The New York Giants are on the verge of finishing their first season without Eli Manning. Manning did a nice job filling in as the backup quarterback for rookie Daniel Jones and the Giants for the final two games in 2019.
Manning retired after 2019 and the Giants signed Colt McCoy to be the 2nd-string quarterback. Thus far, McCoy has started two games for Big Blue in absence of Jones. McCoy did not do too bad, however, he is among the Alex Tanney tier of backup quarterbacks.
The Giants are almost done constructing a building team. Daniel Jones missed four games over the course of his two-year career so far. For the Giants to be a serious competitor, they’ll need a strong backup quarterback in case Jones is injured again. A good backup quarterback can also be the bridge just in case Big Blue decides to move on from Daniel Jones.
Four New York Giants Backup Quarterback Options
1. Jacoby Brissett
Familiarity is a common theme within the Giants’ organization. The New England Patriots drafted Brissett in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Who assisted Josh McDaniels in coaching him in the quarterback room? Giants’ current quarterback coach, Jerry Schuplinski. Joe Judge also was on the staff as the special teams coordinator during Brissett’s tenure.
After his New England tenure, the Indianapolis Colts acquired him in a trade for Philip Dorsett. Andrew Luck was injured at the time, so Brissett backed up veteran Scott Tolzien. Brissett took the reigns of an under-talented Colts team the next week. He finished the season as the starter, going 4-11 in 15 starts throwing 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Jacoby Brissett sat behind Luck as the backup quarterback in 2018. However, Luck retired from the NFL in 2019 due to numerous injuries over the course of his career. With no place to go, Colts’ general manager Chris Ballard named Brissett the starting quarterback. Brissett started 15 games for the Colts in 2019, going 7-8 and throwing 18 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.
Brissett is not a perfect starting-caliber quarterback that will throw for 300+ yards every game. However, he is a perfect emergency backup quarterback for any team in need of one. With the future of Daniel Jones in question, the Giants need to strongly consider Brissett as a top option, as Colt McCoy hits free agency this offseason.
2. Andy Dalton
Andy Dalton is another name Big Blue should recognize since he took over for Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott when he dislocated his right ankle.
Dalton is one of the more experienced backup quarterbacks on the market, as he started for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2011-2019. During his time in Cincinnati, Dalton made the playoffs four times, from 2011-2014. He was also nominated to the Pro Bowl in 2011, 2014, and 2016.
Unfortunately, the Bengals’ dysfunctional organization failed to surround him with talent late in his Bengals tenure. Once the Bengals fired Marvin Lewis, Zac Taylor made it known Dalton was not a part of their future and made 2019 4th-round pick Ryan Finley the starter after beginning the season 0-8. The Bengals cut him after drafting Joe Burrow in April’s draft.
Up to this point for Dallas, Dalton is 3-4 as the starter in 7 games (9 games total), while tossing 11 touchdowns and six interceptions. Dalton, pending injury, is going to finish the season out as the starting quarterback.
Eyeing Dalton in free agency will be a great idea for the Giants. Especially for the fact that he has a Pro Bowl resume and that he is the most experienced. However, Dallas Cowboys may want him back, knowing that Prescott is coming off a season-ending knee injury.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick
It seems peculiar, but Ryan Fitzpatrick still has the skills at 38 years old. Fitzpatrick has been all over the map in his 16-year career, starting out with the St. Louis Rams.
Fitzpatrick is currently with the Miami Dolphins but is a free agent next season. He is helping them mold Tua Tagavailoa into a future star quarterback. After starting out 3-3 and currently on a two-game winning streak, head coach Brian Flores benched Fitzpatrick in favor of the rookie Tagavailoa. A couple of weeks later, Fitzpatrick relieved Tagavailoa in a game vs the Broncos. The next week Fitzpatrick started against the Jets, due to a thumb injury to the rookie quarterback. He currently has 12 touchdowns and 8 interceptions on the year.
Fitzpatrick’s best season was the first year he arrived in New York, throwing 31 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while leading the Jets to 10-6.
The point is Fitzmagic is there when you need him. Whether it is being a bridge quarterback to a rookie or temporarily replacing the starter, Ryan Fitzpatrick shows that he is ready for any situation.
4. Tyrod Taylor
Twice in the last three seasons, Taylor is seen as the ultimate “bridge quarterback”.
After being a three-year starter with the Buffalo Bills from 2015-2017, the Bills traded Taylor to the Cleveland Browns in 2018. Both teams ended up drafting a quarterback in the first round in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Bills took Josh Allen, while the Browns took Baker Mayfield. Taylor started two and a half games for the Browns in 2018 before handing the reigns off to the rookie out of Oklahoma.
The Los Angeles Chargers signed him the next season to back up veteran Philip Rivers. After Rivers signed in Indianapolis, the starting spot was Taylor’s job to lose. In the 2020 NFL Draft, the Chargers took Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert. Once again, Taylor was utilized as a bridge quarterback. He started one game before unexpectedly handling the reigns over to Herbert. Taylor suffered a rib injury during practice and needed to be hospitalized at the last minute. From then on with Herbert impressing early, Taylor took a backseat.
At this point in his career, Tyrod Taylor will likely not get another starting opportunity. Taylor would be a good backup quarterback for the Giants that can be at any team’s service pending injury to a starter.
However, if the Giants take a quarterback in 2021, Taylor can serve as a “bridge quarterback” for the third time in his career. Being a “bridge quarterback” is the closest thing Taylor will have to a starting role this late in his career.
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