Reporter discusses Giants vs. Vikings draft battle for QB

NFL insider Albert Breer believes the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings could ultimately battle it out for the right to grab either the third or fourth quarterback selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. 

"I think the Giants are considering drafting a quarterback either at No. 6 or as part of a trade up into the top four," Breer said in his latest mailbag. "My feeling is the Vikings are going to actively try to move into the upper reaches of the draft. And those two approaches are pretty different. It’s probably worth noting, too, that the Vikings did get ahead a bit on their quarterback scouting to prepare for the possibility that Kirk Cousins would bolt in free agency, as he did." 

Cousins, of course, signed with the Atlanta Falcons earlier this month. 

It was reported earlier this week that "there are a lot of people very high up in the Giants organization who still believe in" current starting quarterback Daniel Jones. That same story acknowledged that Jones' worrisome injury history has "shaken" individuals within the Giants such as general manager Joe Schoen. Even if Jones is cleared from the torn ACL he suffered in November in time to play in Week 1 of the 2024 season, he's also suffered two neck injuries since fall 2021. 

New York can escape Jones' contract next year, and the club allegedly is high on Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy's draft stock has risen to the point that some believe the Vikings could move up from No. 11 to grab McCarthy and have him sit behind bridge option Sam Darnold for a year. 

USC Trojans star Caleb Williams, LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels and North Carolina Tar Heels signal-caller Drake Maye are widely expected to be the draft's first three picks. 

It was previously said that the Giants may have to package the sixth overall pick this year and three second-round selections in a trade to move up to either No. 3 or No. 4 in the draft order. In a mock draft published on Thursday, Alec Lewis of The Athletic suggested that the Vikings could give the New England Patriots choices No. 11 and No. 23 this year, a first-round pick in 2025 and a second-round selection in 2026 to move up from No. 11 to No. 3 to grab Maye. 

For what it's worth, the Arizona Cardinals seem open to trading the draft's No. 4 overall pick, assuming the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and Patriots stay put and take quarterbacks in the top three. 

NFC East reporter Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports reported earlier this week that the Giants "have made inquiries about trading up" but have "talked to at least one team about trading down." It sounds like the Giants and Vikings could be on the verge of a bidding war if both truly are as enamored with McCarthy as some think and the Patriots remain in no hurry to move out of pick No. 3.