Getty The Giants have kept "training wheels" on one of their key free agents.
Brian Daboll would be a lot of people’s choice for NFL coach of the year after guiding the New York Giants to a 7-4-1 start in 2022. Daboll has succeeded by wringing as much as he can from a stunted roster lacking talent at key positions.
For as well he’s done, Daboll isn’t above criticism. The former offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills has yet to develop a crucial Giants starter who is set for free agency.
Daboll established his reputation as a daring play-caller with the Bills, but one writer believes he’s kept the “training wheels” on a vital member of the Giants. By doing so, Daboll has denied Big Blue a chance to get a “definitive answer” about one of the toughest contract decisions facing general manager Joe Schoen once this season has ended.
Daboll’s Caution Becoming a Problem
The Giants’ approach to a two-minute drill in the first half of Week 13’s 20-20 tie with the Washington Commanders raised questions about Daboll’s trust in quarterback Daniel Jones. That’s according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, who believes “the end-of-half management and overall offensive approach suggests the coaching staff lacks trust in either Jones or his supporting cast.”
Naturally, Daboll defiantly proclaimed otherwise:
Asked Daboll if the way they’ve called plays and managed games reflects a lack of trust in either Daniel Jones or the supporting cast.
“I trust the offense and I trust the supporting cast,” Daboll said.
Yet, Duggan “thinks the way the Giants have managed Jones this season hasn’t provided a definitive answer on his future.”
It’s a reasonable argument since Jones’ future is perhaps the biggest dilemma facing Schoen and the front office. He’s leading a winning team, but it’s fair to ask are the Giants successful in spite of Jones rather than because of him?
The numbers favor the latter, since Jones has thrown for just 2,365 yards. It’s the fifth-lowest tally in the league, while Jones’ scant 6.8 yards per attempt puts him firmly in the bottom half of this season’s productive quarterbacks.
There are mitigating factors behind each of those numbers, but none of the stats endorse the Giants giving Jones big bucks for the long haul.
Giants’ QB Strategy Still Unclear
What exactly is the Giants’ strategy at football’s most important position if Jones doesn’t merit a new, long-term contract? It’s a tricky question to answer, not least because Jones is playing within a framework hardly conducive to his development as a passer.
He’s directing an offense that goes through running back Saquon Barkley. The latter is also a free agent the Giants will want to keep after he’s returned to form by rushing for 1,055 yards and eight touchdowns.
Even when Barkley’s not toting the rock, Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka rely on Jones more as a runner than a passer. That reliance has helped Jones establish career-best marks on the ground, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan:
Daniel Jones has already set new career high in rushing yards (522). He’s almost 100 yards past previous best. Still 5 games left.
Just as a reference point to how big weapon this has become:
Justin Fields 905
Lamar Jackson 764
Jalen Hurts 609
Josh Allen 581
Daniel Jones 522
Daboll and Kafka are right to feature Jones as a rushing threat, but those talents shouldn’t come at the expense of refining his game through the air. That’s what Daboll did for Josh Allen with the Bills, and it’s also what Kafka helped do as Patrick Mahomes’ position coach for the Kansas City Chiefs.
A coaching braintrust with this kind of pedigree for developing QBs ought to be getting more from Jones. Even the lack of marquee wide receivers at the Giants’ disposal can’t explain every failing with this passing game.
More variety would help, with Duggan noting how “defenses also appear to have figured out some of the wrinkles that sparked the Giants’ offense early in the season, like their bootleg play-action package.”
It’s time for Jones to stop “operating with training wheels” and prove he has the arm talent Daboll and Kafka need to take their offense up a notch. That’s the only way to determine what to do about Jones’ future.
Walking away from No. 8 is risky considering how tough it can be to find even a competent quarterback at the pro level. The risk is compounded by the alternatives, including a free-agent class loaded with uninspiring options, unless the Giants want to be drawn into a bidding war for Lamar Jackson or Tom Brady.
Using a first-round pick to secure the signal-caller of the future in the 2023 NFL draft is also a tenuous option. The Giants will be drafting later in the opening round than expected, while the roster could also use vital help at wide receiver, interior offensive line, cornerback and inside linebacker.
Getting the most out of Jones is still the most viable way for the Giants to handle their QB situation. That won’t happen if Daboll and Kafka continue to rein in the catalyst of their offense.