Giants insider discusses 'tanking' talk after Tommy DeVito, Drew Lock decision

Some suggested the New York Giants replacing starting quarterback Daniel Jones with QB3 Tommy DeVito instead of with primary backup Drew Lock this week was a sign the Giants are "tanking" with the 2025 NFL Draft in mind. 

Giants insider Dan Duggan addressed such chatter during the latest edition of The Athletic's "Scoop City" podcast. 

"That’s the one thing I can safely rule out," Duggan explained. "That’s just not how (Giants co-owner) John Mara would ever sign off on operating. I don’t want to give you guys an explicit label on this podcast today, but he came down to the press room — only time he’s ever done in my nine years on the beat — in 2017, after they benched Eli Manning, and he said something like, 'I heard we’re benching him because we’re tanking. That’s bulls—. I’ll never do that.'"

While Lock is a journeyman who made 23 regular-season starts and 30 appearances over his first five pro campaigns before he signed with the Giants as a free agent this past offseason, DeVito made just six starts for Big Blue last season as an undrafted rookie and remains an unproven commodity. DeVito was New York's third-choice option throughout the ongoing campaign until Monday, but some said from springtime workouts through the end of August that he deserved to be the club's QB2 ahead of Lock. 

It was reported last week that general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll may need the 2-8 Giants to finish the season with a minimum of five total wins to hold onto their jobs. Duggan directly said during the "Scoop City" episode that Schoen and Daboll aren't in any "position to tank" with seven games left on the schedule. 

"I can’t see any way they would feel comfortable saying, 'We’re going to play the lesser quarterback.' I think they genuinely believe DeVito gives them a better chance to win than Lock," Duggan added. 

As of Tuesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Giants as 5.5-point underdogs for this coming Sunday's home game against the 4-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. One wonders if Daboll could turn to Lock for the Thanksgiving Day contest at the lowly Dallas Cowboys (3-7) if DeVito produces a dud versus Tampa Bay.