Getty Daniel Jones taking on the New England Patriots.
Benching Daniel Jones may not be in Brian Daboll’s mind just yet, but it’ll become more than a passing thought if the New York Giants continue to struggle. Head coach Daboll appeared frustrated enough with his quarterback during Week 4’s 24-3 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks to at least contemplate a change.
If Daboll did make the change, he could return to a former team for help. That’s a suggestion from CBS Sports’ Bryan DeArdo, who named New England Patriots’ starter Mac Jones as a possible replacement for Big Blue’s QB1.
This was just one option offered by DeArdo, who didn’t outline how the Giants would go about acquiring New England’s primary signal-caller. However, DeArdo did explain how Mac could quickly “acclimate himself to New York’s offense” because “the Giants would likely ask him to do similar things to what he is currently being asked to do in New England.”
While there’s some truth to this, it’s a stretch to imagine the Giants would ditch one struggling quarterback named Jones for a carbon copy.
Former Pro-Bowl Passer Would Have a Lot to Prove
Like the Giants, the Patriots are also 1-3 because of issues at football’s most important position. Those issues prompted Pats’ head coach Bill Belichick to bench Jones during the third quarter of Week 4’s 38-3 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys.
While Jones is still likely to remain in place as the starter, his stock has fallen considerably since a Pro Bowl season in 2021. The decline in his game is why Belichick brought Bill O’Brien back as offensive coordinator in the offseason, and the play-caller dubbed Jones “a battler” and somebody “who takes a lot of ownership” after his miserable night in Dallas, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Patriots OC Bill O’Brien on QB Mac Jones:
“Mac is a battler. He is a competitor. When you play quarterback in this league, you have to limit the mistakes and you have to limit the bad games you have, obviously. We’re all in it together. We have to do a better job of coaching up…
O’Brien also told reporters “I think you’ll see a lot of improvement in Mac as we keep moving forward here.”
If the Patriots don’t see that improvement soon, Belichick won’t be short of alternatives to Jones. As DeArdo pointed out, Will Grier and Bailey Zappe give the Pats strong “depth” at quarterback.
Imagining Jones’ sudden availability piquing the Giants interest is tough. Perhaps the only way it would be plausible is if Daboll became intrigued by what No. 10 can do on run-pass option plays.
Jones has looked good running RPOs in O’Brien’s system, something highlighted by Tanner James of AtoZ Sports.
Encouraging to see New England finally utilizing downfield RPOs. Something they’ve never done with Mac Jones.
O’Brien and Jones used the same concepts at Alabama, one of the stops on Daboll’s coaching tree. The latter also spent two stints in New England, coaching wide receivers then tight ends, so there would be some degree of scheme crossover if Jones moved to MetLife Stadium.
Any similarities are more obvious when you consider the Giants have already run 14 RPOs this season, per Pro Football Reference.
There’s no doubt this proposed QB switch would suit one Jones, but it’s more likely Daboll and the Giants try to repair their relationship with the other.
Coach and QB Need to Join Forces for Giants
Tensions are obvious between coach and quarterback after Daboll vented his despair at Jones against the Seahawks, a scene captured by The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov.
Daboll’s attempt to explain away what happened hardly cooled the heat on Jones. It’s been a tough slog for No. 8 behind a makeshift, revolving door offensive line and playing without stud running back Saquon Barkley, who’s been nursing an ankle injury.
What the Giants need is for Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka to rediscover the magic that helped Jones enjoy a banner season in 2022. His numbers a year ago earned the sixth player taken in the 2019 NFL draft a new contract worth $160 million over four years, but Jones is hardly earning those terms four weeks into this campaign.
Even so, the substantial investment in Jones means the Giants are committed to making it work somehow, someway, before even considering replacements.