Getty An NFL Insider provided an emphatic update about Daniel Jones' future with the New York Giants beyond this season.
Everything’s on the table for the New York Giants 10 weeks into a nightmare season, including quarterback Daniel Jones not being back for 2024, despite signing a $160-million contract earlier this year.
Multiple turnovers and injuries puts a quick end to the Giants’ expensive commitment to Jones in play. Yet, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz provided an emphatic update on the signal-caller’s future at MetLife Stadium: “Here’s what I’ll tell you. Daniel Jones has a $38-million guarantee next season. I believe it was 80 over two. He will be with the Giants next season, you can book that right now.”
General manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll tied their fortunes to Jones. The decision to pay him looks foolhardy after a cervical neck injury was followed by a torn ACL to end Jones’ season after Week 9.
Poor decisions, relentless pressure and interceptions subjected Jones to criticism before the injuries. His mistakes also put heat on Daboll and Schoen after the questionable decision to reward Jones ahead of Pro-Bowl running back Saquon Barkley backfired.
The pressure is still on Schoen and Daboll amid a 2-8 record to go with a litany of suspect personnel decisions and coaching mishaps. Schultz also revealed where the two main decision-makers in this regime stand beyond this season.
Daniel Jones Safe With the Giants for Now
As Schultz pointed out, the contract provides a lot of reasons for the Giants to stick by Jones a little longer. A cap hit totalling more than $47 million, per Spotrac.com, would make Jones hard to shift.
There is an out in 2025 that would leave the Giants with $22,210,000 worth of dead cap. It would be a lot to absorb, but Big Blue might have no choice if Jones still hasn’t proved to be the answer by then.
He’s hardly passed the litmus test this season. Jones endured a torrid time even before his campaign ended against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The numbers behind the 26-year-old’s nightmare were relayed by Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports.
This was supposed to be a breakout season for Jones, after he’d protected the football and excelled down the stretch in 2022. The Giants paid him like a rising quarterback ready to join the league’s best at his position.
That same expectation prompted Schoen and Daboll to trade for tight end Darren Waller. They also added wide receivers, Parris Campbell in free agency and Jalin Hyatt via the 2023 NFL draft.
Jones appeared to have all he needed to make the next necessary leap in his career. Things haven’t work out that way, prompting speculation the Giants will draft Jones’ replacement next year.
The “Giants won’t hesitate drafting a QB in 2024,” according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Using what’s likely to be a top-five pick on a passer gained credibility when Schoen was in attendance to watch USC’s Caleb Williams and Washington’s Michael Pennix Jr. on Saturday, November 4.
Whatever they decide, what comes next at quarterback for the Giants will determine how long Daboll and Schoen keep their jobs.
Brian Daboll, Joe Schoen Have a Future With the Giants
Daboll and Schoen are safe for now, per Shultz: “I also believe and am told that barring something dramatic, barring something extreme, both Joe Schoen the GM and head coach Brian Daboll will also be back next season.”
Even if they are back, Schoen and Daboll will have a tough time selling ownership on a new quarterback, according to Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus: “It’s gotta be pretty hard to go into the ownership room, your pitch is essentially, ‘hey, we misidentified out franchise quarterback a year ago, let me fix it by identifying the next franchise quarterback.”
Schoen and Daboll may not even get to that conversation if the “something extreme” Schultz referenced happen, “If you remember, there was a thought process that Joe Judge would’ve kept his job, and then he has a disastrous last month of the season.”
Avoiding a complete collapse will require better play at quarterback. The Giants will struggle to get that from undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito.
It doesn’t help to have top backup Tyrod Taylor on injured reserve with a rib problem. Taylor performed well during starts against the Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders.
Waiting on Taylor’s possible return leaves Daboll trying to work miracles with either DeVito or veteran Matt Barkley. The latter played for Daboll in Buffalo, but he last started a game in 2020.
Daboll and Schoen are trying to solidify their futures on a pretty shaky foundation.