Heading into his fourth NFL season, New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones has a lot of room for improvement. Whether it’s his turnovers, injuries or just his overall win-loss record, there’s a lot of legitimate criticism surrounding Jones.
The one thing you can’t knock Jones on, however, is his deep ball.
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Warren Sharp of SharpFootballAnalysis.com recently compiled the 10 longest passes from Jones last year and noted that the Giants quarterback ranks first in EPA (Expected Points Added) per attempt on passes of 25-plus yards since 2020.
the 10 longest passes from Daniel Jones last year
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Jones ranks #1 in EPA/att on passes thrown 25+ yards since 2020 🥇
Top 10 QBs on passes thrown 25+ yds the last 2 years:
1. Danny Dimes
2. Stafford
3. Carr
4. Herbert
5. Mahomes
6. Watson
7. Tua
8. Russ
9. Rodgers
10. Ryan
Of the 10 longest passes Sharp compiled, only four fell incomplete. One of those incompletions was a drop by wide receiver Darius Slayton against Washington that should have been an easy touchdown, and another was an interception on a Hail Mary attempt at the end of the half against the New Orleans Saints.
The most interesting part about these 10 passes might be the intended receivers. Slayton was clearly his favorite deep threat, as four of the 10 deep balls in this compilation went to him. One was a touchdown against Washington (to go along with his drop in that same game.) Another was a nice sideline grab on a free play against the Denver Broncos, and the fourth one was a missed connection against the Carolina Panthers.
John Ross, who is currently a free agent, was the intended receiver on the first two pass attempts in the compilation. Both of them were completions, the first being a 50-yard gain against the Kansas City Chiefs and the second being a 51-yard touchdown against the Saints.
Kadarius Toney appears twice in the compilation, once on an incompletion against the Saints and then again on a nice sideline grab against the Dallas Cowboys. C.J. Board shows up once on a catch against the Atlanta Falcons, while Kenny Golladay does not appear in the video at all.
With Slayton suddenly on the roster bubble and Ross no longer on the team, who will step up as Jones’ primary deep threat receiver in 2022?
Kenny Golladay Needs to Step Up in Year 2 With Giants
When you look at how much each wide receiver is being paid, the answer to the question above is pretty straightforward: Kenny Golladay needs to become more of a deep threat.
The Giants signed Golladay to a four-year, $72 million contract last offseason, and he produced just 521 yards and zero touchdowns on 37 receptions last season (14 starts). So far at training camp, Golladay has experienced his ups and downs.
Jones → Golladay 🤟
Kenny Golladay with a drop but great throw from Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones finds an open Kenny Golladay
Kenny Golladay drops a perfectly placed ball from Daniel Jones. Not what you want to see. #Giants
As you can see from the practice highlights above, Golladay has produced some big plays while also struggling with drops. He needs to tighten up his game and provide Daniel Jones with a reliable No. 1 receiving option, and part of that is establishing himself as a deep threat.
Richie James is the Wild Card in the Wide Receiver Mix
Former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Richie James may end up being the most underrated signing of the offseason. The Giants signed him on a one year, $1.1 million contract, and he’s already turning some heads at training camp.
Former 49ers WR Richie James is making some catches today at #GiantsCamp
James, 26, is a former seventh-round draft pick who was mostly used as a return specialist in San Francisco, but he does possess some explosive potential as a pass catcher. He has a career average of 18.1 yards per reception with long receptions of 53 yards (2018), 57 yards (2019) and 47 yards (2020). He spent all of last season on the 49ers’ injured reserve.
James, who has three career receiving touchdowns, could emerge as one of Jones’ secret weapons this season.
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Daniel Jones Leads All NFL Quarterbacks in One Explosive Stat Since 2020