Getty The Seahawks could be a possible trade destination for Daniel Jones, according to one analyst.
The Seattle Seahawks could target an “erratic” quarterback via trade, according to one analyst.
In a list of quarterbacks the Seahawks could possibly target via trade, Tim Weaver of Seahawks Wire mentions New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones as a possible option. Weaver explains how Jones’ expiring contract — he has just one year with under $4 million in guaranteed money remaining — could be appealing to the Seahawks with the 25-year-old as a short-term option.
Furthermore, Weaver points out that Jones’ dual-threat abilities is a major selling point.
“Daniel Jones is essentially a more athletic and younger version of Jared Goff,” says Weaver. “He has a good bit more arm strength plus plenty of speed to spare as a rusher once he gets into space. Jones has managed 1,000 rushing yards and five touchdowns on just 172 career carries (5.8 yards per attempt). The Giants didn’t pick up his fifth-year option, so the remainder of his contract is only for one year with under $4 million in guaranteed money.”
Jones’ Dual-Threat Abilities Overshadowed by Turnovers
There’s little argument that Jones is definitely an athletic quarterback. While he may not be Lamar Jackson, he’s definitely one of the more athletic starting QB’s in the NFL. Despite missing nine combined games during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Jones has the sixth-most rushing yards of any quarterback since 2019.
The only quarterbacks ahead of Jones on that list are Pro Bowl-level players such as Jackson, Josh Allen, Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray, along with a playoff starter in Jalen Hurts. In other words, Jones’ dual-threat skill set can’t be overlooked.
However, what also can’t be overlooked is his penchant for turnovers. The 6-foot-5 quarterback has thrown 29 interceptions and fumbled 36 times in just 38 games. With the exception of Jared Goff and Baker Mayfield, Jones has the most turnovers in the NFL since 2019. However, Goff has played 46 games and Mayfield has 45 games in that time frame. When looking at per-game average numbers, Jones has averaged more turnovers (1.3 turnovers) than any quarterback since entering the league in 2019.
Most concerning is his inability to hold onto the football; his 20 lost fumbles since 2019 are four more than the next-closest quarterbacks in Derek Carr and Carson Wentz (16 fumbles), and each of those quarterbacks have played at least seven more games than Jones.
Jones has suffered behind an unstable offensive line and an ever-changing organizational structure. After impressing in his rookie season with 24 touchdown passes and an 87.7 quarterback rating in just 13 games, Jones’ play has regressed. He has thrown 21 touchdowns versus 17 interceptions in the past two seasons.
The Giants recently fired head coach Joe Judge, while general manager Dave Gettleman announced his retirement. Brian Daboll will represent Jones’ third head coach in just four seasons with the Giants.
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Seahawks Not the Right Fit for Jones
With all of that said, the Seahawks just don’t have a spot for Jones. They’re already dealing with their own current reclamation project in former second-round draft pick Drew Lock. Secondly, the Seahawks have remained adamant that they’re not seeking quarterbacks via trade. For example, Seattle will only sign Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, rather than trade for him.
The Seahawks appear to be content in entering a rebuilding season with veteran Geno Smith as the starter or Lock/Mayfield emerging as potential candidates. One thing that the Seahawks will not do is pull off a trade by giving up assets for a turnover-prone quarterback in Jones.
As much potential as Jones may have, the Seahawks are not pulling off a deal for the Giants quarterback.