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He spoke candidly, but Daniel Jones made it clear he’s done with the New York Giants after losing the starting quarterback job. Exactly when player and team will part ways is still unclear, but Jones admitted talks about his immediate future are already taking place.
Reading a prepared statement on Thursday, November 21, Jones began by saying, “the opportunity to play for the New York Giants was truly a dream come true, and I’m truly grateful to the Mara and Tisch families for the chance to play here,” per Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic.
The clearly emotional veteran continued candidly about his performances and his reaction to being benched, “I’m a hundred percent accountable for my part. I did not play well enough consistently enough to help the team get the results. The reality of the NFL is it’s hard to win game, it requires consistent performance from everyone involved. We didn’t do that well enough, so the idea to change something happens, and I understand.”
Finally, Jones opened the door for his next move, “I love the game, I love being part of a team. I’m excited for the next opportunity and know that there’s a lot of good football in front of me, and I’m excited about that.”
The next chapter in Jones’ career will depend on how Giants general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll resolve his contract situation. It’s sure to be a complex process, but both sides are already working toward an end goal that’s satisfactory for all involved.
Contract Details Influenced Daniel Jones Benching
Jones is convinced the injury guarantee in the four-year, $160-million contract he signed as recently as 2023, played a part in discussions about his future. He told the press, “That was a piece of the conversation, for sure. I wanted to play badly,” per SNY.tv’s Giants Videos.
The 27-year-old also revealed how “most of those discussions took place with, you know, my agents and Joe.”
This is hardly an earth-shattering revelation. Most, if not all, observers quickly recognized the Giants took the opportunity to bench Jones in favor of Tommy DeVito to remove the risk of having to pay an injury guarantee worth $23 million.
Saving money is also thought to be the reason for promoting last season’s cult hero DeVito above ostensible QB2 Drew Lock. The latter’s own deal contains incentives owed based on playing time.
This under-fire Giants regime is clearly calling time on this season and stockpiling cash for a rebuild the primary decision-makers must get right. That’s assuming Daboll and Schoen are trusted to choose the franchise’s next QB1.
A Quick Exit Best for Daniel Jones, Giants
Ideally, Jones can exit quickly and quietly stage left. His ongoing presence only serves as a reminder of the miscalculation made by Schoen and Daboll when they opted to pay the streaky passer ahead of two-time Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley.
The latter is now dominating for NFC East rivals the Philadelphia Eagles, but a more humble role could be in Jones’ immediate future. As Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis put it, he doubts Jones “succeeds as a long-term starter elsewhere, but can be a quality backup for many years.”
That would be a notable step down for the sixth player selected in the 2019 NFL draft, but still an upgrade on Jones’ current status with the Giants. He’s No. 4 on the depth chart after the arrival of a former New York Jets passer.
Meanwhile, practice has now become an exercise in humiliation for the former starter. Jones was seen “playing scout team safety at one point” on Thursday, according to The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov.
The Giants no longer know what to do with Jones, and he’s at a loose end trying to stay valuable for a coaching staff that doesn’t want him. Best for all concerned if Jones moves on sooner rather than later.
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