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Jordan Raanan, ESPN Staff Writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants will start undrafted rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.
DeVito will start over recently signed veteran Matt Barkley after Daniel Jones tore the ACL in his right knee Sunday in Las Vegas. Backup Tyrod Taylor is already on injured reserve with a rib cage injury.
It will be the first time in the common draft era that the Giants start an undrafted rookie in a non-strike game. DeVito will be the 10th undrafted rookie to start an NFL game since 2010, and the second this season. Tyson Bagent has started each of the past three games for the Chicago Bears.
“It’s going to be exciting. It’s going to be fun,” DeVito said. “It’s supposedly a great venue over there. Looking forward to it.”
DeVito also will be the 10th rookie quarterback to start a game this season, which is an NFL record.
DeVito is getting the nod over Barkley because he has been with the Giants since the spring. Barkley, despite having familiarity with coach Brian Daboll’s offense from their time together in Buffalo, was signed to New York’s practice squad just last week.
Barkley was signed to the Giants’ active roster Wednesday, when Jones was placed on injured reserve, a source told ESPN. New York also signed quarterback Jacob Eason to the practice squad earlier this week.
“He’s been here for a long time,” Daboll said of DeVito. “He’s picked up our stuff, so we’re going to go with DeVito here. [Barkley has] only been here a week. There are obviously nuances that he’s learning, but he’ll be ready to go to back [DeVito] up.”
Jones said he believes he tore the ACL on the final play of the first quarter trying to make a cut, saying he felt his knee “kind of shift” in the moment. It felt different, but he tried to jog on it and do some light cutting in between the quarters.
The very next play, the first of the second quarter, Jones felt the knee shift and buckle during his dropback, which is when he fell to the ground and grabbed at his right knee.
Jones believes in retrospect that he tore his knee on the final play of the first quarter, but he has no regrets.
“I don’t think so. I don’t think I caused any more damage to the injury,” he said. “I wasn’t sure what it was at first. … Thought I was fine, really. So I don’t think it was a mistake.”
Jones will let the swelling subside and strengthen the muscles around the knee before surgery. When asked about being ready for the start of next season, Jones said: “The goal is to be ready and fully healthy as soon as possible. When that exactly is, I’m not sure yet.”
Jones had two touchdown passes and six interceptions after signing a four-year, $160 million deal in the offseason. He missed three games with a neck injury and now is out for the remainder of the season because of his knee. The fifth-year pro described it as a “tough year.”
DeVito went undrafted this year after spending his college career at Syracuse and Illinois. The player from New Jersey has entered each of the past two games as the backup for injured Giants starters and has completed 63% of his passes, with one touchdown and two interceptions.
After weeks of taking only scout team reps, DeVito will be the starter against a Cowboys team that leads the NFL in pressuring opposing quarterbacks at a 45.4% rate, according to NextGen Stats data.
“No nerves, just excitement,” DeVito said. “I have a life rule. It’s Rule No. 1: Don’t panic. That is the thing I’ve always leaned on. It’s a game. It’s football. Yeah, there is a lot on the line, but at the end of the day, you play this game because you love it. And I do love this game. I’m just going to go out there and enjoy myself.”
DeVito plans to lean on Jones’ and Taylor’s experience. They already have talked him through making a first career start.
“Just be yourself,” DeVito said of the advice. “You’re more than enough. … Don’t try to do too much. Do your job and that’s it. You’re here for a reason. Do it.”
Jones plans to remain around the team, at least until the surgery.
“I’m still going to be as involved as I can be with helping guys prepare to play,” he said. “Helping Tommy this week prepare to play, being at meetings and whatever I can do to help him out, I’m going to do that. Trying to be there for this team and finish strong.”
The Giants (2-7) didn’t expect to reach this point, especially before Thanksgiving, with two proven quarterbacks at the top of their depth chart to start the season.
DeVito, once considered a developmental prospect who was stashed on the practice squad to start the season, now is starting against a tough Cowboys defense that sacked Jones seven times in a 40-0 season-opening win.
“Well, injuries — start with that,” Daboll said when asked how the Giants reached this point. “The two guys that were ahead of him got injured, and he was the third guy. So he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. He’s prepared well, and he’s got an opportunity.”
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