Daniel Jones (neck) hasn’t appeared in a game since November 28. He sat out yet again in the New York Giants‘ 21-6 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15. And despite head coach Joe Judge holding out hope, many expect the team’s starting quarterback to be shut down for the remainder of the season.
Despite some early-season flashes, the Duke product did not take the year-three leap that so many had hoped for when the team went out this offseason and overhauled their receiving corps. While you could easily point the finger at numerous factors surrounding Jones that have played into his inability to establish himself as the surefire answer under center, the fact of the matter is 12 wins and 49 turnovers over 37 career starts just hasn’t cut it. Not when the Giants are projected to have two top-10 picks in the upcoming draft and a future Hall of Famer in Russell Wilson is reportedly interested in joining your team (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport).
With a new general manager expected to be in place next season, many have questioned whether Jones has already played his final snap in a Giants uniform. However, the one positive Jones has on his side is that despite the projected revamp in New York this offseason, Judge is expected to return as head coach.
Judge Appears to Commit to Jones Moving Forward
Jones is the only full-time starting quarterback Judge has known since taking the helm in East Rutherford and by the sound of it, the second-year head coach doesn’t seem like a man ready to make any drastic changes under center this offseason. Asked by reporters on December 15 if Jones has shown enough to this point for Judge to “feel good about his future here,” Judge all but committed to the 24-year-old signal-caller.
“I feel good about Daniel already,” Judge said. “I want him to keep growing and developing his craft. Obviously, he’s a great asset to our team. You want to have him available to play with the team. That’s obviously something that we’re not keeping secret. There’s not really much more to say past that. Daniel’s done a good job growing for us. We’re going to keep on pushing forward with him.”
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Sign up for the Heavy on Giants Newsletter!Judge Admits Jones is Missing Quality Time
If anything, seeing the Giants’ non-Daniel Jones-led offense over recent weeks makes you appreciate what the dual-threat quarterback actually brings to the table. In his absence, New York has lost three consecutive games and scored fewer than 10 offensive points twice. Over that span, Mike Glennon has started every game, compiling two touchdowns and five interceptions before being pulled for Jake Fromm late in the loss to Dallas.
Having Jones under center gives the Giants their best chance to win in their current construction, undoubtedly. At the same time — as Judge pointed out — it would also pose as a further opportunity to develop:
I think he’s missing experience and an opportunity to grow. That’s really nothing of his fault at all. Just as any young player in this league, every rep you take is an experience you learn from. One thing I can say for Daniel is really as you watch him throughout his young career, there’s been a lot of things that have really demonstrated growth. There have there been times where he has made mistakes on the field that he’s shown decisions later on to make sure he doesn’t repeat that mistake.
There are things he’s picked up in terms of management of the game or how to handle something at the line of scrimmage that he’s carried forward. Daniel has done a good job working, preparing and growing throughout his career. I think the biggest thing he’s missing out is just that experience and the opportunity to grow within a craft.
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Giants Appear to Cement Daniel Jones’ Fate Amid Russell Wilson Trade Chatter