Daniel Jones - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Giants’ QB Daniel Jones

December 12th, 2021 at 11:02pm CST by Ely Allen

When the Giants announced that quarterback Daniel Jones would miss their Week 13 matchup in Miami after suffering a sprained neck, they indicated that a long-term absence could be possible. Head coach Joe Judge announced after today’s loss in Los Angeles that Jones would be seeking further tests on Monday.

Earlier this week, Judge had stated there is “no information in any way, shape, or form that leads us to think there is a threat long-term,” and that they were just waiting for him to be cleared for contact. Today’s comments don’t necessarily point to the contrary, but the announced location of Jones’s tests open speculation about the seriousness of his neck injury.

Jones will be going to New York City’s Hospital for Special Surgery to see Dr. Frank Cammisa, HSS’s Chief Emeritus of Spine services and a specialist in surgery for spinal disorders. Jones has already been to Los Angeles to see orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Robert Watkins III, who did not clear Jones for contact before their game against the Chargers.

It’s entirely possible that the Giants are simply seeking the opinions of people at the top of their field on how best to treat a minor injury. CBS Sports had sources knowledgeable in the field explain that specialists could be trying to identify if Jones has ligament damage or a bruised spinal cord, injuries that could spell the end of Jones’s season. These sources also explain that an MRI could return positive results pointing to a much simpler recovery.

That being said, until Jones is cleared for contact and back out on the practice field, expect Mike Glennon to be starting his third straight game when the Cowboys come to town next Sunday. The Giants are hoping that Monday’s tests will point to Sunday’s matchup being the last time Glennon has to fill in for Jones.

Giants Rule Out Daniel Jones For Week 13, Bracing For Extended Absence

December 3rd, 2021 at 4:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Injuries to various skill-position players and a coordinator change already impacted Daniel Jones‘ third season, a key audition for the former top-10 pick. The Giants are now preparing for their starting quarterback to miss extensive time.

Jones has yet to receive full clearance and is out for New York’s Week 13 game in Miami. Offseason addition Mike Glennon will start against the Dolphins. But the Giants are bracing for the prospect of Jones missing several games due to the sprained neck he is battling, SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano reports.

Practicing in a limited capacity all week and took reps with the Giants’ first-stringers, Jones pushed for doctors to clear him for Week 13, Vacchiano adds. But his status going forward is uncertain.

When the Jones injury news surfaced earlier this week, he was labeled week-to-week. Joe Judge is sticking with that classification, indicating Friday the team has “no answers beyond that.” When asked if Jones’ season could end early because of this neck issue, Judge said the situation has not progressed to that point. That coming to pass could certainly alter the Giants’ quarterback plans.

On his sixth team in six years, Glennon started five games for the Jaguars last season. The Giants did not re-sign Colt McCoy, who caught on with the Cardinals and fared well during Kyler Murray‘s November absence. Signed off the Bills’ practice squad, ex-Georgia standout Jake Fromm is in line to be Glennon’s backup Sunday.

Big Blue is on track to miss the playoffs for a fifth straight season, though the team is just one game out of the NFC’s final wild-card spot. More importantly, an early Jones shutdown would deprive the Giants of seeing a potentially lengthy sample of their starter playing alongside Saquon Barkley, Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney. The latter is doubtful for Week 13 but should be expected to return fairly soon.

The Jones-Jason Garrett partnership did not go well. The Duke product sits 25th in QBR. Jones’ 21 touchdown passes in the 25 games since his rookie season still trail his 2019 total (24). That output, achieved in 12 starts, ranks fifth among rookies in NFL history. Jones has shown flashes since but has largely not lived up to his No. 6 overall draft slot, though Barkley’s frequent unavailability and a low-end offensive line have impacted the young passer as well. The Giants are also likely to have a new GM in 2022, injecting some uncertainty regarding Jones’ fifth-year option. That price stands to come in at more than $21MM.

NFC East Notes: Parsons, McAdoo, Giants

December 1st, 2021 at 10:06pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cowboys are more than happy that they landed on linebacker Micah Parsons with the 12th-overall pick in this year’s draft. Parsons has started each of his 11 games for Dallas, collecting 67 tackles, nine sacks, and two forced fumbles, and he’s the runaway favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. However, if the Cowboys had had their way, they would have used their selection on a cornerback.

As Jon Machota of The Athletic writes, the team’s “original plan” was to select either South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn or Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II. However, those cornerbacks were scooped up at No. 8 and No. 9 respectively, forcing the front office to pivot. They ended up landing on the Penn State linebacker (after trading down), and the organization couldn’t be happier with how it all turned out.

Parsons explained to Machota how he continues to improve throughout his first season in the NFL.

“People always talk about the rookie wall,” Parsons said, “but I just keep climbing and climbing because I’m excited to see what’s on the other side of that wall.

“I love what we have here. I’m just so honored and blessed to represent the star and have an opportunity to be a star here.”

Some more notes out of the NFC East…

The Cowboys are dealing with COVID-19 cases throughout their staff, so they’ll be temporarily promoting Ben McAdoo to a coaching role, tweets NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. McAdoo, who had been serving as a “consultant to the coaches” in Dallas, will be in the coaches booth for tomorrow’s game against the Saints. The 44-year-old spent two years as the Giants head coach between 2016 and 2017, and he returned to the NFL last season when he was hired as the Jaguars QBs coach.
Guess who else liked Horn and Surtain? The Giants, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, but the Eagles’ decision to trade up (with the Cowboys, no less) to select wideout DeVonta Smith was the move that really threw New York’s draft into disarray. With the organization’s targets off the board, the team ultimately decided to trade with the Bears, with the Giants selecting wideout Kadarius Toney at No. 20.
Another Cowboys/Giants connection: Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv writes that the Joe Judge/Jason Garrett pairing in New York was always an “arranged marriage.” Co-owner John Mara was the one who pushed to add Garrett as the team’s offensive coordinator, and the former Cowboys head coach was an “outlier” on a staff that generally had connections to their head coach. Garrett was ultimately canned by Judge and the Giants in late November after the team had collected a league-low 42 touchdowns.
Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports opines that the Giants should go all out on Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson this offseason. The writer cites the organization’s draft capital (which, at the moment, includes picks No. 6 and No. 7), Daniel Jones‘ disappointment in New York, and Wilson’s supposed desire to play in the Big Apple. Assuming GM Dave Gettleman is out after the season, this would be a bold way for a new GM to begin their tenure, but the writer believes this would be preferable to rolling with Jones or drafting a quarterback in a weak class.

Giants QB Daniel Jones Week-To-Week With Neck Injury

November 30th, 2021 at 6:43pm CST by Ben Levine

Daniel Jones‘ neck strain will likely force him to miss some time. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that the Giants quarterback is considered week-to-week and veteran Mike Glennon is expected to start on Sunday against the Dolphins. Ralph Vacchiano of SNY tweets that the starting QB’s status is uncertain, and his status will “depend on how he feels this week.”

Jones suffered the injury during the second play from scrimmage this past weekend against the Eagles. The quarterback ended up staying in the game and completing 19 of his 30 pass attempts for 202 yards and one touchdown (along with another 30 yards on the ground) in a Giants victory.

Jones missed games in each of his first two seasons in the NFL, and it’s bad timing for a struggling Giants offense that’s still managed to win three of their past five games. The former sixth-overall pick has seen some improvements during his junior season, holding a career-high mark in completion percentage (64.3) and a career-low mark in interception percentage.

Glennon stepped in for Jones when the starter exited the Giants’ Week 5 loss with a concussion. The 31-year-old completed 16 of his 25 pass attempts for 196 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. The journeyman started five games for the Jaguars last season, throwing seven touchdowns vs. five interceptions. The Giants added some depth to their QB room earlier today when they signed Jake Fromm off the Bills practice squad. New York also has QB Brian Lewerke stashed on their taxi squad.

Giants’ Daniel Jones To Start In Week 6

October 15th, 2021 at 3:22pm CST by Ben Levine

FRIDAY: Jones cleared the protocol Friday. He is no longer on the Giants’ injury report and is set to make his return against the Rams this week.

The third-year quarterback will also have Sterling Shepard available. After missing two weeks with a hamstring injury, Shepard is good to go for Sunday. The injuries Saquon Barkley and Kenny Golladay sustained against Dallas will shelve them against Los Angeles, however. The team has listed Kadarius Toney and Darius Slayton as questionable for Week 6. Toney managed three limited practices this week, making him a reasonable bet to play.

THURSDAY: Despite getting knocked out of last weekend’s loss to the Cowboys with a concussion, Daniel Jones could be on the field for Sunday’s game against the Rams. Coach Joe Judge told reporters that his starting QB is “on track with everything” as he looks to clear concussion protocol (via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan).

Jones completed five of his 13 pass attempts before exiting Sunday’s loss. Following a helmet-to-helmet hit, Jones stumbled off the field before getting carted to the locker room. Jones is currently in concussion protocol, and he was ruled out of practice on Wednesday. However, he was seen participating in work outs on a side field.

That would seemingly open the door to Jones clearing concussion protocol and playing on Sunday. Even if the QB doesn’t see the field this week at practice, Judge indicated that his starter could still be in the lineup against Los Angeles (per Raanan).

The former first-round pick has had an unremarkable start to the 2021 campaign, completing 64.3-percent of his passes for 1,282 yards, four touchdowns, and only one interception. He’s also added another 197 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. If the 24-year-old isn’t able to play this weekend, Mike Glennon would be under center for the Giants. The veteran made his first appearance of the season in Week 5, completing 16 of his 25 pass attempts for 196 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.

Giants’ Saquon Barkley Suffers Ankle Injury

October 10th, 2021 at 5:17pm CST by Zachary Links

Giants running back Saquon Barkley had to be carted off after suffering an ankle injury in the first quarter on Sunday. Barkley was later ruled out for the game, along with quarterback Daniel Jones (concussion protocol) and wide receiver Kenny Golladay (knee).

Barkley’s left foot bent the wrong way after a collision with Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis. An overhead shot of the injury (Twitter link via Will Brinson of CBS Sports) showed severe swelling. That likely indicates a lateral inversion sprain, according to Dr. David J. Chao (on Twitter). Additional testing will confirm what Barkley is dealing with, but it sounds like he’ll miss a few games at minimum.

Jones was the next star to go after clashing helmets with linebacker Jabrill Cox. Mike Glennon stepped in for Jones, and he may get the call again next week if Jones needs additional time to recover. Now, Golladay has also been ruled out for the game, leaving the Giants offense severely shorthanded. Beyond those three, they’re already without wide receivers Sterling Shepard (hamstring) and Darius Slayton (also hamstring), plus left tackle Andrew Thomas (foot).

The Giants entered today’s game at 1-3, dead last in the NFC East.

Giants QB Daniel Jones Starting On Sunday

December 26th, 2020 at 10:17am CST by Ben Levine

Daniel Jones will be back under center for the Giants tomorrow. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the quarterback will start against the Ravens on Sunday.

Jones has missed a pair of games this season due to ankle and hamstring injuries, including last week’s loss to the Browns. While the 2019 sixth-overall pick was a limited participant this week, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets that the quarterback looked better in practice and is showing renewed energy. With Jones returning to the lineup, Colt McCoy, who has led the Giants to a 1-1 record in two starts, will return to his backup role.

Jones has struggled a bit during his sophomore campaign. While his completion percentage is up (62.6 percent), he’s only thrown for 2,462 yards and eight touchdowns (vs. only nine interceptions) in 12 games. For comparison’s sake, the 23-year-old compiled 3,027 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions during his rookie season.

Despite his inconsistent production, head coach Joe Judge made it clear that Jones is the Giants quarterback of the present and future.

“To me it’s a string of moments watching Daniel work,” Judge said (via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan). “Watching the respect he has in the locker room. Watching him lead throughout this season. I think he’s demonstrated a level of toughness and leadership and knowledge on the field that gives us confidence to put him out there and build with Daniel.”

Judge: Daniel Jones Is Giants’ 2021 QB1

December 23rd, 2020 at 6:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Daniel Jones is iffy to return for the Giants’ Week 16 game against the Ravens, and he his numbers have taken a steep dive in Jason Garrett‘s offense this season. But Joe Judge backed the current Big Blue starter as his 2021 quarterback.

When asked Wednesday about Jones’ status as the Giants’ starter beyond this season, Judge responded, “Daniel Jones is our quarterback.”

Kyle Shanahan took a similar route when asked about Jimmy Garoppolo‘s job, and Jones has two years remaining on his rookie deal and a 2023 option season. But the Giants received criticism since the start of Jones’ tenure — which began with a No. 6 overall pick — and have seen him struggle often in his second season. The Duke product threw 24 touchdown passes — fourth-most ever for a rookie — in 2019 despite making just 12 starts. Through 12 starts this year, Jones has thrown eight TD passes and has added 10 more fumbles to his eye-popping career total (28).

The Giants do not have to decide on Jones’ fifth-year option until May 2022, though those are higher-stakes decisions due to the options being fully guaranteed beginning with the 2018 first-round class. But the team is set to pick in the top half of the draft — barring major changes in the NFC East picture over the final two games — and would be in position to potentially add another quarterback.

“To me it’s a string of moments watching Daniel work. Watching the respect he has in the locker room. Watching him lead throughout this season. I think he’s demonstrated a level of toughness and leadership and knowledge on the field that gives us confidence to put him out there and build with Daniel, Judge said, via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan.

QB Colt McCoy To Start For Giants Tomorrow

December 19th, 2020 at 12:45pm CST by Ben Levine

Colt McCoy will get a chance to start against his former team tomorrow. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the veteran quarterback will start for the Giants vs. the Browns on Sunday.

Giants starting quarterback Daniel Jones tried to overcome his right hamstring strain and a left ankle sprain this week, but the second-year pro will ultimately be sidelined for his second game of the season. It’s a tough blow for a Giants team that’s attempting to remain in the postseason picture.

However, if you’re a fan of narratives, there’s something to be said of the fact that McCoy is playing his former team. The former third-round spent the first three seasons of his career in Cleveland, starting 21 games (all in his first two campaigns). Tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens, who will temporarily be taking over play-calling duties in place of offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, will also have a bit of motivation against his former team tomorrow.

Following a six-year stint with Washington, McCoy joined the Giants this past offseason. He got a start during his team’s Week 13 win over the Seahawks, completing 13 of his 22 passes for 105 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. In three games, he’s completed 60-percent of his passes for 154 yards.

There is a bit of good injury news for the Giants. The Athletic’s Dan Duggan tweets that Evan Engram is expected to play tomorrow. The tight end had been listed as questionable with a calf injury. The former first-round has appeared in all 13 games for New York this season, hauling in a team-high 50 receptions for 526 yards and one touchdown.

Daniel Jones Expected To Return In Week 14

December 12th, 2020 at 1:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

The suddenly surging Giants are expected to have their QB1 back against the Cardinals on Sunday. Daniel Jones returned to full practices this week, and the team saw enough from its starter Saturday to clear him for a Week 14 return, Dan Duggan of The Athletic tweets.

While Colt McCoy gave the Giants their first win over an above-.500 team in two years last week against the Seahawks, the veteran posted 105 passing yards on 4.7 per attempt. Jones has certainly enjoyed an up-and-down career thus far, but the second-year passer provides the Giants a higher ceiling from a passing perspective.

Jones suffered a hamstring injury in the Giants’ Week 12 win over the Bengals. It marked the second time in two years the Giants needed to replace their young starter. This, of course, is a change of pace for the NFC’s New York franchise. Eli Manning did not require an injury replacement in his 15-plus-year run as the team’s starter. The since-retired passer ended up filling in for Jones in two games late last season.

By virtue of their two wins over Washington, the 5-7 Giants remain in first place in the historically woeful NFC East. They still have three more games — against the Cardinals, Browns and Ravens — vs. winning opposition this year. Jones will return to action with just an 8-9 TD-INT ratio in 11 starts. This represents a steep drop from his 2019 production, when the Duke product’s 24 touchdown passes (in 12 games) were fourth all time among rookies. QBR does place Jones 16th, however, during this uneven season.