© Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Former Giants TE Kyle Rudolph Defends Daniel Jones
Rudolph argues the Giants have failed Jones by not putting top-notch talent around him.
Former NFL tight end Kyle Rudolph was only with the New York Giants for one season (2021) in which, with Daniel Jones as his quarterback for 11 games, Rudolph contributed 26 receptions for 257 yards and one touchdown.
But in that one season, Rudolph liked enough of what he saw from Jones to offer a robust defense of his former teammate during an appearance on the Up & Adams show with Kay Adams.
“I love DJ. I think he’s super talented,” Rudolph said. “He has the ability to be a Josh Allen-type quarterback. He has the athletic ability to run the football. He can make every throw. He doesn’t have that quite of a strong of a strong arm, but he has an adequately strong arm to make every throw.”
Jones, who is currently rehabbing from a torn ACL, is about to enter Year 2 of the four-year deal he signed with the team last off-season following a strong 2022 campaign in which he finally posted his first winning record as a starting quarterback and led the team to its first postseason berth since 2016.
However, last season was a nightmare for Jones and the Giants. The quarterback suffered his second neck injury in the last three years behind an offensive line that finished with the second most sacks allowed (85) in league history and without a viable receiving threat capable of drawing double coverage to open things up for others when tight end Darren Waller's injury demons resurfaced.
All of this has led to questions about whether Jones, who regressed as the season crumbled around him last year, is the answer going forward. With this year's quarterback class as deep as it's been in years, there is widespread belief the Giants will take a quarterback at some point before the end of Day 2 of the draft to be their future signal caller.
Rudolph, however, doesn't see the need to go that route and implored the Giants to put a better supporting cast around Jones.
“Can we get the guy a number one receiver, please?" he said. “Let's quit messing around. I give the Giants they’ve tried to bolster the offensive line. They’ve invested in first-round picks and brought free agents in. They’ve tried to address the offensive line, but it hasn't worked as well as they would've hoped. They put the effort there [instead of wide receiver]. Can we get the guy a number-one receiver, please?”
The Giants are thought to be eyeing a No. 1 receiver in the first round of next month's draft, especially if the top quarterbacks on their board aren't there at No. 6 where the Giants are currently slated to draft or they're not willing to trade up to get one.
Draft analysts also consider the wide receiver class extremely deep, but the Giants might be able to pass up a chance to land one of Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, or Rome Odunze.
Rudolph pointed out that those who declared Jones, the sixth overall pick in the 2019 draft, as a bust are not being fair.
“How can you judge someone who’s played in the NFL for five years and has never had a number-one wide receiver? What quarterback goes five years without being given a number-one wide receiver?” he asked.
“John Mara said it before last season ‘We’ve done everything to screw this kid up,’” Rudolph continued. “Let’s stop doing everything to screw him up and maybe go get a game-changing wide receiver for him.”
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