Tommy DeVito was, briefly, a sensation for the New York Giants. The undrafted free agent burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2023, playing hard and relying on his Italian-American heritage to become a minor icon around the Giants’ home in northern New Jersey.
This was very unexpected, as DeVito’s college career was marred by inconsistent play before his 2022 transfer to the University of Illinois. Although he maintained his status as an efficient but unprolific passer – he barely averaged 150 yards per game in his six starts for New York – his value as a turnover-averse scrambler made him a Useful replacement for a team with significant quarterback issues. .
Now it appears those issues could push him up the Giants rankings.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Daniel Jones’ status in New York is very much in question. The former sixth overall pick has had more downs than ups during his career with the Giants, but his strong 2022 – highlighted by a playoff win over the Minnesota Vikings – earned him a contract extension. four-year, $160 million contract in hopes of being able to keep his contract. effective play under head coach Brian Daboll. Injuries and general incompetence made that impossible. It now appears he will be headed to the bench to avoid an injury that could guarantee the 2025 salary that New York management would really like to get rid of.
This is good news for DeVito’s playing time prospects, but Tommy Cutlets is still unclear. As in 2023, he will need a second Giants quarterback sidelined to gain playing time. Last winter, it was Tyrod Taylor, who suffered a rib injury that left him placed on injured reserve. This time it will be Drew Lock, who signed with New York last offseason.
Lock is a big-armed pocket passer who was considered a borderline first-round talent coming out of the University of Missouri. He slipped to the second round and a Denver Broncos team hungry for a quarterback, but couldn’t get the starting job there. After three seasons, he was dealt to the Seattle Seahawks as part of the ill-fated Russell Wilson trade to Denver. Lock failed to beat out Geno Smith for a starting role in Seattle, re-signed with the team to serve as a backup in 2023 and headed to Eastern New Jersey last spring.
This is all to say that DeVito still has a reasonable chance to play. He’s not exactly a hot prospect — he’s only two years younger than Lock, who entered the league in 2019 — but his vibes are unmatched. With the playoffs effectively out of reach (ESPN gives New York a less than one percent shot to make the playoffs), the Giants might go for the guy who makes the fans happy rather than the guy who gives them the best chance of winning.
However, any changes beyond Jones’ demotion likely won’t happen immediately. The world at large may have to wait until December to taste that magic again.
This article was originally published on For The Win: No, a Daniel Jones benching doesn’t mean it would be Tommy DeVito time for the Giants
