There is a way for the Giants to secure a young quarterback prospect this week without having to use either of their two first-round picks in the NFL draft. To turn this scenario into reality, it will take some cooperation from the Cardinals and a bold trade triggered by Giants general manager Dave Gettleman.
The Cardinals are widely expected to take Kyler Murray with the No. 1 pick Thursday night. A year after selecting Josh Rosen No. 10 overall, the Cardinals once again have a new head coach, Kliff Kingsbury, and reports are rampant he wants Murray to operate his hyper-drive offensive system. If so, there is no reason to keep Rosen on the roster, and shipping him out is the best option.
What can the Cardinals get for Rosen? The word in NFL circles is they wanted a first-round pick but, with so much buzz about their interest in Murray, what leverage do they have? There is so much anticipation regarding a Rosen deal that an NFL source told The Post, “There is no way they are going to get a first [-round pick] for him now.’’
Perhaps that is hyperbole. The Giants will not part with the No. 6 pick in this draft. They also own the No. 17 pick, acquired in the trade that sent Odell Beckham Jr. to the Browns. There are those who consider that too steep a price for Rosen, a 22-year old from UCLA who endured a rocky rookie year in Arizona.
“The people that are saying that Josh Rosen is not worth 17, they’re all fools,’’ Dan Shonka, general manager and national scout for Ourlads’ scouting service, told The Post. “Josh Rosen would be the best quarterback in this draft. Then it would be Dwayne Haskins. Haskins is the best quarterback in this draft, and he’s going to be a really good quarterback. Josh Rosen is ahead of him right now.’’
Rosen started 13 games in 2018 and completed only 55.2 percent of his passes, with 11 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions. He was sacked 45 times and had 10 fumbles. It was a rough NFL debut, but Rosen got through it, which went a long way to ease the concern many scouts had about his durability and toughness.
“It was chuck and duck, and it was horrible,’’ an NFL talent evaluator specializing in quarterbacks told The Post. “Let me tell you, what they did to that kid, it’s criminal. He got the hell kicked out of him. That offensive line was terrible, they struggled to run it and they didn’t have anybody to throw to. Other than that it was great. If I’m the Giants, Rosen is a better possibility than Haskins.’’
If the Cardinals take Murray and then sense they cannot get a first-round pick for Rosen, perhaps they lower their sights and accept a second-round pick. The Giants, with the 37th overall selection, would be in prime position.
“The Cardinals would be fools, they’d be stupid to do that,’’ Shonka said. “That guy’s a first-round draft choice, they moved up [from No. 15] to No. 10 to get him, and they’re going to give him away, with one year of experience? I think Rosen would be a steal at 17. I tell you what, if the Giants got him at 37, that would be highway robbery.’’