The New York Giants are actively working to reshape their organization, with securing a quarterback at the top of their priorities.
Holding the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and nearly $50 million in salary cap space, the Giants have options—but the upcoming draft class lacks many immediate franchise-caliber quarterbacks.
This increases the likelihood that New York will pursue a high-profile quarterback in free agency, a move many analysts expect. Now, former Giants All-Pro wide receiver Victor Cruz has weighed in, predicting that the team will land a big-name quarterback on the open market.
Giants’ Quarterback Woes Could Be Solved, Victor Cruz Says
Victor Cruz believes the Giants should target Sam Darnold, currently with the Minnesota Vikings, as their next franchise quarterback, calling him the “perfect” fit for the role.
“I think he’s the perfect QB to go get,” Cruz said in a January 15 interview with RG on behalf of Finish Ultimate. “You’ll have to pay him a bit, but from a cap perspective, we can afford him. He could come in, and then Arch Manning arrives in 2026. Manning wouldn’t need to start immediately—he could learn from a guy like Sam Darnold.”
Cruz also emphasized that if the Giants select a quarterback in the NFL Draft who isn’t quite ready to start, Darnold would be an excellent mentor.
Cruz isn’t alone in this belief. ESPN NFL analyst Ben Solak also predicts that the Giants will land either Darnold or, if he’s unavailable, Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy this offseason.
“The Giants aren’t just desperate for a new quarterback—they’re also desperate for a major offseason move to move past the Saquon Barkley debacle,” Solak stated in a January 28 feature.
He added, “Whichever quarterback the Vikings don’t commit to—whether it’s free-agent-to-be Sam Darnold or injured rookie J.J. McCarthy—will likely end up in New York as the Giants’ starter in 2025.” That would certainly be a major development.
‘Desperation’ Could Lead the Giants to Veteran Quarterback
In a separate ESPN piece, Ben Solak leans toward Sam Darnold landing in New York, predicting that the Giants will secure a “viable free agent starter before the draft in April” and emphasizing that it “won’t be Drew Lock, who is also a free agent this offseason.”
“Will coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen—who have been warned by ownership that their jobs are on the line—really put their faith in Jarrett Stidham?” Solak questioned. “Or take a chance on Andy Dalton?”
Solak believes the Giants’ urgency will push them toward Darnold, even if it requires a significant financial investment.
“Darnold plus a highly drafted rookie quarterback would give Daboll and Schoen the best chance at delivering a job-saving performance in 2025,” he added.
One way or another, many NFL insiders expect Darnold to be the Giants’ next quarterback—if not him, then possibly J.J. McCarthy. It’s a fitting scenario, considering the Vikings picked up former Giants quarterback Daniel Jones during the 2024-25 season.
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