Getty The Giants might be tempted to replace Daniel Jones with a former NFL MVP.
Daniel Jones is performing above expectations this season, but that doesn’t mean the New York Giants would pass up the chance to replace him in free agency. Especially if it meant signing a former NFL MVP.
Lamar Jackson would be a “temptation” the Giants struggle to “avoid,” according to Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports. He believes the Baltimore Ravens’ QB1, who has yet to sign a new long-term contract, would add “lightning speed” to head coach Brian Daboll’s offense.
Jackson’s future remains unresolved and the longer the brewing saga continues, the more a team like the cash-rich Giants might be encouraged to make a splash this offseason.
MVP an Exciting Prospect for Giants
Although Benjamin noted how Jones “has done almost everything possible to earn a new deal as New York’s improbably composed face of the franchise,” he also acknowledged three factors that could put Jackson firmly on the Giants’ radar.
First, there’s over $54 million in cash at general manager Joe Schoen’s disposal under this year’s salary cap. The exact figure is projected by Spotrac.com to be $54,342,062, enough to countenance the kind of contract Jackson is likely to command on the open market.
He wants something on a par with the $230 million in guaranteed money the Cleveland Browns handed Deshaun Watson, per Mike Sando of The Athletic. It’s a hefty figure, but one the Giants may not baulk at paying if it meant landing a signal-caller as dynamic as Jackson.
His natural athleticism and pure speed create multiple big plays on the ground, like this 79-yard touchdown scamper against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2:
LAMAR JACKSON GOES 79 YARDS FOR THE TOUCHDOWN. @lj_era8
📺: #MIAvsBAL on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ t.co/LqzAxQaA7Q
Traits like those and plays this are perfect for “Daboll’s attack, which prioritizes QB movement,” per Benjamin. Jackson’s ability to play the game different to most quarterbacks extends to what he does as a passer.
He offered an example of his talent for ad-libbing plays through the air with this touchdown toss to All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews against the New England Patriots in Week 3:
.@Lj_era8 and @Mandrews_81 playing pitch and catch for 6! #RavensFlock
📺: #BALvsNE on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ t.co/jbtc7PI59Y
Throws like this endorse Jackson as a worthy addition for any team. If the Giants needed another recommendation, they’d only need to ask defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale, who “notably spent four years with the Ravens, getting a firsthand look at the MVP QB from 2018-2021.”
Those are all the reasons why Jackson makes sense for the Giants, and they form a compelling case. Yet, there are just as many reasons why Big Blue should keep faith in Jones and invest in his continued improvement.
Daniel Jones Has Earned Extended Stay
To say Jones has earned his next contract would be an understatement. He could have sulked once Daboll and Schoen declined to exercise his fifth-year option, but the player drafted sixth overall in 2019 responded the right way.
Jones’ response involved starting every game in the regular season, bar the dead rubber against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 18. In the process, the 25-year-old set career-highs with 3,205 passing yards and a 92.5 QB rating.
Jones took his career revival up a notch by starring during the Giants’ 31-24 win over the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card Playoffs. He equalled a record Jackson already shared with a Hall of Famer, per Pro Football Reference:
Quarterbacks to throw for 300+ yards and rush for 75+ yards in a playoff game:
Steve Young (1996)
Lamar Jackson (2020)
Daniel Jones (2023)
Jones proved himself more durable than Jackson, who missed the final six games of the Ravens’ season with a PCL injury. Jackson also missed five games with an ankle problem last season, leaving the Ravens to finish 0-5 and squander a playoff berth.
In addition to staying on the field, Jones also showed his aptitude for Daboll’s offense. He translated his own dual-threat skills into 708 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
Replacing Jones with Jackson would hardly be cost effective for the Giants. Not when Schoen also needs to resolve the futures of other prominent free agents like running back Saquon Barkley and free safety Julian Love.
There’s also the not-so small matter of the Ravens and head coach John Harbaugh digging their heels in and being determined to keep Jackson, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport:
#Ravens coach John Harbaugh says it clearly: “Lamar Jackson is our quarterback” and says there is a “200 percent” chance he stays. That’s a lot of percent. He’ll be involved in the OC hire.
The franchise tag looks likely for Jackson, probably the non-exclusive tag. That would put the Giants in a position of having to part with two first-round draft picks to acquire Jackson.
Schoen and Daboll will likely want the draft capital to continue the rebuild they began in style this season. Better to re-up Jones for cheaper than what Jackson will demand, then focus on using their own tag to keep Barkley.