The New York Giants are signing veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor to serve as a “high-level” backup to Daniel Jones, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport first reported on Tuesday.
The 32-year-old is preparing for his 12th NFL season where he was most recently entered the 2021 season as the Houston Texans’ starting quarterback after the team opted to bench Deshaun Watson for the season due to his legal trouble and lingering trade requests. However, he lasted just six games due to a torn ligament in his wrist.
.@TyrodTaylor dials up the deep ball to @BrandinCooks!
40-yard Texans TD.
📺: #NYJvsHOU on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/qarP1QfaL4— NFL (@NFL) November 28, 2021
Injuries have unfortunately dictated the path of Taylor’s career throughout his decade-plus in the league.
After spending his first four years as a pro backing up Joe Flacco with the Baltimore Ravens, Taylor got his shot with the Buffalo Bills starting 43 games over a three-year stretch.
He played through the 2016 season with a groin injury and in 2017, dealt with a bruised patellar tendon in his left knee.
Despite going 8-6 in his final year as the starter in Buffalo, he was traded to the Cleveland Browns for a third-round pick ahead of the 2018 season — just one month before they drafted Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick of the draft.
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Taylor was initially named the starter and held the position for the first three games of that season, but a concussion and punctured lung suffered against the New York Jets in Week 3 sidelined him and opened the door for Mayfield — and the veteran never saw the starting job again.
He served as a backup with the Los Angeles Chargers from 2019 to 2020 before getting his most recent chance to start with the Texans.
With the Giants, Taylor will be brought in not just to provide a competent backup option for Daniel Jones, but also to bring in a well-traveled arm to push the fourth-year quarterback in training camp. This is a make-or-break season for Jones, who will have to prove to new general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll that he can be the franchise man under center.
Should he fail to do that — or if injuries strike as they did in 2021 when Jones missed the final six games of the season due to a lingering neck issue — the Giants will be in a better place than they were when they were forced to turn to Mike Glennon and Jake Fromm down the stretch.
New York’s offense, which ranked 31st out of 32 teams last year, averaged just 11.5 points per game without Jones from Weeks 13-18.
The Giants were also reportedly interested in Mitchell Trubisky as a potential backup option, but the former No. 2 pick caught on with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a potential successor to Ben Roethlisberger.
