If the Giants knew for certain which of their nine candidates for general manager can identify a franchise quarterback, the search could be called off. 

Too bad it’s the trickiest decision in sports. 

The Giants should have a new GM in place by the end of the week. Then a new head coach. Then a new offensive coordinator. What about quarterback? 

Daniel Jones’ future is very much uncertain as he likely will play in the final year of his contract in 2022, and co-owner John Mara said the decision will be made by the new regime. 

None of the nine GM candidates ever has held final say, and it’s impossible to know from the outside which executives are responsible for which acquisitions, but here is a look at the organizational quarterback decisions each potential future Giants GM has been exposed to — from hit-or-miss draft picks to bold trades to combing the scrap heap: 

One advantage for Schoen is he was second-in-command during the Bills’ franchise-changing series of trades to move up and draft Josh Allen in 2018. The most-traveled candidate on the list was part of the Chris Weinke and Jake Delhomme years with the Panthers. He became Dolphins national scouting director in 2008 and worked his way to director of player personnel during a time that included signing Chad Pennington, drafting Ryan Tannehill in the first round, and an urgent trade for Jay Cutler when Tannehill was injured and the backup situation was murky. 

It won’t be news to Wilson that a great quarterback makes all the difference. The former Pro Bowl safety went to the playoffs only twice in 12 seasons — when Hall of Famer Kurt Warner was his Cardinals teammate. He was a Cardinals pro and college scouting assistant during the transition from Carson Palmer to first-round bust Josh Rosen. He has been in charge of pro scouting since 2019, looking for backups behind No. 1 draft pick Kyler Murray. 

Harris and Wilson were teammates, but Harris’ career ended earlier and he joined the front office sooner. He was the director of pro scouting when the Cardinals traded for Palmer and when they drafted Rosen, and he was the director of player personnel when Murray was drafted. Earlier in his pro scouting career, he saw the Cardinals cycle through John Skelton, Kevin Kolb and others trying to replace Warner. 

At opposite ends of his 16-year career with the Panthers, Cowden was an area scout when Weinke was a fourth-round pick and a national scout when Cam Newton was a first-round pick. In between, he witnessed a successful seven-year run that included a Super Bowl berth because the Panthers found the right journeyman free agent (Delhomme). After Cowden moved to Tennessee, the Titans hit the jackpot by stealing Tannehill when his trade value was low. 

Ossenfort joined the Patriots after Tom Brady arrived, the Texans after David Carr, the Patriots a second time early in Brady’s prime and the Titans after Tannehill was dealt for. So he’s never been part of choosing a franchise quarterback, but he was either assistant director or director of college scouting for the Patriots’ mid-round picks of Ryan Mallett, Jacoby Brissett and Jimmy Garoppolo. 

The first five years of Hortiz’s time with the Ravens (1998-2002) were a revolving door of journeymen, including Trent Dilfer piloting a Super Bowl winner. The Ravens have drafted three first-rounders in his time climbing the ladder — bust Kyle Boller, Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco and NFL MVP Lamar Jackson. Hortiz was a national scout for the Flacco pick and director of college scouting for the Jackson pick — neither of which was considered a slam dunk. 

Trade for a quarterback? Poles has seen how it’s done. He began scouting the same year the Chiefs made a splashy deal for Matt Cassel, who started parts of four seasons. When head coach Andy Reid arrived, the Chiefs traded for Alex Smith. Then, with Poles as director of college scouting in 2017, they made the Super Bowl-winning trade of a future first-round pick to move up to select Patrick Mahomes. 

Carthon joined the Falcons as a pro scout the same year Matt Ryan was drafted. As director of pro personnel with the Rams, he experienced Quarterback Hell between the end of one No. 1 pick (Sam Bradford) and the arrival of another (Jared Goff). Since coming to the 49ers as director of pro personnel, he’s been a part of two aggressive trades — for Garoppolo and then to eventually replace Garoppolo by moving up to draft Trey Lance. 

Peters’ first five years of scouting were the early years of Brady’s prime with the Patriots. He joined the Broncos in 2009 and climbed the ranks to director of college scouting. During that time, the Broncos drafted six quarterbacks, including first-rounders Tim Tebow and Paxton Lynch. It’s unlikely another Peyton Manning will just come along like the original did to save executive John Elway. With a big say in 49ers personnel, he’s part of the team’s two bold trades for Garoppolo and Lance.