Victor Cruz: Why Giants Should Sign Sam Darnold

Sam Darnold’s career has taken a significant turn. After a stellar season, the 27-year-old quarterback was awarded Pro Bowl honors. Darnold’s team won 14 games and qualified for the playoffs, and he proved he could lead an offense to success by throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns after signing a one-year deal with Minnesota. Due to his resurgence on the field, teams seeking to solidify their quarterback positions have made him a sought-after commodity.

A high cost likely accompanies Darnold’s success. Sporting News projected that he could look for a four-year deal guaranteed at $30.25 million, with an average annual salary of $7.56 million. This could prevent him from returning to Minnesota. According to former Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz, New York should sign the former first-round quarterback from USC because the Vikings may be unable to afford his rising value.

During an honest interview with DJ Siddiqi from RG, former New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz discussed the team’s quarterback situation and why he thinks the Giants should sign Sam Darnold.

Cruz, representing his Finish Ultimate partnership, explained why he believes Darnold would be the best fit for the Giants in the future.

“I think he’s the perfect QB to go get,” Cruz said, discussing the potential addition of Darnold to the Giants roster. “You obviously have to pay him a little bit, but I think from a cap perspective, we can afford him. I think he could come in and then Arch Manning comes in (in 2026). He doesn’t necessarily have to start right away, he can learn from a guy like Sam Darnold.”

Cruz is optimistic that Darnold, who has been hit and miss in his NFL career, may benefit from starting fresh with the Giants.

“It was just a tough deal, a tough year for everybody involved,” Cruz noted. “I think he can go somewhere and reset his career and potentially have a Sam Darnold-type career path. And who knows what happens in the years to come with him and what he does. I’m excited to see where he goes in the future.”

Cruz acknowledged the difficult situation when asked about the Giants’ mid-season decision to replace quarterback Daniel Jones.

“I think it was a tough decision for them to make, to really move on from him and figure out what to do,” Cruz said. “I know that didn’t leave a good taste in the fans’ mouths during the year when they made that decision. It comes with the territory of owning the football team, right? Making those tough decisions and living with them and standing on them even when people on the outside may not agree with you.”

Cruz’s remarks show that he believes Darnold could stabilize the Giants in the short term and help them transition to Manning in 2026.

His perspective on the team’s quarterback situation reflects a thoughtful approach to a problematic situation. He combines practical football sense with long-term vision.

Darnold’s endorsement presents an intriguing dimension to the Giants’ quarterback conversation, even though it’s unclear whether he will have the chance to prove Cruz wrong.