Getty A trade scenario involving the New York Giants swaps Daniel Jones for late-round draft picks.
He may be just about hanging onto the starting job for the New York Giants, but some still view Daniel Jones as potential trade bait. Especially if there’s a way for the Giants to escape the lucrative contract they handed the struggling signal-caller last offseason. One scenario involves the quarterback being dealt within the NFC, to the Green Bay Packers, for a pair of late-round draft picks.
It’s a proposal outlined by Cory Woodroof for USA Today Sports’ For The Win. The particulars of Woodroof’s deal see Jones moving to Green Bay in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft, to go with a seventh-round selection in 2026.
If the compensation seems modest, Woodroof believes the Giants have obvious motivation to make a trade happen: “With quarterback Drew Lock on the roster, the Giants could … hypothetically … save Jones from the definite embarrassment of losing the quarterback battle in New York before it happens. They can get out of his contract with a post-June 1 trade, and Jones could take a year, back up a contending quarterback in Jordan Love, rework his mechanics and improve his game in the background and try for a new contract on the open market in 2025, where we’ve seen quarterbacks like Jones get paid in the past.”
There would be benefits for Jones as well. Notably, Woodroof thinks the Packers “could rework his deal to make him one of the NFL’s high-end backups.”
This scenario would also clear the path for the Giants to fully address football’s most important position in next year’s draft. Woodroof notes they “have quarterback Tommy DeVito that can sit behind Lock to give them a plan there before, we’re sure, taking a quarterback high in the 2025 NFL Draft. This feels like a win-win to us before a problem starts in the Big Apple.”
All of this is plausible, but several of the moves made by the Giants this year indicate the decision-makers are at least willing to give Jones one more chance.
Daniel Jones Trade Appears Unlikely
The Giants have surely considered ways to escape the obligations of Jones’ four-year, $160-million contract. Especially after the way he struggled with turnovers and injuries last season.
Jones tossing six interceptions, taking 30 sacks and suffering a season-ending torn ACL made the new deal seem like an albatross. Yet, while the terms handed to Jones appear a misguided gamble, they are precisely why No. 8 will likely get one more season to prove his worth.
The Giants are on the hook to Jones, so general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll need him to make the grade. While Jones’ stock has fallen, there’s reason to back improvement, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
He responded to QB rankings from NFL on CBS that placed Jones last among 32 starters. Raanan pointed out how Jones “Came three TD passes shy of the then-rookie record in 2019. Was almost perfect in a playoff win 16 months ago.”
Jones can get back to the form Raanan remembers fondly if he makes the most of the reinforcements added around him this offseason.
Giants Have Improved Daniel Jones’ Supporting Cast
The Giants deciding to draft Malik Nabers with the sixth-overall pick was welcomed by Jones because it gives him the legitimate go-to wide receiver he’s been lacking. Nabers’ ability to unleash field-stretching speed from anywhere will turn even mediocre throws from Jones into big plays.
He’ll lean on Nabers, but Jones can also count on Wan’Dale Robinson for yards-after-catch potential. As CBS Sports’ Dan Schneier highlighted, Robinson’s threat will increase with Nabers on the field.
The #Giants player who should benefit most from Malik Nabers’ addition is Wan’Dale Robinson.
He’s going to have a lot more space to work with (more attention on Nabers) & now one year removed from the ACL, we’re going to see a lot more post-catch plays that look like this:
A swifter receiver corps isn’t the only reason to expect an upturn from Jones.
The Giants also wisely retooled the offensive line by signing guard Jon Runyan Jr. and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor in free agency. Both will help new line coach Carmen Bricillo bolster a unit that didn’t give Jones, nor any other Giants’ QB, a chance to thrive last season.
Of course, it’s entirely possible another passer on the roster could benefit from these changes in personnel more than Jones. Backup Drew Lock is already expected to compete, while the Giants have also added a 109-touchdown, dual-threat quarterback from the New England Patriots.
Taking a pair of draft picks for Jones might allow the Giants to walk away from his contract fiasco quietly. That wouldn’t mitigate the damage done to this regime, though, so Daboll and Schoen are more likely to do all they can to help Jones, not facilitate his low-key exit.
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