Last offseason, the New York Giants were lacking star power. They addressed that deficiency by trading for two-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Brian Burns and selecting explosive wide receiver Malik Nabers in the NFL Draft. 

This year, the glaring issue that must be fixed is a lack of direction. Finding a new starting quarterback is a good place to start.

By adding a viable quarterback, the organization can quickly breathe new life into the roster and the fan base. But how the Giants decide to accomplish that task might determine their trajectory for the 2025 season and beyond. 

They can exercise patience and mold a rookie or aggressively pursue an established signal-caller to win now.

Fox Sports 1 personality Colin Cowherd seems to support the second route and is fueling speculation regarding a potential trade for Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Cowherd, emboldened by conversations he says he had with people within the NFL, made a case for the move.

“I’m going to propose something,” Cowherd said on his show, The Herd. “[The Rams] like [Stafford], but they don’t want to restructure his deal and give him a big contract.

“Meanwhile, the Giants do not like the quarterback class, and Brian Daboll, the head coach, and Joe Schoen, the GM, have got to win, or they’ll be fired by Thanksgiving,” Cowherd continued. 

“So, they are going to make a move, I believe, on Matt Stafford… What the Rams want, I’m told, is the Giants’ first-round pick at No. 3.”

This is not necessarily news to fans, but the idea of the Rams wanting the No. 3 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft is still somewhat distressing.

Given Stafford’s age and durability issues of late, New York should theoretically reject that condition, but would desperation and the desire to save jobs cause Schoen and Daboll to do something ill-advised? 

The Giants likely look at Stafford and see a former Super Bowl champion who has reached the playoffs in three of his four seasons with the Rams. He can add legitimacy to a New York offense with a game-changer in receiver Malik Nabers and a solid running back in Tyrone Tracy, Jr. Additionally, Stafford could help the team keep pace with the rest of the NFC East.

Eventually, the franchise must find a young quarterback who can measure up to the other starting signal-callers in the division, such as  Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels, and Dak Prescott, but that might not be the Giants’ top priority in 2025. 

As Cowherd noted, the current regime could be feeling the heat already, with Giants co-owner John Mara saying his patience was running out with the franchise continuing to lose. 

Is Stafford a possible quick fix, or is he just a temporary bandage the Giants can use to conceal their biggest gashes? Schoen and Daboll need to answer that question fairly soon. Since multiple draft picks would be involved, New York must carefully weigh its options.

Schoen told reporters at the end of the season that he wouldn’t pull any “Hail Mary” type of moves and that he remained committed to doing what’s best for the organization, which is to stick with his long-term rebuild plan. But again, will ownership be willing to give him another grace year if the team flounders in 2025?

That question won’t be answered for a while. Still, in the interim, Schoen and Daboll need to ask themselves if sending draft picks for Stafford, who turned 37 in February and has experienced injury issues in recent seasons, is worth it. 

Stafford has almost 60,000 career passing yards and has a knack for elevating the talent around him. But could he hold up behind a Giants offensive line that had its share of issues last year?

Again, those are answers that only Schoena and Daboll can answer. But the one answer they must give the Rams is an emphatic “No!” if Los Angeles insists on getting a first-round pick in exchange for Stafford. 

The Giants brass might be desperate, but it would also behoove the Rams not to draw out the negotiations because if Stafford is still on their roster as of March 19, they’re going to lose out on $4 million in cap savings thanks to the roster bonus they’d have to pay the quarterback. And that factor right there could play into the Giants’ favor if they truly want Stafford.