Getty Frank Reich taking over the Panthers can impact the Giants' plans at quarterback.
Daniel Jones has done enough to earn a new contract with the New York Giants, but his breakout season will also make him one of the most sought-after quarterbacks in 2023 NFL free agency.
That will be bad news for the Giants if Frank Reich decides to make a move. He’s the new head coach of the Carolina Panthers, a team desperately in need of some stability at football’s most important position.
Reich’s presence isn’t the only reason why the Panthers are a good fit for Jones, according to Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr: “Jones could ultimately sign with Atlanta or New Orleans or head back to the Carolinas and regenerate his career under Frank Reich.”
Returning to where he played his college football could appeal to former Duke star Jones. Especially since the Panthers also boast better weapons than those Jones threw to with the Giants this season.
Jones leaving would mean the Giants having to start from zero at quarterback, but they could avoid this scenario by using ample space under the salary cap to thwart a Panthers franchise hamstrung by cap issues.
Frank Reich, Panthers Weapons Obvious Draws for Daniel Jones
Reich knows quarterbacks, having played the position for both the Buffalo Bills and Panthers. He also helped the Philadelphia Eagles win Super Bowl LII as offensive coordinator, calling plays for Carson Wentz and Nick Foles.
His background “played a big role in the decision to hire him” as the “first offensive-minded head coach hired in Carolina history,” according to ESPN’s David Newton. Reich is well-equipped to begin “fixing the quarterback position and an offense that has been in flux since quarterback Cam Newton began having shoulder issues midway through the 2018 season.”
His search could take him to Jones, who experienced the positive impact an offensive-minded head coach can have on his game with the Giants. Brian Daboll got the head-coaching job after serving as OC with the Bills, and he and Mike Kafka, former quarterbacks coach for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, combined to coax a career year from Jones, including a significant improvement on his first three seasons, per Football Outsiders:
Daniel Jones passing DVOA by season:
2019: -19.2%, ranked 30th
2020: -22.4%, ranked 32nd
2021: -10.6%, ranked 26th
2022: 1.1%, ranked 20th
Jones got better as the season wore on and carried his improvement into the playoffs. He produced a record-setting performance against the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild-Card Round, according to StatMuse:
QBs with 300+ pass yards and 70+ rushing yards in a playoff game:
— Steve Young
— Lamar Jackson
And now, Daniel Jones.
The next step for Jones is to build on those numbers and prove this season was no fluke. His chances of doing so will hinge on the weapons around him, and the Panthers can offer the presence of legitimate playmakers.
One of those is wide receiver D.J. Moore. He helped himself to 63 catches, 888 yards and seven touchdowns this season, despite the Panthers’ uncertainty at quarterback.
Moore, who posted three-straight 1100-yard seasons before 2022, is now expected by Panthers analyst John Ellis to become a roving target in Reich’s more expansive passing schemes:
Spoke with a scout today, re: the role DJ Moore now plays in Frank Reich’s scheme:
“Check out Christian Kirk’s film. DJ will likely be the ‘F’ WR….constantly on the move, getting favorable matchups, and ending up as the initial read in the progression”
🎥: Wk2
Moore won’t be the only dynamic player on the move in Reich’s offense. Laviska Shenault Jr. is a dual-scoring threat on the ground and through the air, while Terrace Marshall Jr. flashed capability as a vertical receiver by averaging 17.5 yards per catch.
Daboll’s offense doesn’t feature receivers on Moore’s level, and acquiring some is just as pressing a need as securing Jones’ future. The latter may be easier to solve given the Giants’ ample room under the cap.
Salary Cap Room Should Protect Giants’ QB1
The Panthers are $9,562,644 over the cap, according to Spotrac.com, so clearing the decks will come before any pursuit of Jones. They can shed some expensive cap hits, but it would mean ditching talented players like edge-rusher Brian Burns and linebacker Shaq Thompson.
Decisions like those aren’t facing Giants’ general manager Joe Schoen. Not when he has $44,419,480 worth of room to work with this year.
Schoen’s decision is whether to use the franchise tag or offer Jones a long-term deal. Applying the tag is something the Giants want to avoid, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic.
The alternative is to pay Jones as much as between $35 and $45 million per year. It’s something Good Morning Football host Kyle Brandt thinks would be “so absurd.”
.@KyleBrandt is spot on here
There is no “middle class” on QB contracts and there absolutely should be
Daniel Jones is not a $35-45M per year QB, but the market dictates that
He should be a $25M per year QB, and I hate the idea of possibly messing up our cap because of it
Dynamics of the quarterback market may defy logic, but they could also force the Giants into making an unpopular decision regarding Jones. If so, he won’t be short of suitors.