I don’t care what any report about the Giants and their lack of interest in Dwayne Haskins says. The New York Football Giants have never been more of a dwarf than they are standing today. They’ve done just about everything that there is to do wrong. It started with trading Damon Harrison this past season. At the time, it was simply justified as a move to save money at a non-valuable position. Then, they traded Olivier Vernon for Kevin Zeitler. At the time, maybe it made a little sense. Vernon was getting paid top dollar to sack quarterbacks, but he never did so more than 8.5 times in NY. Couple that with the fact that the Giants have had an abysmal OL for years, and the move isn’t so bad.
Then, absolute hell broke loose in the Big Apple. Landon Collins, the best player on the New York defense, bolted for division rival Washington. To make matters worse, the Giants traded their best offensive player, Odell Beckham Jr., to Cleveland for Jabril Peppers, a first, and a third. The Giants were suddenly without not only one of the best receivers in football but the face of their franchise.
Odell was supposed to be the King of New York. He was supposed to be the difference maker for one last run at the Lombardi with Eli. The guy who drew double-teams so strong that it allowed Manning to often find a wide-open second or third option.
That dream, that last run with Eli Manning, it’s dead. The Giants are now left with the 38-year-old QB who often finds himself in quicksand in the pocket. What’s worse? They have no real backup plan. I know you’ve been waiting for me to finally bring up where Dwayne Haskins plays his part, and yes, this is exactly it. In just about every aspect, Haskins is the perfect fit for the Giants.
On the Field
The most important place is to start on the field. Haskins would have no issues stepping into a Giants offense that’s engineered very similar to Ohio State. Just like in Columbus, Dwayne will have one of the most talented RBs behind him, easing a lot of the pressure. In addition, it’s a system that’s been constructed for a pocket0passer, which is exactly where Haskins likes to be. Take a look here at Haskins doing it all from the pocket.
There’s so much going on in this play here. First, you have the slot receiver coming in motion, who’s followed by the safety on the opposite side. This immediately means man coverage and that the second safety will drop back into center field to track deep balls. As the play starts, this is exactly what happens. You now have a safety lined up with a wideout, and Haskins knows this is where he has to get the ball. The only issue is the delayed rush coming right into Haskins’ face. Haskins steps right through it, taking a massive hit that knocks him to the ground, but he still puts the ball right on the hands of his wideout.
I love everything about this play. I love the ability to recognize coverage at the line of scrimmage. Is it basic coverage? Sure. But it’s a thing that dozens of QBs playing in the NFL couldn’t do at Haskins’ age. What I love even more though is the will to get hit in the mouth on third down for the sake of continuing the drive. It’s one of those things that guys like Roethlisberger, Foles, and Rivers have made a career out of.
This is just one example. If you want to see hundreds more, watch game film from this past season. You’ll see a guy who gets the ball out quickly, is very accurate in the pocket, and rarely turns the ball over. Those three things are the reason why he threw for nearly roughly 4,800 yards, with 50 TDs, and just 8 interceptions. Not to mention, he completed 70% of his passes.
Character
If combine reports are a good indicator (they usually are), Dwayne Haskins impressed a lot of teams with his maturity off the field. This is crucial for the a team in a place like New York. It’s one of the reasons why Odell struggled there, and the biggest reason why a potential trade for Josh Rosen would fail. Certain players are built for the limelight. Guys who show up, handle their business, and stay quiet will succeed.
Does that mean you have to be this game-bot who shows zero emotion? Absolutely not. If Haskins were to come to New York, he’d be tasked with commanding a leadership role the second Eli walks out the door. That’s something that requires emotion, but it has to be the right kind.
For example, Baker Mayfield was exactly what the doctor prescribed in Cleveland. Someone who had the type of moxie and overall confidence cockiness that he possesses could revive the NFL’s greatest dumpster fire.
Haskins, on the other hand, doesn’t need to be that guy, which is great because he isn’t. I think, for once, the Giants want to be quiet. They want to be a strong-willed and strong-minded football team that no one wants to lineup against on Sundays. This is exactly the place where Haskins needs to be.
With the Sixth Pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the New York Giants select…
These will be the words that define the history of the New York Giants. They passed on QBs last year (I still agree with taking Saquon), but they can’t play around anymore. The opportunity is in front of them right now in this very moment to make a play and get the next Giant great. In an offseason filled with “WHAT?!”s in NY, there can’t be any “What If”s.
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