Drew Lock Confidently Embraces Giants' Backup Quarterback Role

In case you missed it back in March, after he signed as an unrestricted free agent, New York Giants quarterback Drew Lock reiterated that he’s here to be a good teammate and not usurp incumbent Daniel Jones, no matter how loud the cries from the fans for him to do so maybe.

“I appreciate the people who respect my game and know what I can do, but you're the backup, and you're here to help Daniel,” Lock said after the team’s fifth OTA on Thursday.

But doesn’t he want to be a starter?

“Of course,” he said, adding that he can be patient with the process and wait for his opportunity.

“Shoot, three years I wasn't a starting quarterback. I was patient then. I know how to be a backup and be ready if and when your time comes. As a backup, you hope it never comes. You hope your team is playing good football, and you hope Daniel stays healthy. But do everything you can to be ready. When that time comes, just make the best of it.”

Quarterback Drew Lock | Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

If nothing else, Lock appears to be the undisputed favorite to beat out one-time CFL star Nathan Rourke for the right to serve as Jones' understudy. Signed to a one-year contract worth $5 million and with incentives tied into playtime, Lock has been taking all the reps with the first-team offense in 11-on-11 drills while Jones, recovering from a torn ACL, observes.

“Yeah, it's a lot of fun,” Lock said of the Giants offense. “First offensive head coach, so that's been fun. We were going with the wind today for a period, so it's not something I'm used to. It's been fun to have him in my headset. You can tell he's been doing it for a long time.

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“Great reminders and good tips, but not too much. Not too much to get you bogged down on what he just said. It's just good tips and reminders. There's a lot to the offense, but it's been fun to learn, and I can see how you can be successful in it.”

While he learns the offense, he’s also trying to help his receivers and offensive linemen as much as he can during drills and meetings.

“I kind of feel like I'm old now, year six,” he said with a chuckle. “Learning the offense, this is going to be, I think, my fourth one so far. So I feel like I have a good process of how I want to attack a playbook and attack these days right now, which makes it easier to help those guys and talk to the receivers.

“And not just the young guys, but I'm out here running these guys with guys that I haven't thrown too much. So try to figure out what they were thinking on this, what I was thinking, and just try to develop some chemistry.”

Lock and Jones' professional trajectories are uncannily similar. Jones was selected sixth overall in 2019 to follow Giants legend Eli Manning, while Lock was selected as the Denver Broncos' long-sought Peyton Manning replacement and second-round pick 2019.

Lock never lived up to that potential and was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in the Russell Wilson deal three years later. Having inked a one-year deal with the Giants, this season could be one of Lock's last to prove he's worthy of NFL longevity.

The Missouri alum stepped in for injured Seattle starter and former Giants Geno Smith on several occasions last season, including one drive during the Seahawks' October visit to MetLife Stadium. Lock was responsible for all but one tally on a 75-yard scoring trek just before halftime, one that established a permanent two-possession lead in Seattle's 24-3 victory.

Two months later, Lock perhaps endeared himself to Giants fans by leading a 92-yard go-ahead scoring drive in a nationally televised win over the Philadelphia Eagles, which kicked off the latter's tumble down the NFC leaderboard.

But Lock knows what Jones can bring to an offense, having previously roomed with him during prep for the 2019 Senior Bowl in Mobile. That laid the path down to their first–and again, in Lock's eyes, only–competition, which Lock admitted Jones won.

"I tried to stay up as late as he did studying the playbook, but I was like, ‘Crap, Daniel, I've got to go to bed, buddy; you might have to turn that light off,’" Lock recalled with a smile.

"He's been great to be around, super smart guy, obviously doesn't get to where he's at without playing good football ... It's been fun to be with him in that room, especially because he's taking the 7-on-7 reps. He has time to help us in there."

"It's been cool. We still go in and watch the tape after. He runs it, and we talk through the plays. It's really cool. I appreciate how much he's been helping us there, including myself."

For now, Lock is taking advantage of every rep he is given so that he'll be ready if his number is called.

“It's been huge. I know what it's like to not get a ton of reps in OTAs and kind of feel your way through, not throw to the number one receivers, and then when you get out there in Week 11, you're throwing to DK (Metcalf) and Tyler (Lockett) for kind of the first time that year,“ he said.

“So being able to just have those reps under your belt builds confidence going into the year. Like I said, you hope the time doesn't come, but if it does, you feel ready. You've been with the guys in the huddle. They know your face. They know your cadence. They know how you operate. Just makes you feel more comfortable going into the year.”