It’s one thing for Daniel Jones to declare himself ready to go, but that won’t stop the New York Giants from trading for a prospect like Oregon’s Bo Nix, a 2024 NFL draft quarterback widely compared to Super Bowl winner Drew Brees.
That scenario is possible, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. He has the Giants working out a four-pick trade with the Tennessee Titans at the top of Round 2. Yates’ proposal would involve the Giants receiving “Nos. 38 and 146” from the Titans, in exchange for “Nos. 47 and 70.”
The Giants would then use the 38th-overall selection to take pro-ready Nix. As Yates put it, “Nix’s accuracy and processing speed should translate well to the NFL, and he would give New York yet another option under center.”
This hypothetical deal met with the approval of Yates’ colleague Mel Kiper Jr.: “Yeah, Daniel Jones had a tough season, and now he is recovering from a serious knee injury. I think this makes a lot of sense.”
This trade would do more than provide Jones with some genuine competition. It would also give the Giants a rookie signal-caller who compares favorably to the second-most prolific passer in NFL history.
Drew Brees Comparisons Make Bo Nix an Intriguing Pick
There are direct comparisons between Nix and Brees, according to Kiper Jr. Especially related to their proposed paths to the pros: “Brees dropped to the top of Round 2 in 2001 because of his 6-foot size and questions about whether his arm strength was tapped out. Now? He’s a lock for the Hall of Fame in 2026. Nix, my fifth-ranked quarterback in this class, is a little taller at 6-2, but he has some of the same questions, especially coming from an Oregon offense that saw him throw quick and short. But when I watch Nix throw with precision, I see a lot of Brees’ accuracy in him.”
Kiper’s view is shared by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. The latter even thinks Nix could be drafted by the Denver Broncos in Round 1, to reunite with Brees’ old coach Sean Payton, the duo that helped the New Orleans Saints win the 2010 Super Bowl: “While we’re there, there is an assumption floating around in the league that if Bo Nix has any shot to go in the first round, it’d be Payton taking him, because stylistically Nix fits Payton in a Drew Brees, point-guard-on-grass kind of way.”
Any comparison to Brees should excite the Giants. He went from a second-round pick to retiring as the NFL’s all-time leader in passing completions and yards.
Brees has since been usurped at the top of the charts by Tom Brady, but as a stylistic template, No. 9 is an ideal reference point for Nix. The latter completed 294 passes in 2022 and 364 a year later for Oregon, per Sports Reference.
Accuracy defined Nix as a thrower, something highlighted here by NFL Network’s Kendell Hollowell.
This play was from Nix’s Auburn days, before he went on to run an offense built around RPOs and play-action for the Ducks. The over-reliance on option-style plays might worry some about Nix’s ability to transfer his game to the pros, but the Giants needn’t worry.
Head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka know how to package plays for a quarterback who doesn’t quite fit the prototype. Play-action and read-option concepts helped Jones enjoy a career year in 2022.
Jones’ fortunes took a turn for the worse last season, one reason why the Giants might explore a trade.
Doubts Persist About Daniel Jones’ Future
Jones says his neck is fine and he hasn’t had any setbacks from the torn ACL that ended his 2023 campaign. All well and good, but the Giants might have other ideas than letting Jones simply reclaim the starting job.
The doubts about Jones’ future are growing. Especially when several signs point toward the Giants making a change, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. Signs like general manager “Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll have done extensive work on the draft’s top QBs, including private workouts w/some of the top prospects.”
Moving on from Jones will only be an easy transition if the Giants replace him with a quarterback able to win right away. Somebody capable of spreading the ball around more efficiently through the air and expanding a pedestrian passing game.
Nix fits the bill thanks to “compact, consistent over-the-top delivery which he retains under pressure and on the move,” highlighted by Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar.
Striking a deal for Nix, preferably after taking a wide receiver or offensive tackle sixth overall, is a reset Schoen and Daboll could easily sell to fans.
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