Giants GM shares big revelation about pursuit of free-agent QBs

New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen restructured the team's quarterback room this offseason. He signed veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston before trading up to select Jaxson Dart with the 25th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft. 

During a Thursday appearance on New York sports radio station WFAN, Schoen revealed that some free-agent QBs requested that the Giants pass on a rookie signal-caller in the first round.

"It's one of those deals," Schoen explained, Dan Benton of Giants Wire/USA Today shared. "We would not guarantee anybody that we wouldn't draft a quarterback. There were a couple of people at that position in free agency that said, 'Hey, if you don't promise us you won't take a quarterback in the first round, then don't even entertain us.'"

The Giants were linked with Aaron Rodgers in March, but the perception exists that Big Blue didn't want to wait for the future Hall of Famer to make a final decision about the 2025 season. Rodgers ultimately joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in June. 

Joe Flacco, Justin Fields and Sam Darnold were other potential options for the Giants following the 2024 season. Additionally, it's no secret that New York wanted to trade for Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. However, Stafford had no interest in leaving the Rams.

Meanwhile, Giants head coach Brian Daboll "warmed to" Dart leading up to Schoen making the move to land the former Ole Miss star. 

Schoen insisted on Thursday that Rodgers was not among the free agents who made the predraft request. 

"We're not going to promise that," Schoen continued. "I don't know who's going to be there, and we don't know how the draft is going to unfold. I'm never going to [make] that promise and then break a promise. ...We shoot everyone straight."

Wilson is now the Giants' undisputed QB1 heading into their preseason opener at the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 9. It remains to be seen if Dart can do anything to change Daboll's mind about the team's depth chart.