic idea behind Lock’s signing was for the former Denver Broncos starter to compete with Daniel Jones for the QB1 spot. Lock’s deal was originally reported to be a one-year deal worth $5 million.
Drew Lock can make $3 million in incentives
However, Dan Duggan with The Athletic looked deeper into the details of the contract. Per Duggan, original reports “underreported” Lock’s deal with the Giants. Lock can make up to $8 million based on incentives. Much of the incentives are tied to playing time:
“Doing some bookkeeping and you don’t see this often: The terms of Drew Lock’s contract with the Giants were *under* reported. It’s a 1-year contract with a $5M base, as has been reported. But he can earn an additional $3M in incentives.
The $3M in incentives are based on playing time, performance and team success. They’re the exact same thresholds that Tyrod Taylor had in his contract with the Giants (and that Taylor’s new contract with the Jets contain).”
Did the New York Giants try to hide the details of Lock’s deal?
Mike Florio with NBC Sports thinks it’s “odd” that the details of Lock’s contract were buried. Florio thinks it suggests the Giants are prepared to move on from Jones and draft a quarterback in April and didn’t want to flag rival GMs by telling the NFL world Lock came to New York with the intent of starting this fall:
“It’s odd that this wasn’t leaked. And it invites speculation that the Giants wanted to downplay that reality, because it suggests they’re not fully sold on Daniel Jones — which makes it more likely that they’ll take a quarterback with the sixth overall pick in the draft. Which they probably don’t want the world (and those drafting behind them) to know.”
The Giants appear ready to move on from Daniel Jones
Giants general manager Joe Schoen, as any good executive would in the early offseason, has been coy about the Giants’ draft plans. He’s said the team has “faith” Jones can be a starter. He said the Giants have other pressing needs besides quarterback, which is true.
But Schoen also knows that even college wide receivers like Malik Nabers are cynical about Jones’ long-term prospects with the Giants. And with Lock’s true contract with the Giants this offseason now public, Schoen isn’t fooling anybody about what he thinks of Jones.
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