Giants bypass Tommy DeVito’s clean health for starting Drew Lock

The Giants continue to play musical chairs with their quarterback depth chart.

And Brian Daboll’s explanations don’t exactly provide detailed reasons for this.

Drew Lock will start Sunday against the Saints after starting the 27-20 loss to the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Tommy DeVito will serve as Lock’s replacement after missing the loss to the Cowboys with a forearm injury.

Lock got his chance to start in this game because DeVito, who started last week’s 30-7 loss to the Buccaneers, was unable to play. After Daniel Jones was benched following the Giants’ bye week, third man DeVito – not Lock – was promoted to starter while Lock remained the backup.

So if DeVito – who participated fully in practice on Thursday – is healthy enough to play, as the plan for him to be active and the backup suggests, then why doesn’t he return as a starter?

“(Lock) did some good things in Dallas,” Daboll said before Thursday’s practice. “We will give him the opportunity to train for a full week and go out and play in a game. Tommy trained (Wednesday), he’s better than he’s ever been, so he’ll be No. 2.”

Doesn’t that mean Lock usurped DeVito on the depth chart after just one game played? How did that happen?

“We thought Drew did some good things in Dallas,” Daboll reiterated. “I will give him the full opportunity to go out and compete again.”

WR Malik Nabers (groin) appeared on the injury report Thursday. He only took part in practice on a limited basis. Nabers missed two games earlier this year due to a concussion.

LB Bobby Okereke (back), CB Deonte Banks (ribs) and DE Rakeem Nunez-Roches (neck/shoulder) did not practice Thursday. OL Jermaine Eluemunor (quad), OL Evan Neal (hip), DL DJ Davidson (shoulder), DE Jordon Riley (knee), S Tyler Nubin (knee) and S Dane Belton (hip) were limited.

The Giants named WR Darius Slayton a candidate for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen tried to diagnose what was behind the Giants’ tackling problems.

“I think we stay on our feet,” Bowen said. “Make sure we stay on our feet, cast the net and don’t allow our feet to die on contact. These runners are strong. If your feet die on contact, you will fall. So we’re trying to stay on our feet, put as many studs in the ground as we can and keep these guys up to speed. Any time you try to go to the ground to make a tackle, it probably won’t end well. Just basic technique and fundamentals in the open field, being able to close the space.”