For Daniel Jones, it’s now or never with Giants
After seeing his fifth-year option declined by the New York Giants, quarterback Daniel Jones faces the ultimate pivot point in 2022.
The moment of reckoning is here for Daniel Jones.
After three seasons with the New York Giants, Jones’ future as the franchise quarterback is very much in doubt. This offseason, the Giants cleaned house, hiring general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll, two men with no connection to Jones.
Now, after seeing his fifth-year option declined this offseason, Jones is entering the most important year of his young career. If New York struggles and Jones continues to throw interceptions — 29 picks in 37 starts — he’ll be looking for another job and likely as a backup, much in the way we saw Mitchell Trubisky with the Buffalo Bills in 2021.
But is Jones himself feeling the pressure with training camp only one month away? Predictably, Jones gave the standard line of not thinking too much about the situation at hand, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
“I don’t know. I haven’t put a whole lot of time into it. I’m focused on what I’m doing now, and, hopefully, the plan is to have a lot of success and have a great season and win a lot of games.’’
However, Jones then acknowledged he does contemplate the enormity of this season from a personal standpoint, again per the New York Post.
“It’s something you probably think about from time to time, in the back of your mind, but, yeah, you try not to. I don’t think that helps you play better.’’
Luckily for Jones, the Giants have some weapons. There are a litany of receivers at his disposal including Darius Slayton, Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney and Sterling Shepard, along with running back Saquon Barkley. In short, the offensive line is the main concern for Jones, which has been a unit that struggled to keep him upright over the first three seasons of his tenure with Big Blue.
In 2022, Jones –and the Giants — need it to all come together, or there’s going t be a full-blown overhaul on the offensive side of the ball under Daboll and Schoen. And that starts with Jones, who has flashed promise but can’t find consistency.
It must change, and now.