New York Giants Training Camp Preview: QB Davis Webb

The Giants brought back their 2017 third-round draft pick with an eye toward having him around this season.

New York Giants quarterback Davis Webb is back for another stint with the New York Giants.

Webb, who was drafted in the third round in 2017 and viewed as a potential successor to then-starter Eli Manning, only lasted one year with the team. He was cast aside when the Giants fired Ben McAdoo as their head coach and replaced him with Pat Shurmur, who in turn was instrumental in bringing in Kyle Lauletta as the young quarterback of choice to groom.

After being tossed out, Webb went to the Jets for the 2018 season, first as a member of their practice squad and then later promoted to the 53-man roster. The following year, Webb landed in Buffalo, where he crossed paths with Brian Daboll, currently the Giants' head coach. 

Webb, who has always been lauded for his elite football acumen, went back and forth between the practice squad and the roster. But Webb so impressed his coaches in Buffalo that after last season, there was talk of him retiring from the game as an active player and becoming a coach.

Any such plans were scrapped when the Giants hired Daboll. Webb immediately followed him to East Rutherford, and while he currently sits as No. 3 on the quarterback depth chart, Webb was brought in to help his teammates grasp the new offensive concepts.

"It's been extremely helpful to have him," starting quarterback Daniel Jones said, agreeing that Webb has helped him expedite his learning of the system. 

"He's a super smart guy who has a lot of experience in this offense. So to have him in the room to answer questions, to give suggestions, and help you think through things has been awesome."

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What He Brings

According to teammates and coaches, Webb's greatest attribute is intelligence. The biggest knock, however, against Webb is that he's always been more of a system quarterback, having come from an Air Raid system in college.

That said, Webb, who is 6-foot-5, has a high release point and can hit his target right between the numbers when given a clean pocket. He's also patient with his decision-making and has a quick enough release once he knows where he's going with the ball.

The knocks against Webb when he came out of college included him pre-determining where to go with the ball, a slow setup in the pocket with excessive motion, and accuracy issues outside of the numbers. Webb also hasn't been deemed much of a scrambler that can extend plays with his legs.

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

His Contract

Webb is signed to a one-year deal worth $945,000, including a $50,000 signing bonus. If he does not make the team, the Giants will save $895,000 against the salary cap.

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Roster Projection/Expectations

Webb currently projects to be the third quarterback on the depth chart, behind starter Daniel Jones and backup Tyrod Taylor, but it's unclear if Daboll prefers to carry two or three quarterbacks on the roster.

Carrying three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster might be a luxury, so the Giants may look to move Webb to the practice squad if they need an extra roster spot to accommodate another position due to injury.

Regardless, Webb is likely to be around the team in some capacity this year as his knowledge of the offense is just too valuable for the Giants to discard.

 

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