The Giants’ attempts to trade up in this year’s draft to acquire a top quarterback prospect were clearly not a ringing endorsement of incumbent Daniel Jones, who landed a four-year, $160MM contract from the team in March 2023. The ensuing 2023 season was an injury-marred slog for Jones, who played in just six games and who threw for two touchdowns against six interceptions while posting a 1-5 record and 70.5 quarterback rating.
Owner John Mara recently indicated that he did not have buyer’s remorse over the Jones deal, noting that the Duke product’s injuries – he battled a neck ailment before a season-ending ACL tear – the team’s lack of receiving talent, and a porous O-line conspired to make 2023 a forgettable season for Jones and for Big Blue as a whole. And, while there was never any real QB controversy this summer despite speculation to the contrary, that could change if Jones does not begin to perform at a higher level.
Even if the Giants had been successful in their pursuit of a high-end collegiate signal-caller in the draft, they would have been unable to realistically get out from under Jones’ contract this year. 2025, though, is a different story, as New York can release Jones as a post-June 1 cut next year and realize cap savings of $30.5MM while incurring relatively modest dead money charges of $11.1MM in 2025 and 2026.
However, Jones’ deal also includes $23MM in injury guarantees, a sum that will become fully guaranteed if he suffers an injury and is unable to pass a physical in the offseason. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote this morning, if Jones does not play up to the 2022 standard that helped him secure his notable payday, the Giants could be put to a decision: bench Jones and protect themselves against the injury guarantee – as a number of teams have done in recent history – or continue rolling the dice with the player to whom they made such a sizeable commitment not that long ago?
Connor Hughes of SNY.tv notes that this is not just idle speculation on Schefter’s part, thereby suggesting that the team is already contemplating a Jones benching at some point in the near future (indeed, Hughes reminds us that GM Joe Schoen brought up the topic at his preseason presser, and Hughes himself said he could envision a quarterback change at halftime of the club’s Week 2 contest today if Jones does not play well).
On the other hand, Dan Duggan of The Athletic points out that head coach and offensive play-caller Brian Daboll did not act like a man who was concerned with the injury guarantee in last week’s 28-6 drubbing at the hands of the Vikings. Daboll called three power runs for Jones, and he even called timeouts to get the ball back for a garbage-time drive, during which Jones took two more hits.
Of course, Daboll is very much on the hot seat, and given that his backup QB is Drew Lock, he has every reason to try to get Jones in a rhythm. But Jones, who completed 22 of 42 passes for 186 yards and two picks in the Minnesota contest, may be running out of time to do that, with ESPN’s Jordan Raanan hearing from multiple sources that the sixth-year passer has lost confidence in himself.
Eli Manning became a financial albatross for the Giants at the end of his career and now the same thing has occurred with Jones. How many times do you have to make the same mistake? I think Schoen and Daboll are dead men walking because the Giants aren’t any better than when Gettleman was the guy in charge.
Least Eli won 2 SBs so there was some burden of proof the guy could play well for more than 1 regular season.
I’m not sure who’s future is in more doubt Jones or Young on Carolina.
The Panthers whole offense was a 39 year old Adam Thielen last season. You can’t expect any QB to do well in a situation like that.
True but their offensive line is bad and Young cant see well enough to stay in the pocket. They have to move him around like Murray in Arizona.
Principal Skinner voice: “We both know Daniel Jones HAS no future with the Giants.”
Keep him around, easy to “Tank” and get Arch Manning in 2 years, but the Manning fam may want Arch to have his own team. Wouldn’t be the 1st time they steered the draft pick.
The amount of NIL money Arch is making he’s better off staying in college if NYG have a shot at drafting him lol
That would be quite the story line
Eli Manning refused to play for the chargers wound up in NY with the giants. Think Peyton also was going to refuse to play if Colts picked Lead over him but not 100% on that.
But would be a weird turn of events for Arch Manning to say no to the Giants if they drafted him.
Fire sale time!
The Giants scoring 3 TDs, while giving up none, and still losing is the most Giants thing ever.
Jones still thinks he is a running back. He will be gone if Belichick takes over.