NFL Draft 2024: Will Giants get help they need from Jets (with yet another loss to Patriots)?

08/01/2024

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll reacts as a two point conversion fails late in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 in East Rutherford, N.J. The Rams won, 26-25.

By the time the Giants’ season finale begins Sunday, they’ll know if they still have a realistic shot at landing Caleb Williams or Drake Maye in the 2024 NFL Draft.

That’s because Jets-Patriots begins at 1 p.m. And Eagles-Giants starts at 4:25, along with Cowboys-Commanders and Seahawks-Cardinals.

The 5-11 Giants are currently fifth in the 2024 draft order. They still technically have a shot at the No. 2 pick, with the No. 1 pick already wrapped up for the Bears (via the Panthers). Currently, three 4-12 teams are at Nos. 2-4 — Washington, New England, and Arizona.

New York Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (13) hauls in a bomb during the fourth quarter which was nullified by a holding penalty against the Giants, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 in East Rutherford, N.J. The Los Angeles Rams won, 26-25.

If all three win Sunday — and the Giants lose to the Eagles — the Giants likely would have the strength of schedule tiebreaker and get the No. 2 pick.

Bottom line: It’s a long shot that Washington, New England, and Arizona all win Sunday. The biggest hurdle for the Giants is Washington (losers of seven straight) beating Dallas, which would capture the NFC East with a victory. Expect the Cowboys to win that game. Probably easily.

New York Giants return man Gunner Olszewski (80) breaks a tackle and pinballs off a half dozen Los Angeles Rams as he returns a punt for a Giants touchdown late in the fourth quarter to draw the Giants to within 1 point, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 in East Rutherford, N.J. The 2-point conversion attempt was no good and the Rams won, 26-25.

And if that happens, the Giants can’t get higher than No. 3. Which probably would mean no shot at Williams and Maye, who are widely considered the two best quarterbacks available this year.

Still, a Patriots win over the Jets in the early Sunday window would keep No. 2 in play for the Giants, entering the late window of games. And even though the Patriots are having a disastrous season — the Jets aren’t much better, at 6-10 — Bill Belichick has owned the Jets.

Since the Jets beat the Patriots in Foxborough in a 2010 divisional round playoff game — Bart Scott’s famous “can’t wait!” moment — they are 2-29 against Belichick and Co., including 0-12 in New England. The Jets have lost 15 straight games to the Patriots.

This surely will be Belichick’s final game with the Patriots. And he would absolutely hate going out with a loss to the Jets. Giants fans would hate it, too, since it would hurt their chances of climbing in the draft order, even if they don’t manage to reach No. 2.

New York Giants place kicker Mason Crosby (21) reacts after he missed a potential game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 in East Rutherford, N.J. The Rams won, 26-25.

As for how low the Giants could wind up in the draft order, they can’t fall past No. 8 — the spot currently occupied by the Jets.

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Darryl Slater may be reached at [email protected].

New York Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor (2) throws the ball behind a wide-open Saquon Barkley for a two point conversion attempt late in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 in East Rutherford, N.J. The Rams won, 26-25.

New York Giants guard Ben Bredeson (68) was flagged for holding as he tries to block Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (99) during the second half, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 in East Rutherford, N.J. The Rams won, 26-25.

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll (center) has words with quarterback Tyrod Taylor (2) after Taylor could not get the ball to a wide-open Saquon Barkley for a two point conversion late in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 in East Rutherford, N.J. The Rams won, 26-25.

New York Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor (2) reacts after he threw a bad pass on a two point conversion attempt late in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 in East Rutherford, N.J. The Rams won, 26-25.

New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale (left) and head coach Brian Daboll react as a two point conversion fails late in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 in East Rutherford, N.J. The Rams won, 26-25.

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