The Daniel Jones Era in New York could officially be over, as current head coach Brian Daboll did not guarantee the quarterback would start moving forward. A first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Jones showed flashes early in his career but never overcame his poor supporting cast and questionable coaching under then-head coaches Pat Shurmur and Joe Judge. That changed in 2022, as Brian Daboll helped guide the team to the postseason during his first year on the job.
Jones had the best season of his career in 2022, going 9-6-1 while completing 67.2% of his passes for 3,205 yards, 15 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a league-best 1.1% interception rate. While he wasn’t a superstar, the Giants rewarded him with a four-year, $160 million deal. This was a mistake, as Jones regressed to his career norms in 2023. After missing on UNC’s Drake Maye in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Giants brought Jones back for one more season but continued to struggle. Now 2-8, Daboll says he will “evaluate” the quarterback position over the bye week.
Daniel Jones is not a franchise quarterback, but he is an adequate bridge and a high-end backup with impressive athletic abilities. While he won’t be a Giant next year, a team like the Indianapolis Colts or Los Angeles Chargers could bring him in for the 2025 season.
Daniel Jones Could Be Benched – Colts, Chargers Possible Next Fits
Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen is done with former first-round pick Anthony Richardson. Entering the league as a raw prospect, the Florida product struggled through his first 10 starts and is currently backing up veteran Joe Flacco. Despite playing well early in the season, the one-time Super Bowl champion has struggled since the promotion, guiding the team to two losses while throwing just two touchdowns to four interceptions. Despite this, Steichen refuses to return to Richardson, which heavily suggests the former top prospect is not in the organization’s long-term plans.
Flacco is playing in his age-39 season and might call it a career following the season. If that happens, the Colts must find somebody to hold down the fort in case their next young quarterback isn’t ready to start. Nobody will trade for Daniel Jones and his massive contract, but the Colts could take him in after the Giants inevitably cut him. Jones is an ideal fit for a bridge quarterback, as he can keep the team afloat if the rookie quarterback needs time on the bench, but he’s not good enough to keep a talented youngster on the sidelines indefinitely.
Rehabbing An Image
Of course, there is a chance that nobody will give Daniel Jones a chance to start in 2025, even as a bridge quarterback. If that happens, he’ll have to settle for backup work, and few fits are more enticing than the Los Angeles Chargers. Jones will not overtake superstar Justin Herbert on the depth chart, but he could use a year on the bench to rehabilitate his image. Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh knows how to get the best out of his players, and a season as a backup could earn him a chance to start in 2026.
We saw something similar happen when Mitchell Trubisky left the Chicago Bears. With nobody willing to give him a starting job, the former second-overall pick spent the 2021 season backing up Josh Allen. Once he hit free agency again, the Pittsburgh Steelers gave Trubisky the starting job while first-round pick Kenny Pickett acclimated to life in the NFL. Jones could make a similar career choice, as the former sixth-overall pick’s stock is low following two underwhelming seasons.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
