New York Giants 2023 UFA Primer: QB Daniel Jones
We're kicking off our look at each of the New York Giants pending unrestricted free agents, starting with the most controversial one of all, quarterback Daniel Jones.
Daniel Jones, QB
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 230 lbs.
Age: 25
NFL Exp.: 4 seasons
College: Duke
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones was drafted sixth overall in the 2019 NFL Draft and has been the starter for nearly all four seasons since. Jones attended Duke University for four years, redshirting for his first before becoming the starting quarterback for his final three.
In 36 games played for Duke, Jones completed 59.9 percent of his 1,275 pass attempts for 8,201 yards, 52 passing touchdowns, and 29 interceptions. Jones completed a total of 406 rush attempts on the ground for an additional 1,323 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns.
Though Jones’ struggled to find success over his first three seasons in the league, he managed to produce his best seasonal performance to date in 2022, illustrating his true potential as an NFL quarterback.
2022 Recap
Jones had the best season of his career in 2022. In 16 games started, Jones, hit career highs in completion percentage (67.2), passing yards (3,205), quarterback rating (92.5), rushing yards (708), and rushing touchdowns (7).
Jones only had 15 passing touchdowns to his name, but his decision-making improved tremendously over 2022, keeping his bad throws to a career-low 54 while completing a career-high 24 throwaway passes.
But the biggest revelation about Jones’ 2022 regular season performance must be his turnover rate improvement. This season, Jones committed only five interceptions (a career low) and six fumbles (also a career low).
The 2022 campaign was filled with firsts for Jones, including his first playoff experience. Jones had a big day in the Wild Card game against Minnesota, completing 68.6 percent of his 35 pass attempts for 301 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 17 carries (a career-high) for 78 yards.
Though Jones would end up having a poor showing the following week against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional round (he committed an interception and a fumble against them), he elevated his game significantly and across so many areas, all in just one season.
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Why Giants Should Keep Him
We’ve heard head coach Brian Daboll say this season about Daniel Jones, “He’s done everything that we’ve asked him to do.” This highlights not only Jones’ improvement with his preparation and execution but also his growth as an NFL quarterback in the modern era.
So much was being asked from Jones heading into the 2022 season, from lowering his turnovers to using his feet more to making smarter decisions. And not only did he achieve all of those things, but he also played a crucial role in the Giants' securing a playoff berth for the first time in six seasons.
When the Giants were faced with big games this season, Jones stepped up and delivered, such as against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17 and the Wild Card game when he delivered his first playoff game-winning drive to topple the Vikings.
The Giants got to tap into Jones’ true potential this season. If this is just the beginning of what could come, the Giants should do everything they can to keep him.
Why Giants Shouldn’t Keep Him
This was a contract-determining season for Jones, and as a result, he has some leverage when negotiating a deal that is more suitable for him than for the Giants.
Should Jones want to bargain for a bigger or longer deal, the Giants could run into a snag depending on how many free agents they might want to re-sign.
Moreover, Jones only had one good season, and there is no guarantee he’ll pick up where he left off for the 2023 campaign. Should the Giants revamp their offense with more new faces over the offseason, Jones could find himself having to readjust and acclimate himself all over again, which could take some time and slow down his development.
Keep or Dump?
The Giants spent four years trying to groom Jones into the quarterback they needed him to be. And after finally finding a system and coaching staff that put him in a position to have the best season of his career, it doesn’t make much sense to drop him now.
The Giants had their best season since 2012, and a big reason why was because of how well Jones played and matured as a leader. The biggest marvel about Jones’ success was his ability to still find ways to win and make big plays no matter what offensive line or cast of wide receivers he had to work with.
Jones has come a long way and has a foundation of skills and experiences that he can build on now. And seeing how hard he’s worked for this kind of success, the Giants should invest in him and bring him back.
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