The Daniel Jones Era in East Rutherford, New Jersey, has all but officially come to an end, as the New York Giants have benched their franchise quarterback with the expectation that they will opt out of his contract following what has been a tumultuous 2024 season.
Head coach Brian Daboll confirmed the reports that Jones was moved to third string and Tommy DeVito, who has been in that position all season, was vaulted to starting quarterback. DeVito won three games as a starter last season with Jones and Tyrod Taylor both hurt.
But DeVito likely isn’t the future at quarterback for the Giants, despite being a fan favorite. That leaves Daboll, general manager Joe Schoen and the rest of the organization scrambling back into the war room to figure out the age-old question for any NFL team: Where can we find a franchise quarterback?
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New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones watches during the second half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Munich, Germany. (AP Photo/Lennart Preiss)
There are a few schools of thought, but Giants legend Victor Cruz has another question that will be answered in due time.
How badly do the Giants want Arch Manning – the nephew of the man who used to throw Cruz passes that led to his salsa touchdown celebrations, Eli Manning.
“Well, it’s interesting, right? I’ve already done this little mental deep dive on this,” Cruz told Fox News Digital about the Giants’ quarterback situation, while also discussing his partnership with Captain Morgan. “So, the question is, if I’m a Giants GM, if I’m John Mara, if I’m those guys up top, do I want Arch Manning?”
Arch is a sophomore in the Texas Longhorns’ football program, but he has yet to be a starter with Quinn Ewers running Steve Sarkisian’s offense the past two seasons, including 2024.
However, the expectation is Arch will take his place as the next great Manning in the NFL at the quarterback position, and he’s already shown flashes of what he can do this season when he had to take over for an injured Ewers.
So, while some Giants fans will expect a rookie quarterback to be drafted with a high pick – the Giants currently own the fourth overall pick if the season ended today – Cruz thinks this is the question that needs to be answered first in pursuit of the next great Giants quarterback.
Former New York Giant, Victor Cruz, interacts with the fans at MetLife Stadium, November 26, 2023. (IMAGN)
“Is it a thing where we have a stopgap year, where we just draft talent, we draft guys, we build our roster? And then the following year, you got to do everything you can to get Arch Manning,” he detailed. “Trade up, trade down, trade left, trade right. You gotta figure out how to get Arch Manning, if that’s what you want, because he’s going to put butts in the seats, he’s gonna have the Manning aura around him, which obviously New York fans know and love very well.
“Is it a stopgap year, and we go get Arch, or is it Shedeur [Sanders] or is it Cam Ward, which I love both of those guys, and I wouldn’t be mad if those guys were wearing blue next season as well?”
Sanders, the son of Deion Sanders, has shined for the Colorado Buffaloes, while Miami’s Cam Ward consistently leads his team to victory even in the face of adversity, a quality Cruz likes to see from a quarterback.
Those two are expected to be among the top quarterbacks taken in the 2025 Draft, while Arch won’t be able to declare until the following year. Ewers will also come out of Texas this year, making way for Arch to be the sole starter in Austin, where many believe his draft stock as a high first-rounder will be cemented.
Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns scrambles in the third quarter against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 24, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Tim Warner/Getty Images)
“I think he’s also a baller,” Cruz said of Arch. “I think he’s faster than any Manning we’ve seen thus far. We can throw it, he has that thing about him, and I think he’s a great player.”
There’s no doubt the Giants’ quarterbacks room will be vastly different in 2025, but the organization must figure out what the right move is in terms of filling it. Giving Arch the opportunity to follow down his uncle’s path would likely mean having another down season to secure a high draft pick, or trading away a bunch of other picks to move up for the opportunity to take him.
And what’s not to say Arch doesn’t stay for his senior season in 2026, opting to come out for the 2027 Draft instead?
To counteract that possibility, do the Giants simply use the top pick they’re expected to have this year to grab a rookie quarterback, perhaps bring in a veteran as well, and hope they can compete again in 2025?
It’s never a thought any team wants to have heading into Week 12 of the season, but at 2-8 following the bye week, and the evaluation of Jones resulting in his benching, the Giants have to be thinking about what to do next even with a few games left on the slate.
Victor Cruz believes the Giants have a big Arch Manning question to answer in terms of their quarterback of the future. (IMAGN)
GETTING CREATIVE WITH CAPTAIN MORGAN
While Cruz is trying to answer the Giants’ quarterback question, he’s also excited about his latest collaboration with Captain Morgan, specifically what he and fashion designer KidSuper cooked up as part of the company’s “Follow the Captain” scavenger hunt.
Cruz discussed how much fun he had creating a crewneck sweater with KidSuper that pays homage to his trademark touchdown dance.
“Our crewnecks are dropping with myself, Captain Morgan, KidSuper. [The crewnecks] definitely embody my style, like my swagger, got the little salsa love on there as well,” Cruz said. “I’m definitely excited about this one, not just for people to go out there and see it and wear it and purchase it, but to just be part of the crew. I think getting this crewneck makes you part of the squad, part of the team. So, when you see me outside, and you’re rocking your crewneck, and I’m rocking mine, it just brings it all together and brings that team atmosphere together.”
Victor Cruz poses in Captain Morgan crewneck sweater, which he helped create in collaboration with fashion designer KidSuper (Captain Morgan)
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The crewnecks are dropping on KidSuper.com, but once they sell out there, fans can head to FollowTheCaptain.com for a chance to win merch, NFL tickets and much more as part of the scavenger hunt.
“Captain Morgan, they just love adventure. They love scavenger hunts, they love doing things for their fans. Not just making it easy for fans, but making it exciting and making it fun.”
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