The New York Giants' potential quarterback of the future isn’t the quarterback of the present. Not even if the improbable occurs and the seemingly indestructible Eli Manning suffers an injury.
Third-round pick Davis Webb is likely to be the Giants’ third-string quarterback this season. Geno Smith or Josh Johnson is expected to be the backup. That will be determined this spring or summer as they battle for that job.
Coach Ben McAdoo all but conceded that the initial thinking is that Webb’s rookie season will be spent as the third-string quarterback, which means he will be inactive and won't dress on game days.
Part of the reason is that Webb comes from an “Air Raid” attack at California that has little resemblance to an NFL offense. He’s considered raw and years away from being ready to play.
“I think it’s huge [he can sit and learn],” McAdoo said after the Giants selected Webb as the 87th overall pick in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft. “I think it’s tough to come into the league and be a No. 2 [quarterback]. I don’t think there are very many guys, even in this draft, that can come in and be a No. 2 quarterback. I think it’s challenging; it’s asking an awful lot.
“It’s a different game and it’s a challenge. It’s a benefit to be able to sit behind, especially, a veteran quarterback and learn. It goes a long way.”
McAdoo went on to say several days later during an interview on WFAN-AM that Smith and Johnson are competing for the No. 2 spot. That means the Giants are likely to carry three quarterbacks again, as they did after taking Ryan Nassib in the fourth round of the 2013 draft. McAdoo also carried three quarterbacks last season after Nassib struggled terribly in the preseason and Johnson was signed just prior to Week 1.
One of the 53 spots on the active roster this season will likely be used for a developmental quarterback who will never see the field.
Webb, 22, has a lot to learn. The Giants believe he has the physical skills (arm strength, athletic ability, footwork) and work ethic to develop into an eventual starter in the league. They just would rather not play him right now.
Of course, anything is possible. Dallas' Dak Prescott was a third-string quarterback last summer before an unexpected string of events drastically changed the direction of that franchise.
But even if Webb doesn't play this season, that shouldn't be a concern for the Giants. The consensus around the league appears to be that he was a worthwhile pick in the third round for a team with an aging quarterback.
“Good value -- heard about him in the first [round],” one scout told ESPN. “He has the talent and work ethic.”
But Webb is unlikely to add on-field value to the team this season. Manning hasn't missed a start since becoming the Giants’ starter in 2004.
Nassib was inactive for all 16 games his rookie season. It‘s not inconceivable to see a similar fate for Webb in his first professional campaign.
“He needs to start [learning] and earn that No. 3 spot,” McAdoo said. “Once he earns that No. 3 spot, we’ll see how fast we can bring him along and see if he can push for 2. He needs to come in and learn and get the fundamentals right and build a foundation to start.”
Webb will have a spot on the team regardless of how he performs this spring and summer. The Giants invested a third-round pick in his long-term prospects, not his immediate returns.
Johnson and Smith will have more at stake. Each signed this offseason, but neither received a guarantee that will prohibit him from being released this summer, meaning it won't be too difficult or financially burdensome for the Giants to cut ties with the loser of the backup competition.
The Giants will have invested $325,000 in Smith after the offseason program and $115,000 in Johnson. Either could be the backup given those relatively minimal financial commitments.
As for Webb, the Giants invested heavily in him. He will have a chance to learn behind Manning and either Smith or Johnson. Third string appears to be his rookie fate.