The Curious Case of Daniel Jones
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is a tough cookie to figure out. One minute he looks like a deer in headlights behind a depleted offensive line, and the next minute he’s making ironic highlight plays (i.e. Daniel Beckham Jr.). As the last year of his contract looms near, the Giants must decide whether Jones is the right man under center.
Jones, 24, has had an up-and-down career in the NFL thus far. Since entering the league in 2019, Jones has the 2nd most turnovers (45), as well as a 10-24 record as a starter. The Daniel Jones experiment has been a work-in-progress since draft day, a day where immediately Jones was greeted with boos. Playing in New York is one of the most difficult environments in all of sports, and surely the results Jones has been producing have not been helping his case. On top of turnovers, Jones also is on pace for a 2nd straight season in which he will throw for less than half of the touchdowns he threw his rookie season (22). This type of offensive regression should certainly not be overlooked, yet Jones remains under center. That brings up the million dollar question: Who else is at fault?
We can start off with the coaching staff. In 2020, Jason Garrett’s Giants offense were 31st in the NFL in points scored, yards gained, and touchdowns scored (Pro Football Reference). The Giants also averaged the 2nd least average points scored per drive, with 1.60 (Pro Football Reference). The same issues linger this year, with the Giants offense yet again near the bottom of the league in nearly every statistical category. The play-calls are for the most part, uninspiring and bland. With the exception of the two wins Big Blue picked up, the offense has looked lethargic. Daniel Jones could be much better off with a coaching change. Point as many fingers as you want at Joe Judge, but if the Giants plan on building any momentum following Sunday’s win versus Carolina, Garrett must expand the playbook. If Daniel Jones is out there catching passes, you can get a pretty good idea of how the offense has been this season.
The injury bug certainly has not helped Jones’s case either. This season, the Giants offense was expected to be electric. A healthy Saquon Barkley, some star power on the receiving end with newly-acquired wideouts Kenny Golladay and fan-favorite Kadarius Toney, and an offensive line that GM Dave Gettlemen placed all his chips on, was expected to take the league by storm. Instead, it has been nothing short of a nightmare for Jones. Barkley, Golladay, Toney have all been sidelined and/or limited this year due to injury. Giants wideouts Darius Slayton, John Ross, and the tenured Sterling Shepard have also been limited for most of the season. The offensive line has also been banged up, with captain Nick Gates and starting tackle Andrew Thomas out for the season. Say what you will, Jones has been forced to work with a new offensive corp nearly every single week, something that anybody in the NFL would find challenging. Despite the injuries, the NFL is a “next man up” league, where if you cannot prove yourself, someone else will. The time is nearing on whether the Giants choose to continue with Jones under center. Former players have even chimed in on Jones’s situation, such as Hall of Fame defensive lineman Michael Strahan. Strahan publically endorsed Jones earlier this month in an interview with USA Today.
"I love Daniel. As a person, absolutely. I think he has the perfect temperament, perfect everything for the position as a Giant," said Strahan "Physically? I'll be honest with you, what an incredible athlete ... I think he could be that guy. He is the guy.”
For the sake of a team with an increasingly impatient fanbase, hopefully Strahan is right on this one.