While fans and pundits saw Joe Flacco as a good option to replace Jaxson Dart in the New York Giants ' quarterback room for the rest of the season, a new rumor suggests the team probably never seriously considered a trade.
This has been a wild last week and a half for the Giants. Heading into their Week 2 clash with Super Bowl favorites the Los Angeles Rams , they looked like a legitimate playoff contender after beating the Dallas Cowboys in their season opener. Then Dart suffered a gruesome knee injury in the first series of the eventual loss, and the outlook on their campaign completely changed.
After the Giants QB1 underwent what is expected to be season-ending surgery on his left knee this time last week, New York only had Jameis Winston and practice squad QB Jake Haener at the position. The former's performance in the team's hard-fought win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 3 hammered home the fact that they needed to add an impact player to their QB room.
Immediately following Dart's injury, the Cincinnati Bengals backup was a name often mentioned by fans and experts as a replacement option. He has extended his career much further than many expected by becoming a strong fill-in for teams with QB issues in recent seasons. Plus, he and Giants head coach John Harbaugh have history after they helped lead the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl victory in 2013.
November 18, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh (right) and quarterback Joe Flacco (5) react while leaving the field after defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. The Baltimore Ravens won 13-10. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Obviously, the Giants did not acquire the 41-year-old and instead made a trade for the failed Minnesota Vikings 2024 first-round pick, JJ McCarthy. While there has been a lot of speculation about why they chose McCarthy. Well, a new report has offered new information on why Flacco was not a trade target over the last week.
"Quarterback Joe Flacco became a free agent in March. Before re-signing with the Bengals, he explored his options… Per a league source, Flacco had interest in the Giants. The Giants did not have interest in Flacco ," Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reports.
Reports have suggested part of why Harbaugh took the Giants job was Dart being a young QB with upside. Having a good veteran behind him would seem like a necessity. Flacco certainly would have been a good option, especially since he wanted to join the team and play for Harbaugh again.
Maybe new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy advised against the signing because the one-time Pro Bowler didn't fit the system he was building with a mobile QB in mind. However, Winston doesn't fit that system either.
So it seems like the decision to pass on Flacco came from a higher power. With Harbaugh having more sway in the Giants organization than most coaches, it sure looks like he was the one who had no interest in a reunion with his former QB1.
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