One of the positions people will be keeping a close eye on when it comes to the New York Giants this year is quarterback. After a disastrous 2023 campaign, not many people are sold on Daniel Jones as the long-term option.
Daniel Jones signed a four-year, $160 million deal with the team during the 2023 offseason. The ensuing regular season was a disaster as he suffered a neck injury, returned and suffered a torn ACL in that game.
Given how his contract was structured, Daniel Jones wasn’t going anywhere this offseason. The team signed Drew Lock in free agency, but all indications are that the No. 6 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft will be the starter.
That is something many New York Giants fans are disappointed in. Despite him helping lead the team to the playoffs in 2022 and defeating the Minnesota Vikings, they are not sold on Daniel Jones as the quarterback of the future.
It is hard to argue against that when looking at his production. He has been near the bottom of the league in several statistics. After throwing 24 touchdowns in his rookie season, he has thrown only 38 in the subsequent 47 games played.
But, there is one area that he has excelled in; late game situations. As shared by Douglas Clawson of CBS Sports, Daniel Jones is one of the most clutch quarterbacks in the NFL entering the 2024 season.
“Hear me out before you pound your fist on the table and yell “Daniel Jones is eighth on this list?!?!?” He had very few clutch opportunities through three seasons but he’s been steady lately.
He successfully led the Giants down the field to tie or take the lead on 11 of 25 opportunities (44 percent) in the last two years, a top-10 rate in the NFL.
I’ll be the first one to tell you that his NFL-record five game-winning drives through seven games in 2022 was a fluke. But, while he may not have been landing haymakers and Saquon Barkley was certainly doing his fair share of the heavy lifting, credit Jones for taking care of the ball and adding value with his legs.
His five turnovers in the fourth-quarter and OT in the last two years is the same number as Joe Burrow. He also led a game-winning drive on the road in the postseason against the Vikings in 2022,” Clawson wrote.
That is something most New York Giants fans will be shocked to read. But, when a game was close the last two seasons, Daniel Jones put the team in position to win.
Of course, that isn’t the end all be all when it comes to evaluating him at quarterback. He leaves a lot to be desired and 2024 will be a make-or-break season for him.
Despite the departure of Saquon Barkley, this is the strongest supporting cast he has had. The offensive line is much improved and the New York Giants have a deep, talented group of pass catchers to target.
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