By Jeff Moeller, The New York Extra/thenyextra.com
The speculation surrounding Daniel Jones this spring has been whether or not the third-year quarterback has the tools, knowledge, and more importantly, the gumption, to transform the Giants from a budding 6-10 team into a playoff contender. GM Dave Gettleman supplied Jones with some new offensive weapons in the offseason.
A bigger question has been rarely asked this spring and early summer – Who is Jones’s backup, and is he a capable one?
With the heightened focus on Jones this year, that question has seemed immaterial. Unlike his first two seasons, it is unthinkable to vision Jones out of the lineup.
Still, should the 24-year-old crowned savior stumble or suffer an injury, Gettleman has provided a suitable replacement. Gettleman didn’t resign 34-year-old Colt McCoy, and decided to go a different route.
It certainly was an addition that generally slipped under the radar.
Enter 31-year-old veteran Mike Glennon. He spent last season as one of the quarterbacks in Jacksonville, where he started five games. With little support, he threw seven touchdowns and tossed five interceptions in five defeats.
Glennon has been a true journeyman. Ironically, he has come full circle since he nearly landed in New York four years ago.
He once was considered the future of Tampa Bay where he was a third-round pick in 2013 and eventual starter. Glennon flourished during the season, and he quickly began subject of numerous trade rumors before the 2014 draft.
However, Glennon fell out of favor in 2015 when Tampa took Jameis Winston with the top overall pick in the draft. His days consequently were numbered.
The Jets reportedly were in a bidding war with Chicago before the 2017, as many believed Glennon could be the solution to the Jets’ quarterback woes. Instead, Glennon signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Bears.
From there, however, Glennon fell off the rails and would be relegated to a backup role to one-year stints with Arizona and Oakland before Jacksonville.
Now, Glennon is well suited for his current role. On the surface, he has better overall numbers and has seen more playing time than McCoy. He appears to be a better package.
He has a big arm and can get the ball downfield to new threats Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney. Glennon threw 179 passes last season and tossed 350 in the past five years. Should Jones falter, the Giants appear to have a competent backup with a good football IQ.
This season, Gettleman’s most underrated signing could turn into one of his more valuable ones.