ESPN made a bold quarterback prediction this week for the New York Giants that might not be very popular with fans.

Mike Tannenbaum, an NFL analyst for ESPN, made the bold prediction that the Giants will sign quarterback Sam Darnold in free agency.

From ESPN: This gives the Giants a much-needed starter at quarterback and reduces any potential risk of going into the draft without this critical position solidified. They could then draft a blue-chip player at the top of the first round.

I’m not sure how this idea is going to go over with the Giants fan base.

There’s no doubt that Darnold had a tremendous season in 2024, but should one good season result in a lucrative multi-year deal for a quarterback that was universally viewed as a “bust” before last season?

How do we know that Darnold won’t be a one-year wonder? Maybe he just connected extremely well with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell (a coach that some folks feel is the premier “quarterback whisperer” in the NFL right now). Or maybe he just really loved throwing to superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Whatever the case, there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to replicate his one good season in the NFL.

Then there’s the fact that Darnold has already struggled mightily under the bright lights in New York. His three seasons with the Jets were painful to watch at times. I’m not sure he wants to go down that road again and I’m not sure the Giants want to gamble on whether Darnold can suddenly handle New York.

I like the idea of the Giants pairing a veteran quarterback with a rookie quarterback, but Darnold doesn’t seem like an ideal fit in New York.