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The New York Giants are holding a pair of meetings this week that will shape the future of the franchise.
First, on Wednesday, new general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll will present their finalized draft board to Giants ownership, according to Dianna Russini of ESPN. Then, on Thursday, they will meet again to discuss quarterback Daniel Jones.
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Jones, 24, is entering his fourth season in the NFL, and the Giants have until next Tuesday (May 3) to make a final decision on the fifth-year option in his rookie contract. If the new regime decides to exercise the fifth-year option, Jones will be due $22.38 million for the 2023 season. If the option is declined, he will become a free agent after this season.
Jones will count $8.4 million against New York’s salary cap this season. He’s coming off a season that was cut short due to injury and has a career record of 12-25. The Giants have not finished better than 6-10 since Jones took over for Eli Manning as the team’s starting quarterback.
While injuries have forced Jones to the sideline for multiple games in each of his professional seasons, he has shown some promise when healthy. Following the 2020 season, Pro Football Focus named Jones the NFL’s “Most Improved Player.” Around the same time, a statistical analysis by NFL.com determined that he was the league’s best deep-ball thrower.
Jones’ athleticism is also worth noting. Believe it or not, his top speed in 2020 was almost as fast as Tyreek Hill’s top speed.
Oh yeah, he also might have the best hand(s) on the team.
Despite Jones’ unique athleticism and shining moments as a passer, the risks may outweigh the potential rewards for the new regime. Jones was selected sixth overall in the 2019 NFL Draft by previous general manager Dave Gettleman, and Jordan Raanan of ESPN reported in February that the new Giants leadership is “unlikely” to exercise his fifth-year option.
Even without the option year, Jones could still play his way into a new contract with the Giants this season. That could complicate negotiations, though, especially if the franchise tag is involved.
Dexter Lawrence’s Fifth-Year Option Also Looms
The Giants must also make a decision on the fifth-year option for defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, who was selected 17th overall in the same draft as Jones.
Lawrence, 24, may be a tougher decision than Jones. He has been an anchor in the middle of New York’s defense, appearing in 48 of a possible 49 games for the Giants and starting 41 of them. The 342-pound Clemson product only has 9.0 career sacks, but his expertise is clogging the middle and stuffing the run.
I mean just look at this dude…
That’s the type of body you want anchoring your defensive line.
Where in the World is DeAndre Baker?
As you might remember, the Giants made three first-round picks in the 2019 NFL Draft. Cornerback DeAndre Baker, however, departed from the team long before the Giants had to make a decision on his fifth-year option.
Baker, 24, was arrested for armed robbery during the 2020 offseason but his charges were ultimately dropped. The Giants waived him before the 2020 season and he later resurfaced with the Kansas City Chiefs, once his name was cleared.
Baker appeared in eight games (plus two playoff games) with the Chiefs last season and remains under contract for the 2022 season. He has zero career interceptions.
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