Giants' Tommy DeVito says things aren't awkward between quarterbacks after starter shakeup

The logic escaped Darius Slayton.

How, the Giants’ sixth-year wide receiver was asked after practice Wednesday afternoon, can the formerly first-string quarterback be dropped to fourth string, while the former third-string quarterback is elevated to first-string without the backup getting an opportunity to stake his claim for the job?

“I’m not privy to the information that went into how all that went down,” Slayton said. “They went with Tommy and we’re all going to get behind him and do our best to go out there and win with him.”

And so, the first act of the Giants’ Tommy DeVito sequel was marked by abject confusion.

DeVito, who was named the Giants’ starting quarterback for Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium , practiced with the starters Wednesday while Daniel Jones was demoted to fourth-string. Backup Drew Lock worked with the second unit, while newly signed third-stringer Tim Boyle and Jones did individual drills.

Following practice, it was DeVito, instead of Jones, who spoke with a larger-than-normal media contingent. Jones, who usually speaks Wednesday, is expected to address reporters Thursday.

But, to hear DeVito talk, there isn’t any newly born awkwardness in the quarterback room at 1925 Giants Drive.

“We have a really tight group,” DeVito said of he, Jones, and Lock. “I think everybody knows it’s not our decision. It’s the coaches’ decision, the organization’s decision. There’s no bad blood for any one of us, no matter who it was. Whoever’s going we support each other because all three of us have been in that situation where you’re not starting or you are starting, and when you are starting you want all the support possible and there’s no elephant in the room.”

Well, there’s one elephant in the room. And that is the guaranteed $23 million that is due to Jones if he suffers an injury thatcauses him not to pass a physical in March. If the Giants decide to cut a fully healthy Jones come March, they would be on the hook for $22.21 million of dead money on the salary cap for the next two years but wouldn’t owe the sixth overall pick in the 2019 draft any money.

Which is why it was surprising to hear Brian Daboll say Jones would participate in practice.

“He's out here. He came into meetings. He's ready to go for practice, the things we need him to do. I expect him to be every bit a pro he's always been,” Daboll said. “He'll be out here working.”

When asked why the Giants would not simply tell Jones to stay away from the facility, Daboll said, “Daniel's been a pro. He's been a good teammate for us. Again, this is the role that he has right now for us and I'm glad he's part of our team.”

Perhaps tellingly, though, Daboll would not commit to naming Jones as the third-string, emergency quarterback for Sunday’s game.  Instead, that decision will be announced Friday, the coach said.

Jones had made every start this season, while Lock’s only pass attempts  came in the fourth quarter of the Giants’ 28-3 loss to the Eagles on Oct. 20. DeVito has been the third quarterback in every game this season and has not taken a snap.

DeVito, whose last game action came in last season's finale against the Eagles,  vowed to spend the week getting acclimated with rookies Malik Nabers, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Theo Johnson.

“I'm going to get more and more comfortable throughout the week. I haven't had a ton of reps with them, obviously, this year,” said DeVito, who threw for 1,101 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions. “I got a good amount in OTAs, which was definitely helpful, so I know how people move. And then the guys who were here last year, I know how they move.”

Still, what may be the biggest issues for DeVito are the ones he can do little to solve. Because even though Slayton and Dexter Lawrence, amongst others, publicly stated their support for him, they acknowledged the decision to bench Jones does have ramifications.

Financial and perhaps personal.

“It’s like last year when they traded my best friend,” Lawrence said, referring to the trade of Leonard  Williams to Seattle. “At the end of the day it’s business.”

And could that lead to discontent in the locker room?

“It’s not imploding,” Slayton said. “We got seven weeks of football to play.”