WDHA’s 2-Minute Drill – Is NJ’s Tommy Cutlets the Right QB For the Giants’ Future

Jim Monaghan throws it back to his first high school baseball coaching job at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey as he and Chris Swendeman discuss Tommy Cutlets and Aaron Rodgers this morning on the Two-Minute Drill.

JIM MONAGHAN - Two-Minute Drill time here on the WDHA Morning, Jolt. Jim Monaghan along with Chris Swendeman, as usual. Good morning, Swendy.
CHRIS SWENDEMAN - Good morning, Jim. What's going on? Wait, hold on. Before we start, I got to ask you for those that can't see the video right now, what's with the hat that says "DB" on it?

JM - Don Bosco, baby! The Ironmen! Tommy Cutlets!
CS - Here we go. Why don't you get one that says TC. On it, too? And not for Terrie Carr either. Tommy Cutlets.
JM - Hey, listen, this is all I had when I coached the freshman team up there. So speaking of Tommy Cutlets, the Giants have two wins in a row. They've got a bye week. They're feeling really good about themselves, and I'm not sure that this is the best thing that could have happened for the Giants right now.
CS - Well, it's funny you mentioned that, Jim, because I did a little informal DHA Two-Minute Drill poll of some hardcore Giant fans that I know. I went around to all of them and asked them one simple question - do you want to win out with your boy Tommy Cutlets, or do you want to tank and get a better shot at getting one of the top QBs in the class? All of them resoundingly, without any doubt, said, win now, win as many games as you can for next year. No tanking whatsoever.

JM - He's a great story, obviously. Local kid went to Don Bosco, as we were talking about, and here he is playing for the hometown Giants, if you will. He's what, 12 miles from the stadium where he lives. But I just keep feeling like the better he does, the more it camouflages that need.
CS - Well, it's football's version of Purgatory, basically, is what he's going to wind up doing to the Giants. He's going to kind of handcuff them and they're going to wind up in the middle of the pack. I mean, it is a deep QB draft, but if he does well enough, do they start to kind of look at other positions again? And I think this is where they could get themselves in trouble. I just don't see him being the long term answer for me personally, if I'm a Giants fan, I'm hoping they get one of those top QBs.

JM - And speaking of quarterbacks, look who's coming back. It looks like Aaron Rodgers may actually play this season. He's eleven weeks out from surgery and he has a 21-day window where they could clear him. He could actually play what, for game 16?
CS - Week 16 against Washington is when he could presumably come back. And, I mean, far be it from Rodgers not to make it about himself in a season that's kind of on the fence. Right. You know, if there's any hope, it's going to be on his shoulders at this point, quite frankly.

JM - And then the Jets have to be concerned, like, how much do we want to expose him risking another injury?
CS - Right because if he reinjures it, then you start the clock all over again and now you're going into the season. He's not going to have a full offseason to heal, to work out with the team and get ready for next season. So it really is a very slippery slope they're walking on right now.

JM - And that wraps up the two minute for another week here at 105.5 W DHA. Thanks, Swendeman.
CS - You got it, Jim. And enjoy jumping on that Don Bosco bandwagon with Tommy Cutlets.
JM - Go Ironmen!
CS - Oh, boy.

Well, this has certainly been a nightmare season for the New York Giants so far. The harsh reality is that Daniel Jones is out for a full year with a very unfortunate knee injury. Now, we are left with pondering what the possible quarterback scenarios for the Giants could be in 2024.

2023 was expected to be a year of growth, with a playoff push seeming like a very reasonable goal. We had a revigorated Saquon Barkley, the reigning coach of the year Brian Daboll, and a now $40-million-a-year franchise guy in Daniel Jones.

To put the first half of this season in perspective, after nine games so far, the stars of the team Barkley and Jones, only played two games together. The team has been crushed with injuries. This includes the best offensive lineman on Big Blue, Andrew Thomas. Big number 78 has barely played.

It's unbelievable the difference ten weeks makes. In late August, there were NFL analysts who suggested the GMEN could challenge the Philadelphia Eagles for the top spot in the NFC East. Now, we are wondering who the quarterback will be moving forward.

Right now, we are dealing with an open wound. We are a few emotional days removed from the news that Daniel Jones tore his ACL in Las Vegas vs. the Raiders. Furthermore, the poor guy was just returning from a neck injury. However, there are serious questions as to whether or not Jones will ever wear #8 for the Giants again.

This upcoming NFL draft features one of the best quarterback classes of the past ten years. In addition, these players each have unique skill sets that differentiate themselves from their competitors. The NFL is a QB-driven league. In fact, without a solid, healthy quarterback on your roster, your chances are limited.

The only week on the upcoming schedule that looks favorable is the bye week. Two games still remain vs. the NFC champion Eagles as do road games vs. the Cowboys, the Commanders, and the Saints.

Still, there are three general scenarios the Giants could be faced with at quarterback for 2024. One of them includes Jones, one of them does not, and the third is somewhere in between. So, in no particular order, here are the three possibilities.

The front office has believed in Jones since they drafted him sixth overall in the 2019 draft. Just eight months ago, the Giants rewarded Jones with a four-year $160 million contract. That means three years are remaining. Yes, that is a big commitment to still have on your hands, but the the fact is, that is more of a short-term running back contract as opposed to a franchise quarterback. However, has Jones really had a fair chance yet? It's a question worth considering, given that Jones has yet to play with an offensive line where he doesn't have to run for his life. The Giants can very well want to give Jones another shot (with solid weapons around him). Jones will be 27-years-old in May.

On ESPN's Get Up this week, many NFL analysts suggested this could be the last season Justin Fields is the quarterback of the Chicago Bears. Fields is still on his rookie contract. Can the Giants afford both Jones and Fields? No, probably not long-term. For one year, they might be able to get creative, however. Fields could challenge Jones (once he returns) to see who is really the guy under center for Big Blue. Where this really gets interesting is that the Bears and Giants may own three of the top five picks of the 2024 NFL draft. The Bears own the Carolina Panthers' pick from the 2023 draft trade. The Bears are 3-7 and the Panthers are 1-8. The Giants also have an additional second-round pick as a result of the recent Leonard Williams trade. So, there are pieces to play with here.

Caleb Williams (USC), Drake Maye (UNC), Michael Penix Jr. (Washington), J.J. McCarthy (Michigan). That's the cream of the crop of a 2024 class that is deep and full of exceptional talent. Those four QBs may very-well be four of the first five picks in the next draft. Only the Panthers don't need one, having just taken Bryce Young first. What's even more intriguing here, is this upcoming draft class also includes guys like Bo Nix (Oregon) and Jordan Travis (Florida State) who can be available later in round one or on day two. At least one of these major talents will be there on the draft board when the Giants are on the clock come April. It will be hard to pass on any of them.