Daniel Jones

Daniel Jones’ Contract Factored Into Giants’ Saquon Barkley Strategy

July 3rd, 2024 at 10:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants’ fork-in-the-road moment involving Saquon Barkley came nearly 18 months ago, when they re-signed Daniel Jones and slapped the franchise tag on their Pro Bowl running back minutes before the tag deadline. Another round of negotiations did not produce a deal, eventually leading the former Offensive Rookie of the Year to Philadelphia.

Jones’ four-year, $160MM deal — one that includes a fully guaranteed 2024 salary — changed the Giants’ path with Barkley, as could be expected. GM Joe Schoen expanded on that during the debut episode of HBO’s offseason Hard Knocks effort. As Giants front office staffers met with the third-year GM about Barkley’s status before free agency, Jones’ deal came up with regards to the team’s interest in paying Barkley.

“We have to upgrade the offensive line and you’re paying [Jones] $40MM, and it’s not to hand the ball off to a $12MM back,” Schoen said (h/t Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). “My plan is to address the offensive line at some point here in free agency. We’re sitting at 6, there’s a chance there’s an offensive weapon there. This is the year for Daniel.”

After skimping on guard investments last year, the Giants did beef up their O-line by signing Jon Runyan Jr. to a three-year, $30MM deal and adding Jermaine Eluemunor at two years and $14MM. Both are expected to start at guard, provided Evan Neal‘s rehab process concludes on time and his comeback bid at right tackle commences. They will be blocking for Jones and Devin Singletary, the Giants’ post-Barkley plan who had pre-Giants ties to Schoen and Brian Daboll from the parties’ Buffalo years.

Barkley said in the spring the Giants were not among the four teams who submitted an offer. In a meeting with John Mara earlier this year, Schoen said an offer in the Giants’ ballpark would run the risk of disrespecting the player who had operated as the team’s offensive centerpiece.

“We’re not gonna franchise him. It doesn’t make any sense to franchise him,” Schoen told Mara. “What are we really gonna get unless it got down to $7MM? I don’t want to offer that because I don’t want to be like we ‘disrespected him.’ There’s 31 teams and it only takes one to maybe be open to doing something. If it doesn’t get to that then, hey, we’re going to let you hit free agency. Find out your market, come back and let us know if we can match it. If we can, we’ll have those discussions.

“Daniel’s making a lot of money and it’s the fork. We have to figure out, is he the guy, so we have to protect him. We need to put resources there. … We’ll have to find a running back, but upgrade the offensive line and give him a chance.”

Mara still acknowledged that “in a perfect world” he would like to re-sign Barkley, whom the Giants began negotiations with during their 2022 bye week. The partnership, however, ended with the Penn State alum’s three-year, $37.75MM Eagles deal. After the Giants offered a guarantee in the $22MM neighborhood in July 2023, Barkley will end up pocketing $36.1MM guaranteed between his New York franchise tag and Philly guarantee at signing.

Schoen and his staff pondered the merits of a tag-and-trade move, with Schoen and assistant GM Brandon Brown coming out against due to the $12MM cap hold and trade compensation the latter expected to be low. Giants staffers wondered how big of a gap existed between teams’ RB valuations of a crowded market. Director of pro scouting Chris Rossetti did seem to suggest a value gap existed between Barkley and the other FA backs, pointing to a potential trade market being there in the event the Giants did re-tag the two-time Pro Bowler. This turned out to be an appropriate debate, as a gulf did emerge.

After Barkley’s $26MM full guarantee, no other back received more than $14MM locked in at signing (D’Andre Swift). At the Combine, Schoen called the franchise tag a tool the Giants could use. It does not appear they seriously considered it.

During his conversation with Mara, Schoen did seem to underestimate teams’ interest in adding veteran RBs by indicating the second week of free agency should still feature some quality backs. Day 1 of the tampering period produced a wave of RB deals — for the likes of Barkley, Singletary, Swift, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard, Austin Ekeler among the signees — as the bulk of the starter-level players committing to teams within hours of the market’s unofficial opening. The Giants did not end up waiting, locking down Singletary on a three-year, $16.5MM deal ($9.5MM fully guaranteed) less than an hour after the Barkley-to-Philly news broke.

Barkley’s age (27) factored into the Giants’ interest in another deal as well, with Schoen referencing the RB’s college carry total (671) with new 49ers staffer Frank Gore as further reasoning (h/t The33rdTeam.com) for the team’s hesitancy to pay him. Although Singletary is only seven months younger, he has logged 1,063 career touches to Barkley’s 1,489. Barkley reached that total despite missing 24 games due to injury from 2019-23.

Committed to Jones for 2024 (but not any longer, per the QB’s guarantee structure), the Giants are stuck with the 2019 first-round pick. Nearly a year and a half after the team’s Jones-or-Barkley decision, the team’s big-picture choice will play out in the NFC East this season.

Brian Daboll Addresses Giants’ QB Situation

June 12th, 2024 at 10:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Daniel Jones‘ progress on a return from a November ACL tear has not included 11-on-11 work at the team’s minicamp, but the sixth-year quarterback has long been expected to be back by training camp. When Jones returns, the starting job will be his once again.

Rumblings about Drew Lock potentially challenging Jones for the gig have come up at multiple points during the offseason. Seahawks GM John Schneider was responsible for once such instance, saying the Giants “basically sold him on the opportunity to compete to be the starter.” Brian Daboll became the latest to insist no QB competition will be on tap for training camp, indicating Jones — barring a setback on his nearly complete rehab journey — will be the Giants’ starter for a sixth season.

“We’ve talked about that. [Lock] understands his role,” Daboll said (via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan) of the team’s Jones-Lock QB depth chart. “He has been a true pro. He has definitely improved since he has gotten here. Good to get two more workdays here with the guys that he might not necessarily get as many reps with once we get to training camp.”

The six-year mark provides an interesting line of demarcation for Giants starting quarterbacks. Kerry Collins and Fran Tarkenton‘s time as New York QB1s stopped after five seasons; Y.A. Tittle‘s tenure stopped at four. Over the past 75 years, Jones will join only Eli Manning, Phil Simms and Charlie Conerly as Big Blue passers to operate as primary starters for at least six seasons. The Giants have not seen a great return on their investment — from either the No. 6 overall pick in 2019 or 2023’s four-year, $160MM extension — but their decision-makers have continued to aim for another Jones opportunity.

A Jones-Lock depth chart appeared to be Plan B for the Giants, who submitted an offer to the Patriots that included Nos. 6 and 47 and the team’s 2025 first-round pick. The Pats cut off both the Giants and Vikings’ Drake Maye interest by drafting the North Carolina passer at No. 3. With next year’s QB class not generating the reviews this one did — albeit at this early juncture — the Giants reside in uncertain territory after passing on the likes of Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix. By default, the team’s game plan remains Jones-centric.

Chosen 36 picks after Jones in 2019, Lock signed a one-year deal worth $5MM ($4.95MM guaranteed). Jones’ injury history is believed to have played a role in Lock’s decision to join the Giants, but the ex-Broncos and Seahawks passer does not yet look to have a path to playing time. Jones has missed 21 starts due to injury as a pro. A late-season situation could also come up in which the Giants opt to sit their starter to ensure he can pass a 2025 physical; Jones being unable to do so would put the Giants on the hook for an additional $12MM in injury guarantees for 2025.

Lock has made 23 career starts. The Broncos had hoped he would become a reliable option, but the team demoted him after a 2020 season in which he led the NFL in interceptions. Lock could not beat out Geno Smith for Seattle’s starting gig in 2022. As of now, he is set as New York’s QB2.

Barring a major injury, the Giants can move on from Jones (via a post-June 1 cut) next year and incur only $11.1MM in 2025 dead money. The Maye pursuit certainly points to the team having doubts about Jones’ future, with his injury history playing the lead role on that front. After Jones’ 2022 showing convinced the current Giants regime to buy back in after the team had declined his fifth-year option, the oft-doubted starter is set for another “prove it” season.

Daniel Jones Addresses Giants’ Offseason QB Pursuit

May 23rd, 2024 at 9:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Giants hosted Russell Wilson and signed Drew Lock, they made a strong effort to acquire a long-term replacement for Daniel Jones in the draft. Countless connections to this year’s cast of arms emerged, leaving Jones in limbo for weeks going into the Detroit-based event.

Big Blue ties to J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix Jr., along with the team’s Bo Nix visit, did not turn out to matter as much as the late flurry of reports tethering the club to Drake Maye. The steady late-April buzz on Maye turned out to be accurate, with both the Giants and Vikings offering future first-rounders with the purpose of drafting the two-year North Carolina starter.

The Giants offered Nos. 6 and 47, along with their 2025 first, to the Patriots with an eye on Maye. Holding the inside track thanks to a 4-13 2023 season, the Pats stuck at No. 3 and are developing Maye to be their hopeful long-term starter. The Pats’ interest in Maye became excellent news for Jones, who can breathe easier about his job security.

“Yeah, I mean, I wasn’t fired up about it,” Jones said (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) about the Giants’ QB pursuit. “… I don’t think you can take anything personally at this level. How exactly it happened and what happened, I’m not sure I know; I’m not sure you know. But at the end of the day I’m focused on playing good football.”

Rumblings about the Giants using their disappointing season (and higher-than-expected draft slot) to draft a Jones successor following his ACL tear had surfaced back in November. By the Combine, a full-fledged QB research project was in high gear. But Giants interest in McCarthy, a popular topic earlier in the offseason, did not outweigh their hope Jones could improve if given a top-flight wide receiver prospect. The Giants walked through the latter door, giving their incumbent QB Malik Nabers to target.

The Giants’ plans at equipping Jones with impact targets have fizzled. They drafted Jones a month after trading Odell Beckham Jr. By 2021, the team’s WR plans bottomed out. Kenny Golladay became a historic free agency bust, and first-rounder Kadarius Toney quickly fell out of favor. The Joe Schoen regime’s trade for Darren Waller is looking like it will not produce any results beyond Year 1, with the former Pro Bowl tight end still considering retirement. As the earliest Giants WR pick in the common draft era (1967-present), Nabers represents a quality addition and will be a key part of what could certainly be Jones’ last chance with the team.

Jones received a text from the team before the Nabers pick, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. The sixth-year QB remains confident he will be ready for Week 1 — long held as a realistic goal by player and team — and Raanan adds he is no longer wearing a knee brace. Jones has participated in seven-on-seven drills at OTAs.

The four-year, $160MM extension Jones signed drew immediate scrutiny, and the Eli Manning successor did not play well — albeit behind an injury-plagued O-line — before his November ACL tear. Two neck injuries have forced Jones to miss time over the past three seasons, with the starter’s injury trouble likely leading Lock to New York. While Lock may not be a true threat to take Jones’ job by Week 1 — contrary to one post-draft report — the former second-rounder might be a candidate to make starts down the stretch, as injury guarantees could come into play for the Giants. No guaranteed money will remain on Jones’ deal beyond 2024 — unless he unable to pass a physical by the start of the 2025 league year. That scenario would put the Giants on the hook for an additional $12MM.

For now, however, Jones is nearing a return from ACL surgery and will be aiming to develop a rapport with Nabers. While Saquon Barkley‘s defection stands to sting, the Giants will hope Nabers can fill a longstanding WR need. Jones will hope to show the Giants will not go into 2025 with a quarterback need.

Latest On Giants’ Quarterback Situation

May 15th, 2024 at 4:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Offerings from Seahawks GM John Schneider and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah this offseason have pointed to Drew Lock being part of an actual quarterback competition in New York. The organization’s stance has remained in the Daniel Jones camp, but the five-year starter submitted a poor showing in his abbreviated 2023 season.

Some pushback has emerged regarding the possibility Lock will be part of a true competition with Jones. Barring a spectacular development from Lock during the offseason program, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan views this as Jones’ job. The expectation remains that Jones will return to starter duties once he is cleared, The Athletic’s Charlotte Carroll adds.

Lock, who has entered just one of his five NFL seasons as a starter (2020), said the Giants did convey to him upon signing he would be Jones’ backup. Viewed at one point as the Seahawks’ most likely post-Russell Wilson starter, Lock lost a summer competition to Geno Smith in 2022. With Smith re-signing on a three-year, $75MM deal and Lock returning to Seattle on a one-year, $4MM accord, no competition occurred in 2023. Jones has never exactly competed for the New York QB1 gig, as his draft status and Eli Manning‘s age led to a September 2019 change. Jones’ career has been rocky, though, and his contract points to pressure being justifiably applied — even after the Giants passed on drafting a QB at No. 6.

Big Blue, of course, went through an exhaustive research project on this draft’s QB crop. And the team did make an aggressive offer — Nos. 6 and 47 and a 2025 first-rounder — for the Patriots’ No. 3 pick, with Drake Maye as the target in that proposed swap. The Giants did not view the Michael Penix Jr.–J.J. McCarthy–Bo Nix contingent as a sufficient upgrade on Jones or Lock to pass on filling its wide receiver need in Round 1. Malik Nabers is now poised to help Jones (or Lock, potentially) this season.

Jones’ four-year, $160MM contract features language that could prompt the Giants to be careful with an injury-prone player, opening the door for Lock to see time down the stretch — certainly if the team is out of contention. A $12MM injury guarantee would kick in if Jones is unable to pass a physical by the start of the 2025 league year. Jones entered the 2022 and ’24 league years on the mend; his injury history affected the Giants’ pursuit of QBs in this draft class and influenced Lock to sign with the team. Even if Jones recovers from his ACL rehab in time for training camp — all parties’ long-held expectation — his 2025 guarantee offers a variable here. If Jones can pass a physical next March, the Giants can designate him a post-June 1 cut and incur less than $12MM in dead money.

The Giants and Jones engaged in a negotiation that went down to the wire in March 2023. The QB used the franchise tag deadline, which impacted Saquon Barkley‘s future with the team, as leverage en route to the $40MM-per-year deal that included $81MM guaranteed. During a process that featured Jones changing agents, his asking price was believed to have reached $47MM per year at one point. The Giants were not exactly thrilled their starter aimed to squeeze the team in negotiations, with SNY’s Connor Hughes noting the QB’s hardline stance rubbed some in the organization the wrong way.

It is obviously not uncommon for players to maximize leverage during talks; the most accomplished QB in the Giants’ division, Dak Prescott, did this three years ago to secure $40MM per year on a player-friendly structure. Prescott also used a franchise tag deadline as leverage, and while the Giants hoped Jones’ asking price would come in around $35MM per year, the QB knew the team prioritized him over Barkley. After a playoff win, Jones took full advantage.

A year later, Barkley — after turning down a Giants extension offer in July 2023 — is elsewhere and Jones faces another “prove it” year. Jones’ New York future certainly appears to hinge on how he performs this season — should he indeed be the starter and Lock the backup.

Drew Lock In Play To Win Giants’ Starting QB Job?

May 1st, 2024 at 10:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Giants GM Joe Schoen has repeatedly indicated Daniel Jones is on track to return by training camp and reprise his role as the team’s starting quarterback. The team also showed tremendous confidence in the rehabbing QB by using the No. 6 overall pick to draft Malik Nabers, doing so despite extensive work on this year’s passer class.

Jones’ resume doubles as an unusual one for a quarterback on track for a sixth year as a team’s starter, but the party line (and Jones’ contract) centers around that being the Giants’ path. However, more rumblings about a QB competition are coming out. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah said during his Move the Sticks podcast (h/t the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy) Drew Lock holds a legitimate chance to win that starting job.

The Giants thoroughly scouted this year’s QB class, being closely linked to both Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy and hosting the likes of Bo Nix and Spencer Rattler on “30” visits along with the recent North Carolina and Michigan starters. The value did not align for the Giants at No. 6, with a clear line of demarcation forming between Maye and the next tier at the position. That led to the team offering the Patriots Nos. 6 and 47, along with a 2025 first-rounder for No. 3 overall. As it stands, the Giants remain a Jones-centric operation.

“Yeah, for me, I said it in January after the season. Expectation was Daniel would be our starter and we brought Drew Lock in to be his backup and Tommy [DeVito] has been the backup,” Schoen said, via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. “So that’s where we are and that’s how we’ll move forward this season. Daniel is still under contract for three more years. As it sits today, that is where we are.”

Certainly not a ringing Jones endorsement, Schoen’s comments come after Seahawks GM John Schneider said the Giants dangled the carrot of giving Lock a chance to compete for the starting job. Lock could well vie for playing time when Jones is healthy, the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard adds.

Schoen’s assessment also points to a second “prove it” year for the 2019 No. 6 overall pick. Jones, 26, responded well to such a challenge in 2022, piloting a moderately talented Giants team to a surprising divisional-round run. But he fared poorly before going down last season, doing so after receiving $81MM guaranteed at signing. That deal guarantees Jones’ $35.5MM base salary this season. After this year, the Giants can move on without too much in the way of dead money.

The Giants’ QB research project pitted this year’s class against Jones and Lock, and Jeremiah adds Maye provided the cutoff point. The team used Lock as a central comparison tool while evaluating this year’s class, per Jeremiah, who said the former second-round pick has a “really good shot” of winning the Giants’ job. Given the team’s 2023 commitment to Jones, it would be borderline shocking if Lock — who signed a one-year, $5MM deal in March — beat him out. On the whole, however, Jones has not given the Giants what they hoped for in an Eli Manning successor. And just about everything went wrong for the five-year starter last season.

A March report indicated the Giants’ QB search largely hinged on a lack of confidence Jones could stay healthy. Jones’ health history also is believed to have partially influenced Lock’s decision to sign with the Giants. Two neck injuries — one of which requiring a 2022 surgery — have hindered the scrutinized starter, and he will not be full-go until at least training camp. That will open the door to Lock offseason starter reps. Those could be important, if this is to become a genuine competition.

Chosen 36 spots after Jones in 2019, Lock lost a competition with Geno Smith in 2022 and did not threaten the latter’s job security last year. The former Broncos draftee has proven erratic when given extended run as a starter. Lock led the NFL in INTs during his last full-season starter run (2020), doing so despite only finishing 12 games. He also played the lead role in sinking the Broncos in 2021, starting the team’s final three games (all losses) after entering a Week 15 contest with the team at 7-6. Lock, 27, did play well in a start against the Eagles last year, leading a game-winning drive. Of course, the Eagles’ defense was on the brink of a full-on collapse at that point.

It would be interesting to see the Giants bail on Jones as their starter just as they have given him a No. 1-caliber wide receiver prospect; the team’s previous hopes at doing so failed miserably. But Jones has just one top-half QBR finish (2022) and one season with more than 15 TD passes (2019). He should be considered on the hot seat. The Giants also would owe an additional $12MM in injury guarantees if Jones is unable to pass a physical by the start of the 2025 league year.

Moving parts exist here, and while it would surprise if Lock received the call based on his past and the Giants’ Jones investment, this could be a storyline to monitor soon.

Giants Could Wait For QB In Draft

April 22nd, 2024 at 3:02pm CST by Ely Allen

APRIL 22: Adding to the idea New York could pass on a first-round signal-caller, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post notes the Giants could be prepared to move down if J.J. McCarthy were the top passer still on the board at No. 6. That could result in a trade-down maneuver and leave the team in range for one of the second-tier QBs. Dunleavy adds that a factor which could alter that approach is the possibility of acquiring Maye, which falls in line with the Meirov report.

APRIL 21: Ever since Daniel Jones tore his ACL last season, putting to rest any chances of rebounding from an abysmal start to lead his team to the playoffs for the second year in a row, there has been constant chatter in New York about committing a first-round draft pick to the quarterback position. According to Ari Meirov of the 33rd Team, the Giants may not be all-in on using their current top pick, No. 6 overall, to draft a passer.

The Giants rewarded Jones’ playoff season, in which he led the league in fewest interceptions per pass attempt, with a four-year, $160MM contract. His first year under the new deal obviously did not go according to plan, but New York has claimed on multiple occasions that it does not regret committing to Jones and isn’t quite ready to give up on him. Still, they let it be known that they had plans to add a quarterback in the future; Jones’ injury history necessitated it.

Now, they actually have to address how that will work. Most projections for how the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft will play out see a run of four quarterbacks opening the night. While that’s not guaranteed, if it occurs, the Giants would likely not see any of the quarterbacks they want fall back to them. That hasn’t stopped many mock drafts from predicting a quarterback to New York via a trade up into the Cardinals’ No. 4 overall slot.

Meirov tells us that league rumors state that North Carolina passer Drake Maye is the only one of the passers not named “Caleb Williams” that the Giants would consider going after if he started to slip. It’s expecting quite a bit to think that Maye could find his way down to the sixth pick, but this could be insinuating that New York would trade up to the fourth pick if the Commanders and Patriots both pass on Maye.

If not, though, Meirov believes that they could address another position, like offensive tackle or wide receiver, at No. 6 overall then wait until the second round to select a quarterback. It depends how things play out, but both Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon’s Bo Nix were thought of as Day 2 picks at some point. The run of passers at the top of the draft may mean that Penix and Nix hear their names a little earlier than their value (for instance, the Raiders have constantly been connected to Penix at No. 13 overall), but should either quarterback slip back into the second round, consider them top targets for the Giants.

If they particularly like Penix or Nix and see them starting to slip in the first round, they may decide to trade back into the first round, or they could leverage their No. 6 overall pick to trade back and collect more picks without addressing the offensive line or receiving corps then pick one of the two passers. If they miss out on both Penix and Nix they may have to reach (or trade back a little in the second round) for South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler, widely thought to have a third-round value or later.

Regardless, the Giants have lots of options. They remain committed to Jones but still feel the need to add a rookie to the room. Just how they decide to go about adding that rookie could say a lot about how they feel about Jones heading into 2024.

Giants Receiving Calls On No. 6 Pick; Team Denies Buyer’s Remorse On Daniel Jones

April 18th, 2024 at 10:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

This could be a defining draft for the Giants; if nothing else, it could determine the course of the Joe Schoen–Brian Daboll partnership. The team has done extensive work on quarterbacks. This included “30” visits with Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy and Jayden Daniels.

Rumors have emerged connecting the Giants to both Maye and McCarthy. These come as the Giants’ party line continues to center around Daniel Jones being on track to be back by training camp and reclaim his starting job. A move up the board for a quarterback would be complicated, as the Vikings — and perhaps to a lesser extent the Broncos and Raiders — have been tied to trying to do the same. A climb up from No. 6 overall also would spell the end of Jones’ run as the team’s starter, as the Giants could get off Jones’ four-year, $160MM deal fairly easily (via a post-June 1 cut) in 2025.

Internal concerns about Jones exist, according to ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan, with the QB’s health history being the team’s main issue. But Schoen said reports of the team having buyer’s remorse on the 2023 contract are “not true.” Then again, it is not like a GM would reveal otherwise a week before a pivotal draft. But Jones’ status as New York’s unquestioned starter is up in the air as the draft approaches.

An expectation around the NFL points to four quarterbacks going in the top four, Raanan adds; that would mark an NFL first. With the Bears tied to Caleb Williams and the Commanders increasingly linked to Daniels at 2, the Giants may need to move up for Maye or McCarthy.

Recent reports indicated Maye is the player more likely of interest to Big Blue, but until the Commanders make it official with Daniels, no trade may be happening. The Patriots have begun discussions about moving down from No. 3, and the Cardinals are open to sliding down from 4. Although rumors about the Giants going QB in Round 1 have circulated for months, nothing is imminent yet.

“I don’t think anyone is ready to move right now,” Schoen said. “I know people are listening. We’ll all do that, from teams behind us or moving up. Those exploratory talks and conversations will happen here shortly. … Those conversations will happen, over the next 42 or 78 hours those will start happening. You’ll get a feel for who is open to moving and who is no.”

Somewhat surprisingly, the Giants’ No. 6 choice has generated a few calls. The Giants not trading up for a quarterback would put them in ideal position to address their longstanding wide receiver need, and the team has hosted the top three in this draft (Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze). But Schoen said teams have called to discuss the Giants moving down from 6. With Schoen adding (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) he does not view the Giants as simply one or two players away, the team could consider moving down.

“Surprisingly at 6, we’ve gotten a lot of calls from people behind us,” the third-year GM said. “I didn’t think I would have as much as activity from 6 from people behind me as we’ve gotten. So those are options too as we look at: If we go back, how far back do we want to go?”

The Giants, who have not seen a 1,000-yard receiver since Odell Beckham Jr. in 2018, taking a receiver at 6 could put Jones in the clear. While the 2019 No. 6 overall pick being unchallenged for a job in his sixth year would be a bit odd when considering his resume, the Giants also hosted Bo Nix and Spencer Rattler on pre-draft visits.

That marks five QB meetings out of 30 allotted visits, and a Nix move could potentially come in Round 2. Though, it might take the Giants trading up from No. 47 to acquire the Oregon QB. Rattler is not viewed as a candidate to go in the first round; the Senior Bowl MVP should be expected to be available when the Giants go on the clock in Round 2.

Even one of these passers being chosen would mean a competition — at some point — involving Jones, who will see a $12MM injury guarantee shift to a full guarantee in March 2025. Jones said this week (via Raanan) he has not experienced any setbacks during his ACL recovery and called his 2023 neck injury “just a stinger.” Concerns about Jones’ neck would be valid, as the five-year Giants starter missed much of the 2021 season — ahead of a 2022 surgery — due to a neck injury.

Jones’ future in New York probably hinges on the Giants’ draft moves, but as of now, he is the clear-cut starter ahead of Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito. Jones is doing quarterback drills now, per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy, and has resumed throwing. Whether he returns to full work as the team’s unquestioned starter once again or is suddenly a lame duck after the Giants select a QB will be one of this year’s defining draft storylines.

NFL Draft Rumors: Bowers, Giants, McKinstry

April 13th, 2024 at 4:17pm CST by Ely Allen

Two Georgia Bulldogs expected to be first-round picks later this month were unable to perform in their school’s pro day last month. Tight end Brock Bowers and offensive tackle Amarius Mims both hosted a private workout that saw a few teams in attendance, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. Neither player really performed usual pro day activities, forgoing the 40-yard dash or any jumping or agility testing. Mims didn’t even weigh in. In reality, the day saw the two go through a few position drills with Bowers running routes and Mims attempting some line drills.

Both players had tightrope surgeries during the college season to repair high-ankle sprains. They should be able to heal in time for their rookie seasons, but the recovery has kept them from participating in pre-draft activities. It doesn’t appear that the work outs did much to affect either player’s draft stock.

Tight ends coaches for the Giants, Jets, and Broncos were reportedly on hand to watch Bowers, according to Breer and Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com. ESPN’s Matt Miller tells us that the Colts are reportedly very interested in Bowers, as well. One of his sources claims that Indianapolis would “run the card in” if Bowers is still available by the 15th pick of the draft.

Here are a few other rumors surrounding the 2024 NFL Draft:

One of the teams on hand to view Bowers, the Giants could be viewing the tight end as a backup plan. Many have pegged New York as a team that could potentially attempt to move up from their No. 6 overall pick to draft a quarterback in the top four picks. As we move closer to the decisive day, though, it’s looking less and less likely. According to Miller at ESPN, the Giants are expected to stay at sixth overall (a perfect place to find Bowers) and attempt to draft a passer with their No. 47 overall pick in the second round. At that point of the draft, they expect that options like Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon’s Bo Nix may still be available. The team still claims to be committed to starting quarterback Daniel Jones, but the veteran’s inability to stay on the field has led New York to explore options to replace him, according to Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports.
Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, born Ga’Quincy, has had a busy spring full of pre-draft visits. Since earlier reported visits with the Jaguars, Buccaneers, Lions, and Packers, we’ve seen reported visits with four more teams. Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tells us that McKinstry visited the Titans on Tuesday, and Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report informs us of visits with the Eagles, Giants, and Falcons, as well. McKinstry and his teammate, Terrion Arnold, have been extremely popular with the several teams who view cornerback as a position of need in 2024. McKinstry’s recovery from surgery on a foot fracture continues to heal nicely as he stays on track to return in time for his rookie season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Giants Owner John Mara OKs First-Round QB

March 25th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

The Giants’ quarterback situation in 2024 is, as usual, an interesting one. For the sixth year in a row, it seems like New York will enter the season with a plan to start Daniel Jones at quarterback while also hedging their bets a bit. To wit, team owner John Mara reportedly gave his coaching staff and personnel department the green light to draft a quarterback with their No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.

With a top-ten selection in a strong quarterback class, the opportunity is certainly there to add one of the draft’s top quarterbacks. Unfortunately, a strong quarterback class doesn’t mean a deep one. Due to NIL opportunities convincing mid- to late-round passers to stay in school, this year’s quarterbacks crop is a bit top-heavy, so if you need to add a young arm to the roster, you may be forced to do so early.

It appears that seems to be the plan in New York. The team has hosted Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy and North Carolina’s Drake Maye, both favorites at one point to go No. 2 overall behind USC quarterback Caleb Williams. Although it would likely take a massive trade to acquire him, the Giants have done their homework on Williams, as well, sending general manager Joe Schoen to his pro day in Los Angeles.

Regardless of the work being put in by the team’s personnel group, the plan is for Jones to be under center in Week 1 of the 2024 season. Mara has been adamant recently in his belief in Jones, citing the quarterback’s 2022 season as an indicator of what the 26-year-old is capable of doing in an interview with Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. This won’t stop the team from adding to the room this offseason as Jones works his way back from a torn ACL.

Still, this past season is also an example of what we’ve seen with Jones in his career. Including the 2022 season, in which he sat out Week 18 before the playoffs, Jones has yet to play in every game of an NFL season. Ignoring the technicality of the 2022 absence, Jones has still missed 23 of a possible 83 regular season games through the first five years of his career. This season also saw the troubling return of Jones’ struggles with turnovers, though the team points to his injuries this season as the cause for that. You can have all the confidence in the world in Jones, but it’s still smart to consider investing in a young arm in case Jones continues to miss games or in case the Jones from 2022 never shows up again.

In addition to voicing his support for Jones, Mara also backed head coach Brian Daboll after a turbulent 2023 season. According to Connor Hughes of SNY, while he sometimes wishes Daboll would “tone it down,” Mara doesn’t believe that the coach acts irrationally and hasn’t asked him to change.

Latest On Giants’ QB Situation

March 23rd, 2024 at 9:57am CST by Ben Levine

After the Giants poked around at the likes of Russell Wilson and landed on Drew Lock, there was some speculation that the organization could be looking to manufacture a QB competition. Seahawks GM John Schneider only fueled that fire earlier this week, telling Seattle Sports 710AM that the Giants lured Lock away from Seattle by selling the QB on the “opportunity to compete to be the starter.”

Lock was quick to dismiss that notion. After inking his one-year deal with the Giants yesterday, the QB told reporters that it’s clearly been conveyed to him that Daniel Jones is the starter.

“Now, I need to come in and push Daniel to be the best that he can be,’’ Lock said (via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post). “I’ve had both sides of this. I’ve been the guy to push a starter, I’ve been the starter that’s being pushed by the backups. It’s about making that room the best it can be. If we can do that, the sky’s the limit for this team.’’

As Jeff Howe of The Athletic writes, it was likely Jones’ career-long injury issues and Brian Daboll‘s quarterback-friendly system that helped lure Lock to New York. Both Tyrod Taylor and Mitch Trubisky parlayed stints as Daboll’s QB2 into larger pay days, and Lock is surely hoping for the same outcome.

Lock could have an opportunity to start in 2024 as Jones continues to rehab a torn ACL that ended his 2023 season, but the new addition will simply be keeping the seat warm. That’s a big reason why the Giants didn’t end up adding Wilson to the mix; as Lowe reports, the Giants didn’t make the veteran QB “any promises about playing time.” The Giants also tried to retain Taylor, as Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com writes. Ultimately, Taylor was able to garner a higher offer from the Jets than what Lock settled for with the Giants.

While the Giants continue to give Jones a vote of confidence, that doesn’t mean the team is entirely comfortable with his future outlook. As Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports writes, Jones’ injury history has “shaken” the Giants’ faith in the franchise QB. The former first-round pick has only made it through one season unscathed, and that’s led the team to consider taking a quarterback in next month’s draft. Even after handing Jones a four-year, $160MM extension last offseason, the Giants have scouted many of the draft’s top quarterback prospects. If the organization does pull the trigger on a rookie signal-caller, that will only further cloud the team’s QB picture moving forward.

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