Daniel Jones will likely lose the starting spot to Tommy DeVito and be next on the Giants' roster.
Returning a week late at the end of another lost season, the Giants (2-8) will bench Jones and avoid Drew Lock, who has been sidelined all season, and will play their first game against the Buccaneers on Sunday. DeVito, a third-string player, was appointed as the starting quarterback. One of seven relatively pointless games.
“We felt like this was a decision we needed to make here,” head coach Brian Daboll said Monday. “Try to spice things up and change things up.”
Jones will be demoted to third-team, effectively guaranteeing he won't play again this season and eliminating the risk of triggering the $23 million injury guarantee in his contract.
The Giants can release Jones at the end of the season for a $22.2 million death-salary-cap penalty, but that number increases to an unmanageable $45.2 million if he fails to pass a medical exam by March 16. It turns out.
“Our conversations will remain confidential,” Daboll said. “surely [he] As a competitor, I wouldn't be happy about that. And I respect that. ”
Former general manager Dave Gettleman once said it would take three years “to realize how crazy I was” before drafting Jones sixth overall in 2019.
It took twice as long as expected and required many excuses, but Jones lost 13 of his final 16 games and finished 24-44 with 70 passing touchdowns, 15 rushing touchdowns, and 51 touchdowns. With one loss and one draw, the six-year streak is likely to end. Fumbles (26 lost), 47 interceptions.
As has always been the case during Jones' tenure, the Giants' offense is one of the lowest scoring offenses in the NFL (15.6 points per game).
“It happens to everyone,” Daboll said. “It's not just Daniel's problem. It's my responsibility. It's the overall offensive performance.”
The four-year, $160 million contract extension that Jones signed after a well-timed career end in 2022 was based on his stellar performance in the Giants' only playoff win since Super Bowl XLVI in February 2012. Although emphasized, it was a two-season disaster for the General. Manager Joe Sean.
He chose to re-sign Jones and team up with Saquon Barkley instead of the other way around, which would have had less long-term impact.
Mr. Daboll on Monday declined to meaningfully answer a lingering question: Was Mr. Jones' future discussed here? Why was he pushed to 3rd place?
Why was DeVito, who went 3-3 as an undrafted rookie last season when Jones was injured, not given a chance to compete for the No. 2 spot in the spring and training camp, or even more than a lock? (1 year, $5 million contract) ) First 10 Did you attend any of the games? Is this part of a decision to reignite excitement, since DeVito, who grew up in North Jersey, is a fan favorite who embraces his Italian heritage with touchdown celebrations? Was ownership involved in the decision?
“Going back and seeing him working with some of our products from last year gives us something to lean on,” Daboll said.
Schoen said last week that naming a starting quarterback is a “football decision” and not strictly a business.
Daboll said Jones will remain with the team and not leave like Derek Carr did with the Raiders when he had a contractual injury guarantee on the bench in 2022.
“I won't go into the details of the conversation,” Daboll said. “Coach and I met every day from last week through the weekend. We evaluated the players' performance and based on that we made the decision to use Tommy.”
Some fans are panicking that DeVito's return will hurt the Giants' top-10 draft position and their chances of selecting a franchise quarterback in 2025.
However, according to ESPN's Football Power Index, moving from Jones to DeVito increased the Giants' odds of getting the No. 1 pick in the draft from 12% to 21%.
Mr. Daboll and Mr. Shane cannot fully embrace tanks for the sake of job security.
“I think we all need to focus on doing everything we can to end the season the right way and take it one week at a time,” Daboll said. “The only thing we can control is our reaction. [to] How has the season been so far? It doesn't determine where the season goes. We put a lot of time, effort and energy into this. ”
Jones had three different head coaches (Pat Shermer, Joe Judge, Daboll) and five different offensive play callers (Shermer, Jason Garrett, Freddie Kitchens, Mike Kafka, Daboll).
Even though Jones was far from the team's only flaw, Giants fans were calling it quits earlier this season, with him getting violently abused on social media and booed at home games. It became clear that.
