Davis Webb Reportedly Waived by Giants After Raiders Trade Rumors

Joseph Zucker @@JosephZuckerFeatured ColumnistSeptember 2, 2018

FOXBORO, MA - AUGUST 31: Davis Webb #5 of the New York Giants prepares to throw in the second half during a preseason game with the New England Patriots in the first half at Gillette Stadium on August 31, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

The New York Giants waived 2017 third-round pick Davis Webb, ESPN.com's Jordan Raanan reported Sunday.

Raanan reported earlier the Giants had discussed potentially trading Webb to the Oakland Raiders before the Raiders acquired AJ McCarron from the Buffalo Bills.

When the Giants selected Webb with the 87th overall pick, Ben McAdoo was the head coach and Jerry Reese was the general manager. SportsNet New York's Ralph Vacchiano and the Record's Art Stapleton tweeted the team's new decision-makers simply didn't value Webb very highly:

Ralph Vacchiano @RVacchianoSNY
In a stunning development, the Giants are waiving QB Davis Webb, according to an NFL source (and as @JordanRaanan Tweeted). Giants couldn't find a trade partner, and he simply wasn't a Pat Shurmur/Dave Gettleman guy.

Art Stapleton @art_stapleton
Another way to look at #Giants parting ways with Davis Webb: they don’t feel Webb or Kyle Lauletta is ready to be QB2, so Tanney here in case of emergency. And new regime believes more in Lauletta than Webb, so will pour developmental energy and reps into Lauletta. 🤷‍♂️

Since that's the case, the Star-Ledger's Steve Politi retrospectively questioned the Giants' approach to the 2018 draft:

Steve Politi @StevePoliti
But I *do* have this hot take: Some of Dave Gettleman's roster decisions are baffling and shopping Davis Webb makes not taking a QB at No. 2 even more bonkerballs. https://t.co/baoQ5243Rn

Webb didn't appear in a regular-season game for the Giants as a rookie. He played in New York's first three preseason games, going 28-of-53 for 283 yards and a touchdown.

With Webb's departure, Kyle Lauletta and Alex Tanney become the top two backup quarterbacks behind Eli Manning. Lauletta was a fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft, while Tanney has just one regular-season appearance since signing with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2012.

Especially since they didn't use their 2018 first-round pick on a quarterback, it would appear the Giants are satisfied to try and position Lauletta as the long-term successor to the 37-year-old Manning, who has two more years left on his current deal.