Notebook: Latest on Drew Lock; Giants not expected to add another QB

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Giants will potentially have only two healthy quarterbacks for their next preseason game, Saturday in Houston, but coach Brian Daboll said this morning he does not expect to add another player at that position this week.

Backup quarterback Drew Lock suffered an oblique injury in the Giants’ 14-3 victory Thursday night in the preseason opener. He will not practice today and it’s uncertain when he will. That leaves starter Daniel Jones and current No. 3 Tommy DeVito as the quarterbacks currently available. Tight end Tyree Jackson, a former college quarterback, will be the emergency player at that position should someone be needed in the game.

But why not sign another quarterback now?

“Because we’ll see where Drew is at,” Daboll said. “If he’s good to go, he’s good to go. Obviously, we talked about it, but we’ll see where he’s at. He feels a little bit better than he did that night and the next morning. He’ll do some running on the side, then he won’t practice. He won’t practice today. I don’t think he’ll practice tomorrow, probably not the next day, but we’ll go all the way to the end (of the week).”

Daboll did not rule Lock out of the game against the Texans.

“He’s sore,” Daboll said. “…See where he is. See if he can go this week. I don’t envision him practicing here the next few days, but like we always do, we’ll take it all the way up to the end and see where he’s at.”

Lock, a six-year veteran who was signed in the offseason to back up Jones, started vs. Detroit and completed four of 10 passes for 17 yards before he was injured late in the first quarter. DeVito replaced him and hit eight of 15 passes for 92 yards.

Like most of the Giants’ starters, Jones did not play against Detroit. But he will likely make his 2024 debut in Houston, his first game action since last Nov. 5, when he tore his ACL in Las Vegas. Daboll said Lock’s injury will not influence how much Jones plays against the Texans.

“I have an idea right now, but I want to go through these three practices (including full pads workouts tomorrow and Tuesday),” Daboll said. “We’ll talk about it as a coaching staff as the week goes on and end up talking with the players. I do envision Daniel playing if everything is… trainers, practices, all those type of things. The plan is to play him.”

Perhaps the more intriguing quarterback question is whether Lock’s injury creates a path for DeVito to earn the No. 2 job for the start of the regular season.

“I’d say, with Tommy and Drew, all we’re going to ask them to do is go out there and play as good as they can play and produce,” Daboll said. “And all those decisions will be made at the end of camp based on who we think gives us the best chance at each position. Whether it’s the backup quarterback, backup three technique (defensive tackle), starting receiver. Those are all yet to be determined, besides (defensive lineman) Dexter (Lawrence), A.T. (tackle) Andrew Thomas) and a few of those other guys – (outside linebackers Brian) Burns and (Kayvon) Thibodeau, (inside linebacker) Bobby (Okereke).”

“I think anytime a guy gets nicked up for a little bit, the next guy up has a big opportunity,” quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator Shea Tierney said. “I think Tommy understands that, especially with going through what he went through last year in terms of having to step up when Ty (Tyrod Taylor) and Daniel got hurt. That definitely was an opportunity for him. I have a lot of confidence in Tommy.”

Jackson played 18 offensive snaps in two games last season for the Giants. He threw for just under 7,000 yards and 49 touchdown passes at the University of Buffalo. Jackson was with Daboll as a rookie free agent with the Bills in 2019. Two years later, he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, who converted him to tight end.

“He has played quarterback,” Daboll said. “If he had to go in, he knows our system, taking snaps. I mean, albeit he’s been a tight end the last couple years. But he’ll take some quarterback center exchange out here. But I don’t envision playing him unless something happens.”