Getty Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants looks to hand off the ball to Saquon Barkley #26 against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter in the game at MetLife Stadium.
The media has had quite the go at prominent New York Giants figures in recent days. First, it was head coach Joe Judge getting torn down and frankly — berated — in NBC Sports’ coaches rankings.
Now CBS’ Jason La Canfora has thrown his hat in the ring, shifting his focus on Judge’s quarterback, third-year pro Daniel Jones.
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Daniel Jones, a ‘Coach Killer’?
In his “2021 fearless forecasts,” the NFL insider took a look at the current landscape of the league and attempted to predict what things may look like by year’s end. In the column, La Canfora tried his hand at selecting multiple year-end player awards, while also taking a few bold stances along the way. No stance was arguably as damaging as the one he took on Jones, labeling the 24-year-old as a “coach killer.”
Coach Killer: Daniel Jones
Oh, my, does he tend to turn the ball over. Oh, my, do the Giants require massive gains from him. Oh, geez, how they spend on new parts for him on offense. Oh, no, I don’t think it will change much at all. And if this goes as poorly as expected, then heads will roll because of it, especially as other NFL teams continue to add young cheap quarterbacks in the interim who far out-produce this one.
We’ll admit, La Canfora’s take does have a leg to stand on — even if the message is a bit overshadowed by the harsh headline. There’s no denying that Jones needs to cut down on turnovers. Since entering the league in 2019, no player has accounted for more turnovers than the former Duke Blue Devil, amassing 39 total over 27 games (22 interceptions and 17 lost fumbles). Those kinds of numbers simply won’t cut it in this league.
With that said, the cup half full approach would expect Jones to take a step forward in Year 3. Let’s not forget, over Jones’ two seasons in East Rutherford, names such as Austin Mack, Cody Latimer and Bennie Fowler have manned legitimate snaps out wide at receiver. Just last season, a 32-year-old Alfred Morris ranked second amongst Giants running backs in rushing.
Let’s see if a second season in Jason Garrett’s offense with a healthy Saquon Barkley and a budding receiving corps at his disposal can unlock Jones’ true potential before we swiftly write him off as a bust.
Jones’ ‘Thick Skin’ is Made for New York
Jones is no stranger to critique. Since the day the Giants decided to pull the trigger on the quarterback with the No. 6 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, he’s been nitpicked and bombarded with doubt. The good news, none of that outside noise appears to faze the young signal-caller.
“If it did, it wouldn’t show. He’s got pretty thick skin. He’s never complained to me once about it,” Jones’ trainer Mickey Brueckner told the Talkin’ Giants podcast regarding the constant criticism. “For him, it’s always focused on ‘How can I get better?’ always getting better every day. He’s never had any negative things to say about the challenges that come with playing in New York, which there are many. He’s pretty good about it.”
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Giants Cornerstone is a ‘Coach Killer,’ Says NFL Insider