Thursday night’s NFL Draft first round provides league-wide intrigue outside of the 31 players that will be picked.
There is curiosity about whether the Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson contract standoff will be resolved and why a team like the Indianapolis Colts, who hold the No. 4 overall pick, isn’t making an 11th-hour play for the former MVP.
A handful of less obvious teams have quarterback situations that warrant a second look, too.
The San Francisco 49ers want to trade former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance. The New England Patriots and Mac Jones don’t seem long for each other.
The Miami Dolphins have to know they need more insurance than Mike White for Tua Tagovailoa, who admitted he considered retirement after last season’s concussions.
And while the Washington Commanders don’t appear to be in the NFL Draft QB market with Jacoby Brissett and Sam Howell in the building, it’s hard to understand why not.
The Giants, meanwhile, extended Daniel Jones with a four-year, $160 million contract in March, so they are focused Thursday on helping the team around him.
Here are three of the more likely scenarios for how the first round will play out for GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll, and how it could impact the rest of their draft Friday and Saturday:
CORNERBACK IN ROUND ONE: The depth of this year’s cornerback class convinces some teams in the teens and early 20s to wait until the second and third rounds to address their secondary, and the Giants land Maryland corner Deonte Banks at pick 25. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’s scheme needs lockdown, press-man, outside corners, and Banks, 22, projects as that standing at 6-feet, 197 pounds and running a 4.35 40-yard dash. Going corner here means Schoen is on the lookout in the second round for a center or an offensive weapon, maybe even in a trade up. And Banks’ selection does not preclude the GM from adding more corners and defensive backs in later rounds.
CENTER, MAYBE TRADE BACK: The top corners all come off the board earlier, and Schoen weighs the value of drafting his top center versus his favorite remaining corners and offensive skill players at 25. No team is obviously in the center market between the Giants’ 25th pick and the Steelers’ 32nd overall selection at the top of Round 2. So maybe Schoen trades back with Bills buddy Brandon Beane at pick 27 to let Buffalo leapfrog Dallas for an offensive skill player. But then Schoen takes Minnesota center John Michael Schmitz, prioritizing the success and growth of his QB Jones by adding a “blue” player at a major position of need who can run the Giants’ “complicated” offense. The GM can go center early because this corner class is deep, and the wide receiver class has some middle-round value despite the lack of any obvious stars.
AN OFFENSIVE WEAPON: It’s possible Schoen could take an offensive skill player if the top corners are gone, too. This could happen if Schoen decides he’s content not landing the top center on his board or if the Seattle Seahawks snag Schmitz instead in a trade back from 20. Regardless, if the Giants take an offensive weapon at 25, don’t just think wide receiver. Texas RB Bijan Robinson and Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs are both good pass-catchers, and some league execs are looking at Daboll side-eyed believing the Giants could take either one at 25 to line them up in both the slot and the backfield. Incumbent RB Saquon Barkley is in a contract stalemate with the team and isn’t a dynamic enough receiver. So one of those backs would provide both insurance and a complement. Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba is expected to be long gone. The team also did tons of work on wideouts like Boston College’s Zay Flowers, USC’s Jordan Addison and TCU’s Quentin Johnston. The 6-2, 208-pound Johnston is the closest thing to the type of receiver the Giants don’t have. And never say never on Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer, though many people don’t expect him to be on the board when the Giants pick. Taking an offensive weapon in Round 1 seemingly would make corner a must-target position in Round 2, given the Giants’ lack of talent and depth on the roster.
OTHER OPTIONS AND POTENTIAL DOMINOES: Interior defensive line and run defense have been priorities throughout the offseason. Never rule out stacking talent there or at pass rusher if the value is there. … Reiterating something the Daily News has reported several times this offseason, Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis is a potential trade target if Buffalo does not work out an extension for its No. 2 wideout, especially if Schoen doesn’t pick a pass-catcher high in this draft. Schoen helped Beane draft Davis in 2020 and has a high opinion of the player and person. … On Barkley, neither the Giants or their running back have indicated recently that a trade is possible or desirable during this contract standoff. But it’s worth monitoring whether the team’s draft will put more pressure on Barkley or if he will try to create any imminent pressure points in the negotiations. DT Dexter Lawrence also remains away from the team due to an issue with his contract situation.
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