The Giants got their guy when they hired John Harbaugh.
But this time, Harbaugh did not get his guy.
Harbaugh wanted to bring Todd Monken with him from Baltimore to serve as offensive coordinator, and the only way for that plan to fail was the unlikely scenario where Monken was hired as a head coach somewhere.
That somewhere turned out to be Cleveland, with the news on Wednesday that the Browns’ long and winding head coach search ended with Monken as the choice.
Time for Plan B for Harbaugh.
This is a huge spot for Harbaugh to fill, as the next Giants offensive coordinator will be entrusted with continuing the development of Jaxson Dart as he moves into his second NFL season.
Monken was with Harbaugh the past three years with the Ravens and, at 59, is a proven, experienced molder of offenses who helped Lamar Jackson win his second MVP award. Now that Monken is no longer an option, Harbaugh must pivot.
Perhaps sensing that Monken was headed to the Browns, the Giants on Tuesday requested permission to interview Broncos passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb for the offensive coordinator job.
That would be a fascinating choice for several reasons. Webb is viewed as an up-and-coming coaching star, but he has never called a single play in the NFL, or anywhere else, for that matter.
Webb, 31, has no ties to Harbaugh, but he does have a connection with the Giants, who made the tall, lanky quarterback from Texas Tech their third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Even back then, Webb spoke about his desire to one day be a football coach — his father, Matt, was a successful high school coach in Texas.
Webb’s playing career never got off the ground. He did not get into a game as a rookie and his claim to fame that season was that he was passed over by head coach Ben McAdoo for Geno Smith when Eli Manning was replaced as the starter.
Webb was waived following that season, spent 2018 on the Jets’ bench and then was with the Bills from 2019 through the 2021 season as a practice squad player.
Webb made such a positive impression with then-Bills head coach Sean McDermott that the team wanted to make him their quarterbacks coach to work directly with Josh Allen. Webb was not quite ready to give up on his playing career, though.
“Probably had a week to think about it,’’ Webb said at that time. “I think you always kind of look in the future on off days and I’ve always known I was gonna do that eventually but when you got two contracts to keep playing, that’s something you would regret down the road I think. You can coach forever but you can’t play forever.’’
His acumen for the game impressed Brian Daboll, then the Bills’ offensive coordinator, and when Daboll got the Giants’ head coach job in 2022, he brought in Webb to help Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor learn Daboll’s offense.
“I have great appreciation for Davis, as a person first, and how he goes about his business,’’ Daboll said not long after the Giants signed Webb. “He’s excellent in the meeting rooms, he’s good with the other positions. It’s good to have people that know your system, no question about it, but I want him to go out there and play quarterback, too.’’
Webb spent the bulk of that season on the practice squad and then received his first and only NFL start in the season finale. He completed 23 of 40 passes for 168 yards and one touchdown in a 22-16 loss to the Eagles in Philadelphia.
That was it for Webb as a player. Sean Payton hired him in 2023 as the Broncos’ quarterback coach — Russell Wilson speaks highly of Webb from their time together that season.
In 2024, Webb played a big role in the development of rookie quarterback Bo Nix. This past season, Webb’s role expanded to passing game coordinator, with Payton retaining the play-calling duties.
“He’s always prepared me extremely well, especially from the get-go,” Nix said during the season. “He played the position and knows what it’s like to walk into a game. He prepares me on a very good level and we’re always ready for the task at hand.”
Webb fast-forwarded the usual cycle when it comes to going from position coach to coordinator to head coach candidate. He recently interviewed with the Bills and the Raiders for head coach positions. The Giants, Eagles and Ravens requested meetings with him to speak about their unfilled offensive coordinator position.
Giants general manager Joe Schoen knows Webb from their time together in Buffalo as well as the 2022 season with the Giants. Harbaugh last week interviewed Robert Prince, a longtime NFL wide receivers coach, most recently with the Dolphins, for the offensive coordinator role.
Harbaugh will make the call, as he needs to move on from Monken and find the right guy for the job.