New York Giants

The Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants seem to have a vested interest in keeping former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders off the field in Frisco, Texas, over the next week.

The teams with top-three selections in the upcoming draft reportedly asked Sanders to sit out practice at the East-West Shrine Bowl, according to Yahoo Sports' Charles McDonald.

ESPN's Turron Davenport reported earlier Saturday that Sanders was attending the Shrine Bowl, but would not participate after meeting with the Titans, Browns and Giants on Friday.

According to McDonald, Sanders was "planning to play up until yesterday," when he met with executives. ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi reported Sanders has already talked to all three teams.

The Titans will select first, followed by the Browns and Giants, when the NFL Draft takes place in Green Bay this April.

According to Davenport, Titans coach Brian Callahan praised Sanders after the meeting.

"He's really poised and had [a] mature way about him. You can tell he's been in the spotlight and knows how to handle it," Callahan told Davenport.

Sanders was also seen interacting with Giants leadership, including head coach Brian Daboll, general manager Joe Schoen and assistant general manager Brandon Brown on Saturday (h/t DNVR Buffs and CBS Sports' Garrett Podell.)

Sanders said he had enjoyed meeting with teams in person when speaking to reporters on Saturday (h/t TennesseeTitans.com's Jim Wyatt.)

"I like that I'm able to get in the forefront of everything, and they're able to understand me, and ask me whatever question they want," Sanders said. "I ain't ducking, I ain't hiding. I'm right here, live and in the flesh, able to answer whatever questions is out there."

Sanders added, per Podell: "I just know I'm going to change a franchise and be happy to be the leader of a team."

The Titans, Browns and Giants could all decide to target a quarterback this srping after their struggles at the position in 2024.

If they do, Sanders and former Miami quarterback Cam Ward currently seem like the most likely candidates to hear their names called at the top of the upcoming draft.

The East-West Shrine Bowl is set to take place without Sanders next Thursday in Arlington, Texas.

Other participating Colorado players, including Sanders' brother Shilo Sanders as well as Will Sheppard, LaJohntay Wester, Jimmy Horn Jr. and Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig (h/t Davenport), will hope to boost their draft stock by participating in the showcase.

The New York Giants reportedly took an interest in Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders at the East-West Shrine Bowl this week.

According to ESPN's Jordan Raanan, Giants head coach Brian Daboll spent "significant time" with Sanders on Friday morning. Sanders and Daboll were captured having a conversation on the field in the following photo posted on Saturday:

Per ESPN's Turron Davenport, Sanders informed teams that he will not be practicing or playing in the East-West Shrine Bowl, but he is available to meet with teams.

The Giants, Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns were among the teams Sanders met with on Friday.

Along with Miami's Cam Ward, Sanders is in the discussion for being the top quarterback in the 2025 NFL draft.

While this year's draft is widely viewed as being much weaker at the quarterback position than last year—when quarterbacks were taken with the first three picks and six of the first 12 selections—many teams picking early in the first round have an obvious need under center.

The Titans, Browns and Giants own the first three picks in that order, and all of them figure to at least entertain the idea of taking a quarterback.

For the Titans, Will Levis and Mason Rudolph combined to throw 22 touchdowns and 21 interceptions this season, and the Browns have a major question mark at quarterback in the wake of Deshaun Watson tearing his Achilles and then tearing it for a second time during recovery.

The Giants finally decided to move on from Daniel Jones this season, releasing him after he went 2-8 starts this season, completing 63.3 percent of his passes for 2,070 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Tommy DeVito is the only quarterback from this season's Giants team set to return in 2025 provided they retain him as an exclusive-rights free agent, so New York has no choice other than to address the position.

The Giants could pursue a free agent such as Sam Darnold or Russell Wilson, but taking a quarterback early in the 2025 draft would perhaps give them the franchise quarterback they have been looking for.

Sanders, who is the son of University of Colorado head coach and legendary Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, is coming off two strong seasons at Colorado after transferring from FCS Jackson State.

In 2023, Sanders completed 69.3 percent of his passes for 3,230 yards, 27 touchdowns and three interceptions for a Buffaloes team that finished 4-8.

Colorado took a big leap forward in 2024 to the tune of a 9-4 record, and Sanders was a big reason why, as he completed 74.0 percent of his passing attempts for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 picks.

Sanders won the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year Award and finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

It is possible that Sanders and Ward could come off the board with the top two picks, leaving the Giants to address another position at No. 3 overall, but if that doesn't happen, it is difficult to envision New York passing on the opportunity to fix the biggest weakness on the roster.

Heading into a crucial offseason, the New York Giants are reportedly keeping a close eye on the quarterbacks in both the draft and trade markets.

Per ESPN's Jordan Raanan, the "belief" during the season was that the Giants were high on Colorado star Shedeur Sanders. He also said the Giants could pursue a trade for a veteran such as Derek Carr.

"Nothing should be ruled out," Raanan wrote about their quarterback situation.

The Giants own the third pick in the 2025 NFL draft. This leaves them in a precarious position if they want to select either Sanders or Cam Ward because the two teams picking ahead of them—the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns—also figure to be in the quarterback market.

Deion Sanders is another potential complicating factor. He has said there are "a couple of teams" he won't allow Shedeur to play for. Coach Prime didn't specify which teams those are, but it could be a storyline that comes up over the months leading up to the draft.

Raanan reported in December that people close to Shedeur "believe" his preference is to end up with the Las Vegas Raiders, who own the sixth overall pick.

Carr's status with the New Orleans Saints is uncertain, but ESPN's Adam Schefter noted last month he's "in line" to return in 2025 due to the team's salary-cap constraints.

Speaking to ESPN's Katherine Terrell on Jan. 6, Carr said he would be willing to restructure his deal but won't take a pay cut to help the Saints. The Saints would save $30 million against the 2025 cap if they release him with a post-June 1 designation.

It would be in the Giants' best interest to add a quarterback early in the draft, especially if Carr is the alternative. He's a capable starter, but history has shown there's a ceiling on how good an offense can be with him under center.

The Giants don't have a quarterback under contract for next season. Drew Lock and Tim Boyle are set to become unrestricted free agents. Tommy DeVito will be an exclusive rights free agent as a player with fewer than three accrued seasons and an expired contract.

There is a lot for head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen to figure out in the next six weeks before free agency officially begins on March 12.

The New York Giants reportedly have their eye on one quarterback heading into the 2025 NFL draft.

Per SNY's Connor Hughes, Giants general manager Joe Schoen prefers Colorado star Shedeur Sanders over other quarterbacks in this year's draft class. New York was reportedly even planning to draft Sanders in the second or third round last year if he had declared.

"The talk around league circles has been Sanders," Hughes wrote. "It's been that way since before the season ended. The Giants actually had a completed report on Sanders ready if he declared for last year's draft. He would have been a target in the second or third round."

The Giants' fixation with Sanders makes sense given both his talent and the fact that this is a somewhat weak draft class, at least relative to last year's loaded class. New York is also desperate for a quarterback after benching and eventually releasing Daniel Jones earlier this season.

The Giants ended the season with Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito and Tim Boyle as their three quarterback options. All three will be free agents this offseason.

Sanders was a standout quarterback throughout college, first at Jackson State and then at Colorado the last two years. In his final collegiate season, Sanders threw for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His yards, touchdowns and completions (353) all led the Big 12 in 2024.

Behind another outstanding year from Sanders, the Buffaloes finished 9-4 and were an upset loss to Kansas away from reaching the Big 12 championship and potentially earning a bid to the College Football Playoff.

Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department lists Sanders as the No. 9 overall player and the No. 2 quarterback in this year's draft class, only behind Miami star Cam Ward.

Perhaps the only major knock against Sanders is that he tends to hold on to the ball too long while trying to make plays. While trying to make something out of a broken play can be a good thing, it led to him being sacked 42 times last year.

His issues with getting the ball out can certainly be corrected, though, and likely won't have much of an impact on where he goes in the draft.

If the Giants are set on drafting Sanders, they could have to trade up to make it happen.

B/R's NFL Scouting Department projects Sanders to go to the Tennessee Titans with the No. 1 pick while New York currently has the No. 3 pick in the draft.

Considering how much the Giants seem to like Sanders, they might be willing to give up a lot to move up to the No. 1 spot.

Trust was apparently low between New York Giants players and executives during the 2024 season, particularly in the wake of one reported incident involving Nick McCloud before a Week 4 game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Per ESPN's Jordan Raanan, the Giants asked McCloud to take a pay cut before the game with general manager Joe Schoen at one point suggesting he'd release the cornerback outright.

Multiple Giants players told Raanan they recalled Schoen telling McCloud's representatives: "Don't pay October's rent, all right? As soon as I can replace him, I'm going to replace him. I'm not f--king around."

McCloud, a restricted free agent last offseason, signed a one-year tender worth $2.9 million. He wound up starting and playing 37 defensive snaps in the Cowboys game on Sept. 26.

Even though the Giants didn't immediately go through with the release, McCloud was eventually waived on Nov. 5. Raanan noted the "situation affected the vibe in the Giants' locker room" because McCloud was well-liked by the team and was close with Brian Burns and Darius Slayton.

The Giants' decision to wait before releasing McCloud may have been to see if they could get something for him before the trade deadline. He was waived a few hours before the deadline passed.

Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post noted at the time the Giants wanted to lower McCloud's salary to the league minimum.

McCloud wound up being signed to the practice squad of the San Francisco 49ers. He appeared in the final eight games of the season for the Niners, playing 31 total snaps in Week 18 against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Giants originally added McCloud off waivers from the Buffalo Bills in August 2022. He appeared in 38 games over three seasons with the club prior to being released.

Some New York Giants players reportedly did not expect owner John Mara to retain head coach Brian Daboll following a 3-14 record in 2024.

According to ESPN's Jordan Raanan, multiple players were "surprised" by the decision, although they were "fine" with it due to Daboll's status as a player-friendly coach.

Mara released a statement this week, announcing that both Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen would be retained for the 2025 season. Mara added that he and co-owner Steve Tisch "remain confident in the process that Joe and Brian have implemented and their vision for our team."

Per Raanan, Daboll is well-regarded among players because he is open to feedback and provides a favorable schedule that keeps the players fresh.

Despite their positive outlook on Daboll as a person, Raanan noted that some players may not "see signs his program is not destined for success."

After stints as an offensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, University of Alabama and Buffalo Bills, the Giants hired Daboll as their head coach in 2022.

He far exceeded expectations as a first-year head coach, leading the Giants to a 9-7-1 record and their first playoff berth since 2016.

Quarterback Daniel Jones had a career year, running back Saquon Barkley had his most productive season since his rookie campaign and the Giants even upset the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Wild Card Round of the playoffs before falling to the Philadelphia Eagles.

However, over the next two seasons, quarterback issues sunk the Giants, as they went just 6-11 in 2023 before dropping to 3-14 this season.

Jones was injured in ineffective in 2023, which was his first season after signing a four-ear, $160 million contract extension. He then struggled to a 2-8 start this season, resulting in the Giants demoting and then releasing him.

Daboll was forced to cycle between Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito at quarterback, which unsurprisingly didn't yield great results.

Given that they own the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, Schoen may have a chance to get Daboll the franchise quarterback he has lacked during his tenure.

Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward are widely viewed as the top two quarterbacks in the draft, and it is possible one of them will be available for the Giants.

It is far from guaranteed, though, since the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns both have major question marks at quarterback and own the Nos. 1 and 2 overall selections.

Even if the Giants don't get a top quarterback with the third pick, it is abundantly clear that they need to do something of significance at the position in order to avoid another nightmarish season like they had in 2024.

If the Giants are able to hit on the right quarterback in the draft, free agency or via trade, then Daboll and Schoen have a chance to stick around for the foreseeable future.

However, if the quarterback situation in New York does not improve noticeably in 2025, they will likely be on borrowed time.

New York Giants fans aren't the only ones frustrated with the current state of the organization after the team went 3-14 in 2024 and missed the playoffs for the seventh time in the past eight seasons.

One NFL person with knowledge of the Giants' inner workings told ESPN's Jordan Raanan that they operate like their key decision-makers are reading online comment sections.

"It's like they make moves off Twitter," the person said.

The Giants were likely one of the NFL teams subjected to the most online jokes this season because of their viral moment from Hard Knocks when team owner John Mara and general manager Joe Schoen discussed star running back Saquon Barkley's free agency.

Barkley, a two-time Pro Bowler in six years with the Giants, left to sign with the rival Philadelphia Eagles. He became the ninth running back in NFL history to run for 2,000 yards in a season during his first year in Philly.

Raanan also cited several instances throughout the 2024 season of the Giants constantly shuffling the starting lineup seemingly for the sake of making changes, including switching between Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock at quarterback four different times from Week 11 through the end of the regular season.

According to Raanan, "more than a handful of players spoke of being misled and left to dangle in the wind on issues, including their roles changing or snaps dwindling, without sufficient explanation."

Per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Mara is going to issue Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll a playoff mandate for the 2025 season.

Both Daboll and Schoen are now entering a year under intense pressure to improve enough to at least challenge for a playoff spot. Otherwise, the Giants will potentially do next year what most fans and analysts assumed they would do this offseason.

New York Giants team president John Mara didn't sound too eager for a long-term rebuilding plan Monday, but general manager Joe Schoen plans to stay the course.

"We're gonna build this thing the right way," Schoen told reporters. "I'm not gonna do a Hail Mary for self preservation or anything like that. We have a plan in place that we believe in and we're going to stick with that."

His comments come after Mara announced Monday the Giants would keep head coach Brian Daboll and Schoen for the 2025 campaign:

While the team's statement said there is still confidence in place from ownership, Mara also told reporters Monday building a contender "better not take too long, because I've just about run out of patience."

Frustration is to be expected from the Giants.

After all, they were 3-14 this season after going 6-11 during the 2023 campaign. Saquon Barkley was an MVP candidate for the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles this season, and there doesn't appear to be a long-term answer at quarterback on the current roster after moving on from Daniel Jones and cycling through Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito.

Perhaps the Giants can land a franchise cornerstone in the draft, but they cost themselves the No. 1 overall pick with a Week 17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Instead, they will pick at No. 3 overall behind the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns, which are also teams that don't exactly have a surefire long-term star under center.

Daboll and Schoen will be under the spotlight again in 2025 after Mara decided to bring them back, which dials up the pressure to win. So do the comments from the team president on Monday.

Still, it seems like the general manager is going to take a more pragmatic approach rather than a desperate one when it comes to building the roster this offseason.

After finishing the 2024 season with a 3-14 record, the New York Giants will have the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, and it sounds like they're hoping to land their next franchise quarterback.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported that the Giants "are another team in the quarterback hunt," and they "got their top execs multiple live exposures to seven top guys during the college season." Breer added that New York was "all over" the bowl games featuring Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

The Giants moved on from quarterback Daniel Jones midway through the season, releasing him upon his request less than two years after signing him to a four-year, $160 million contract extension. During his six years in New York after being drafted sixth overall in 2019, Jones went 24-44-1 as the starter.

The Giants will certainly be hoping to make a better decision if they select a quarterback in this year's draft. In its latest draft big board, B/R's NFL Scouting Department ranked Ward and Sanders as the No. 1 and No. 2 quarterback in this year's class, respectively.

Unfortunately, neither signal-caller was victorious in their respective bowl game. Ward played the first half for Miami against Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl and threw for 190 yards and three touchdowns before the Hurricanes suffered a 42-41 loss in a thriller. Sanders had 208 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in Colorado's 36-14 loss to BYU in the Valero Alamo Bowl.

Still, the Giants will be hoping that one of them falls to the No. 3 pick. Breer noted that if neither of them is available, a cornerback like Colorado's Travis Hunter or Michigan's Will Johnson "could be a consideration."

Despite a disappointing season for the New York Giants in which they set a new franchise record for the most losses in a single year, the team surprisingly won't be making any major changes this offseason.

Giants president John Mara released a statement on Monday saying that head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen will continue in their respective roles going forward following the 3-14 finish to the year:

The Giants struggled to show any ounce of competitiveness throughout the season. Their 10-game losing streak from Week 6 to Week 16 was the longest skid in franchise history.

To make the 2024 season even more heartbreaking, New York had to watch its former star running back Saquon Barkley record the best year of his career for the NFC East-rival Philadelphia Eagles. Barkley led the league with 345 carries and 2,005 yards while adding 13 touchdowns, becoming just the ninth running back in NFL history to record a 2,000-yard season.

Unsurprisingly, fans on social media quickly questioned the Giants' decision to retain both Daboll and Schoen following such a disappointing year:

The Giants are facing a difficult offseason, as they will have multiple holes on the roster to fill. Most notably, New York will be in search of a new franchise quarterback after parting ways with Daniel Jones midway through the season.

However, it sounds like the Giants are still confident that Daboll and Schoen are leading the team in the right direction. If New York struggles again in 2025, fans' objections will only grow louder until real changes are made.