Daniel Jones saw his Giants tenure end due to poor performance on a four-year, $160MM contract — a deal that included a $23MM 2025 injury guarantee. The latter number led the Giants to bench their longtime starter, and Jones’ remaining base salary will allow him to clear waivers. A lengthy free agency stay is not expected.
While Jones is leaving New York after enduring a wave of scrutiny in the years following Eli Manning‘s retirement, other teams are on track to pursue him. This market could be crowded. In addition to rumored Vikings and Raiders landing spots, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter names the Ravens as an interested party. Teams’ Week 12 results are expected to influence Jones’ decision, Schefter adds.
Jones is believed to be interested in joining a contender, and Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz points to several teams outside the NFL’s purple bastions as potential destinations. The Lions, 49ers and Dolphins are also expected to pursue Jones once he hits the open market at 3pm CT Monday. Schultz also mentions Minnesota and Baltimore as teams who will be in the mix for a player who would check in as a high-end backup at the very least this season.
Further adding to what looks like a hot market (in terms of team volume, not price), CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones first mentions the Bills as a team many around the league point to as a landing spot. Other sources, however, have viewed teams like the Chargers, Broncos and Browns as being in this equation. We are now at nearly a third of the NFL, showing the value a high-quality backup could bring to a team at this juncture.
A landing with a contender makes sense, but Jones will also have a true market should be hit free agency in 2025. With Jonathan Jones noting a deal for the sixth-year vet now will be for the prorated $1.1MM veteran minimum — with the Giants still owing Daniel Jones $13.81MM in guaranteed 2024 salary — a team could get a jump on the QB’s 2025 market by landing him now. On that note, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds the Raiders are believed to like Jones as a player. With Las Vegas set to shop for a quarterback again in 2025, an early audition now would be a way to conduct a more thorough evaluation. That said, Jones having many potential options and seeking a contender now would stand to impede the Raiders here.
The Lions have seen Jared Goff display durability since missing three games in 2021, but the team is carrying only developmental second-year player Hendon Hooker on its active roster behind its recently extended starter. No quarterback resides on Detroit’s practice squad. Staying in the NFC North, Minnesota does carry two active-roster backups (Nick Mullens, Brett Rypien); Jones would mark an insurance upgrade — though, joining a system in late November will be a challenge, Joe Flacco‘s 2023 Cleveland surge notwithstanding — by comparison.
Jones will count toward the 2025 compensatory formula, as ESPN.com’s Field Yates adds, helping to explain the Ravens’ interest. Not only has Baltimore dealt with several Lamar Jackson absences in recent years, the team has long benefited from its interest in comp picks. Jones would be in position, depending on a team’s 2025 free agency activity, to net a club a Day 3 choice if he again switches cities come March. With the Dolphins having added Tyler Huntley off the Ravens’ practice squad earlier this season, 38-year-old Josh Johnson stands as Jackson’s top backup.
Miami has obviously dealt with more concerning health issues with its starter, with Tua Tagovailoa‘s concussion trouble set to be a central storyline in Miami for the foreseeable future. Huntley is on IR, leaving Skylar Thompson — who proved overmatched when given the keys earlier this season — as the team’s only backup on its 53-man roster. The Bills have Mitch Trubisky as Josh Allen insurance, though the MVP frontrunner has not needed such protection due to a durable run. Allen’s run-game usage, however, invites risk, and many within the league view Buffalo — thanks to Brian Daboll having brought the Bills’ system to the Big Apple — as a live option here.
While Jones would upgrade the Broncos’ QB room, Sean Payton tampering with what has become a promising Bo Nix setup would be an interesting dice roll. The Chargers also obtained Taylor Heinicke via trade to bolster their depth chart behind Justin Herbert. The AFC West clubs are contending teams, however, presenting a draw the Raiders currently do not. Las Vegas does bring a wild card as a team that could use an immediate starter, thanks to Antonio Pierce‘s Gardner Minshew benching habit.
Lastly, the 49ers would offer considerable intrigue due to Brock Purdy‘s shoulder injury. The team ruled out Purdy for Week 12, though the blossoming starter is in play to return in Week 13. Jones, 27, would still stand to be interested in joining Kyle Shanahan‘s team due to the coach’s play-calling acumen. Following the likes of Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold as a late-season addition who parlayed a West Coast Offense stopover into a future starting role would naturally appeal, and Jones would in turn give San Francisco more cover than Brandon Allen and Josh Dobbs.
The Giants would pick up a small offset based on Jones’ vet-minimum salary this year, but they will still be on the hook to see all $22.2MM of his through-2026 contract hit the books next year. As Tommy DeVito prepares to return to New York’s starting lineup, the Jones market has become an interesting storyline. One team will receive an unexpected upgrade soon, with another Jones free agency trip likely come March.
The Lions already have Hendon Hooker. No thanks
@tigers182. Yeah I don’t see the lions being interested in jones. Hooker isn’t a bad backup plus he gives them a different look
This may be an insurance policy more than an indictment of Hooker. However, the point can be made that developing Hooker is a lesser priority than winning a championship. In either case, having only a single backup who just went through significant rehab is probably a bit risky for a contender.
I don’t think that Detroit needs Jones necessarily, but it wouldn’t be out of line if they did. I’d say that other teams may need him more than the Lions do.
If Goff went down with, say, a concussion in the Divisional round I have no problem saying I’d trust Daniel Jones, with playoff experience and free of the NY circus, with an upgraded coaching staff compared to NYG, with an elite playcaller, over Hendan Hooker to come in and finish the game off with a Dub.
Over next 2, 3 seasons? Of course I’d rather have Hooker’s combination of contract, ceiling and throwing skills over Jones. But halfway through a Win or Go Home playoff game, Goff knocked out? Give me the guy who has been there (and won).
The Lions don’t have a 3rd QB even on practice squad. They absolutely could use the insurance. It’s about a Championship this year, not developing a backup. Signing Jones for 3 months doesn’t change Hooker’s future in Detroit in the slightest.
Conversely, I think Detroit would be among a small number of preferred options for Jones. He wants to go to a contender, obviously. After the front office and offensive coordinator chaos he’s dealt with, I mean… I’d think the chance to go play for a coaching staff filled with NFL vets (one that you rarely hear bad things about from current or ex players), that runs a modern, fun, sophisticated offense that puts a LOT of pre-snap reads & motions on the QB’s shoulders, would be a welcome challenge and change of scenery
Dammit Jerry do the right thing once in your life and sign Jones
Respectfully, I think they are gonna tank.
It doesn’t make sense to sign him given the standings. A playoff spot seems out of reach.
I think he is going to have a decent career as a backup though. He might be around awhile as a number 2.
That implies having Dimebag Danny behind center gives them a shot
Tank? Tank for who? They are not getting a high enough pick to grab Sanders even if they lose every game going forward. Other teams like their division rival NYG already have less wins, do you think the NYG are not talking about tanking for Sanders? Yeah the Boys want Sanders but the Giants already got him as long as they don’t win.
Tank for a pick – doesn’t have to be a person. As you know, higher draft pick have value too – and there are other positions with impact players.
What is the point of signing him? They are not getting to the postseason. The GM (Jerry) is pretty safe Id say. Mccarthy has no say and it probably gone already.
they are not moving on from Dak.
So… What would be the point?
Your right they are not moving on from Dak 1 year after paying him. I don’t know if Jerry is a tanker. Jerry is a lot of things but he hates losing, I doubt he encourages his squad to tank, but they very well may be bad enough to try and fail all on their own.
Dallas’ ugly win at Washington moved the Pokes down the draft order. Giants are back to #2 after the late-afternoon games. (Same record as Jax and Vegas but Jaguars have the worst strength of schedule among those 3 teams.)
Im not of the belief that 5 wins with 5 games to go without your starting QB is a good bet.
This isn’t the first time a team won a meaningless game and it won’t be the last.
A smart person knows this does nothing. They are looking to 2025. This changes nothing.
Jones is a downgrade.
Your new Raiders starting QB for the 2025 season
I don’t see why any team is going to rush to sign him or fight to sign him. He sucks. Simple as that. If he was any good, the Giants wouldn’t have let him go.
Agree. Baffling there is this much interest. But seems legit because news is from more than one source. At best, to me, a back up. Raiders considering him as a starter? Oof.
There have definitely been worse quarterbacks who have been signed, and definitely those with worse excuses for their play. Jones, for his faults, is a hard worker who has six years’ experience, mostly as a starter, and high level running ability. And he won’t cost that much money. That’s why.
Watch out for Barkley and the Eagles here.
Came here to say the same thing. Ultimate Week 17 starting QB for Eags
Giants go to the Linc in Week 18.
Jones acts like he is Peyton Manning after his release from the Colts. A pro Bowl future HOF QB that still has years left of high quality QB play left in him, when in reality he was a below average QB who was the joke of the league and had one career year that if it was any other QB would be a below or average year.
So the fact that he only wants to go to a playoff contender and dictate where he’ll play is a joke of epic proportions.
Another overrated vanilla college QB who meets the status quo, will be given numerous NFL opportunities and more than likely will have a long career as a overpaid backup QB. Whereas numerous more talented athletic QBs MIGHT be allowed a second chance. Before probably being labeled a bust of failure and not given another opportunity after their rookie contract runs out.
He actually makes sense for the Ravens. No one will think he’s there to start. And he can hand off to Henry well. Plus he can run himself a little. Tho if the Ravens really are without Jackson for any extended period of time, we’re in trouble.
I was thinking the same thing. Jones could easily step in to hand off to Henry or run RPOs like he did with Barkley before. Nobody will say that he’s more elusive than Jackson, but only two years in 2022 (Jones’ only full season), he ran for 708 yards, which was a hair under Jackson’s total of 764. Thing is, Jones also added 7 touchdowns to Jackson’s 3. This isn’t to say that Jones is better than Jackson, not at all, but it does demonstrate that he can produce in that important aspect of his game to be able to slide in for the Ravens if necessary.
If the Raiders or (?) offer him the starting job, that’s where he’ll go. He’s not thinking back-QB unless there are no better offers.