Oct 20, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws a pass during warmups before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images

nfl

NY Giants Eye Matthew Stafford Trade As Joe Schoen Prioritizes 2025 Season Over Future

Giants weigh trading for Stafford in desperate QB search

Joe Schoen knows how to dodge questions. The New York Giants general manager stepped up to the mic at the NFL Scouting Combine, fully prepared to say nothing of value. And yet, his message slipped through. The Giants are not playing the long game. They’re playing for 2025.

“We’re going to look for the best player available that can help us win games in ’25,” Schoen said.

That’s a hard pivot from co-owner John Mara, who made it clear the team needs to find its “quarterback of the future.” Stafford is not that. He’s 37, he’s expensive, and he’s running out of time. But he’s also better than anything the Giants currently have.

And that’s the real issue. Schoen and Brian Daboll don’t have five years to rebuild. They barely have one.

If the Rams won’t pay Matthew Stafford, why should the Giants?

Stafford isn’t just available. He’s demanding a raise. His current contract pays him $40 million a year—15th in the league. He reportedly wants at least $50 million per year. And the Rams, a team that actually made the playoffs, might not think he’s worth that.

If they don’t, why would the Giants? A team coming off a 3-14 season. A team nowhere close to contending.

It’s not just the money. It’s the trade capital. The Giants won’t move the No. 3 overall pick, but the Rams would demand their second-rounder (No. 34 overall) as a starting point. That’s a lot to give up for a QB who, realistically, has two good years left.

Buzz: The New York Giants are “all in” on attempting to trade for Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.

The Vikings are said to be out on the 37 year old QB but a wild card team to land him is the Las Vegas Raiders with new HC Pete Carroll. pic.twitter.com/Vuesi5Bbul
— Draft Buzz (@TheDraftBuzzNFL) February 25, 2025

But Schoen and Daboll are desperate. Their jobs depend on getting better fast. And Schoen is fully committed to finding a veteran quarterback before the new league year starts in March.

“We’re going to have to address the position somewhere,” Schoen said. “And even if you get a young quarterback, you’d like to have a vet in the room with them to show them the ropes.”

That means Stafford is an option. And if not him, someone else.

If they don’t land Stafford, their options get worse… fast!

Stafford is at least a legitimate upgrade. The alternatives? Not so much. The Giants need a quarterback. Right now, Tommy DeVito is the only one on the roster. If Stafford doesn’t happen, the backup plan is a “bridge QB.” That means Russell Wilson. Or Justin Fields. Maybe Kirk Cousins.

None of them change the Giants’ outlook. None of them give Schoen and Daboll the quick turnaround they need.

That’s where the draft comes in. Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward are potential options at No. 3. But Schoen isn’t convinced either is worth that pick.

“In theory, you take a rookie quarterback, you’re on the rookie deal for five years and where we are salary cap-wise, you can build around them,” Schoen said. “But you’ve got to make sure one of those guys are going to be there or they’re even in the draft.”

Last year, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye were all seen as legitimate franchise QBs by this point in the process. That kind of clarity doesn’t exist in 2025.

𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗧:
Despite reports, the #Giants have no interest in a trade for Matthew Stafford.

The Giants know they are more than a QB away from contention and don’t want to cripple a rebuild by signing a 37 year old QB to a $50M per year contract.

Their neighbor, the… pic.twitter.com/JIaF4G4gn0
— NFL Notifications (@NFLNotify) February 25, 2025

And Schoen isn’t going to draft a quarterback just to say he did.

“You can’t manufacture these things,” he said. “So if you draft one, and you don’t believe in who that player is just to say you did it—you’ve got to believe in who the player is and that they can be an eventual franchise quarterback.”

That’s not reassuring.

Schoen has spent three years talking about taking swings at QB… and taken none!

This is the most interesting part of all of this.

Schoen keeps saying quarterbacks are hard to find, that you “keep swinging” until you land one. But in three drafts, he hasn’t used a single pick on a QB. He gave Daniel Jones $160 million after the 2022 season. He passed on Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix at No. 6 last year. He ignored late-round swings on guys like Brock Purdy, Sam Howell, and Joe Milton over the past three years.

That streak has to end. But how aggressive he is in April depends on what happens in the next few weeks.

The Giants need a quarterback. They need one now. And Stafford, for all the risks, is the best win-now option available.

“Whoever gives us the best chance to win,” Schoen said. “That’s what it is.”

If that means overpaying for a 37-year-old Stafford? Fine. Schoen and Daboll aren’t worried about 2027. They’re worried about staying employed in 2025.

Image: Imagn Images

Matthew Stafford

Natasha Bose

I write about sports because, well, it brings in the big bucks! I’m not some lifelong analyst or stats guru, truth being told, you’ve probably never heard of me!—I just know how to research, write, and make things sound good. That’s the job!
Got into sports media the same way most people do: by (fortunate) accident. Started with SEO writing, took on a few sports gigs, and now here we are! I cover games, trades, player drama—whatever needs words.
Favorite part? The chaos. One day it’s a blockbuster trade, the next it’s a goat running onto the field. Never boring.
Message to readers: If you want deep analysis, there are people for that. If you want sharp, no-BS writing that actually makes sense, stick around.