Tommy DeVito shares warning for Giants amid QB battle

New York Giants backup quarterback Tommy DeVito understands he's once again an underdog to make the team's roster as he sits beneath starter Daniel Jones and QB2 Drew Lock on the depth chart.

That doesn't mean DeVito is lacking confidence after he performed admirably last season as an undrafted free agent.

"I’m very aware of how they operate in this organization," DeVito said Sunday about possibly reaching waivers after the preseason concludes in August, per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. "That’s up to them to make that decision, make that gamble. I’m going to continue to play. We’ll see how everything unfolds. If they decide to [cut me] and I get scooped up, I don’t get to make that decision [to say] afterwards, if somebody grabs me, 'No, I want to stay here.' It’s everything for the front office."

DeVito wasn't supposed to play as a rookie but was thrust into the lineup after Jones and then-backup Tyrod Taylor suffered injuries. The New Jersey native then went 3-1 across his first four starts en route to becoming somewhat of a cult hero among Giants fans desperate to cheer for anything positive amid what became a 6-11 season.

In total, DeVito completed 114-of-178 passes (64 percent) for 1,101 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions. The 25-year-old also rushed for 195 yards and a score on 36 attempts.

Some thought earlier this spring that DeVito could challenge Lock for New York's primary backup job through the preseason. Such chatter seemingly has quieted down, but it's believed the Giants could give DeVito a spot on their 53-man roster next month to ensure another club cannot claim him off waivers.

"That I can play, that I belong," DeVito said about what he thinks he showed last season. "I can play in a lot of different situations. Obviously, circumstances were not the best, right? There were a lot of guys dinged up. There were a lot of missing pieces. With that being said, we are able to get some momentum, get a couple wins. I proved I belong – mentally, physically – and I’m going to continue to grow off that."

The Giants can escape Jones' contract next offseason, and Lock thus far has failed to cement himself as a long-term starter with two different teams since he entered the NFL in 2019.

If nothing else, Giants general manager Joe Schoen may want to play DeVito over a healthy Jones at some point during the upcoming campaign to see if the second-year pro can become more than a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option at the highest level.