Giants HC, teammate address how Daniel Jones looks in training camp

Much has been made about the struggles endured by New York Giants starting quarterback Daniel Jones over the first week of training camp.

Head coach Brian Daboll spoke with reporters on Friday and indicated he's not concerned about Jones with over a month to go until the start of regular-season play.

"He’s in the right mind space right now," Daboll said about Jones, per John Flanigan of SNY. "He's done everything we've asked him to do and he looks normal out there. He’s been right on track, which is pretty impressive in terms of he had the injury and this is what he’s at already, so I’m proud of him."

Jones missed time last season with the second neck injury he suffered across three campaigns before he went down with a torn ACL on Nov. 5. It's now known that Giants general manager Joe Schoen explored moving up from the sixth pick of the 2024 NFL Draft with a replacement for Jones in mind, but a report from last weekend insisted that the club "still believes in" the 27-year-old.

The Giants can escape the four-year contract Jones signed in March 2023 during the next offseason. That deal includes an injury guarantee that could result in Big Blue benching a healthy Jones before Week 18 if the club falls out of playoff contention.

"He looks confident," Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt added about Jones. "Just to see him running around after seeing what he went through last year with all the injuries ... I’m just so proud of what he’s done so far and I can’t wait to watch him play."

Daboll has replaced offensive coordinator Mike Kafka as New York's primary offensive play-caller in part to help Jones bounce back from all that went wrong for him last season. As of Friday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Jones as the overwhelming betting favorite at -600 odds to start New York's Week 1 game versus the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 8 over backup Drew Lock (+400).

There's currently no indication Lock will receive a chance to win the QB1 job through the preseason as long as Jones stays healthy.