Where do Giants stand with QB Daniel Jones after blowout loss?
New York Giants QB Daniel Jones
Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Saquon Barkleyâs first game against the Giants turned out to be a comfortable Eagles victory. During the fourth quarter of the lopsided contest, New York elected to replace Daniel Jones with Drew Lock at quarterback. A permanent change at the position is not under consideration, however.
âI made a change in the fourth quarter when it was 28-3, had about 100 yards, just to create a spark,â head coach Brian Daboll said when speaking to the media after the game (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). âDaniel will be the quarterback going forward. But obviously we didnât do enough offensively.â
Jones completed 14-of-21 passes for 99 scoreless yards on Sunday, adding 20 yards on five rushes. He avoided any turnovers, but as a whole New Yorkâs offense (which will be without left tackle Andrew Thomas for the rest of the season) continued to struggle. The team has managed only one touchdown in four home contests this year, further indication that Jones will not develop as hoped in 2024. For now, at least, the former No. 6 overall pick is safe atop the depth chart.
âThe score didnât get out of hand,â Daboll added. âI felt we had some chances there to make some plays, just didnât make them, wasnât going to take him out then. Itâs all the way around, not just quarterback â coaching, everything just wasnât good enough.â
Of course, Jonesâ four-year, $160M pact has been a major talking point since it was signed. Retaining the 27-year-old was coupled with the decision to tag Barkley last offseason; the latter departed in free agency after talks on a new Giants pact were unsuccessful. Jonesâ $40M AAV has been surpassed by several recent quarterback mega-deals, but it would be a stretch to say he has lived up to expectations so far. Questions loomed about his post-2024 future ahead of the campaign, one in which the Giants now sit at 2-5.
Jonesâ contract includes a $23M injury guarantee for next season, leading to speculation New York could bench him at some point during the year and ensure he remains healthy. If that were to take place, Lock would handle QB1 duties before a serious push to add at the quarterback spot during the offseason. The Giants aggressively pursued a move up the draft board in April to land one of the draftâs top passers, a sign of how they view Jonesâ upside. Doing the same in 2025 would come as no surprise at this point, but for the time being Jones will continue operating as the teamâs starter.
This article first appeared on Pro Football Rumors and was syndicated with permission.
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