3 reasons the Giants will likely stick with Daniel Jones for one more season

Ever since the New York Giants drafted quarterback Daniel Jones out of Duke, they have failed to build a proper offense around him. The offensive line has been abysmal since his inception in the NFL, and that reality hasn’t changed during the 2021 season.

Currently, the Giants feature the 30th ranked pass-blocking unit, per PFF. It gets worse — they also feature the 25th overall run-blocking unit, which is an essential factor in establishing a strong passing game.

Through eight weeks of the regular season, the Giants have experienced injuries beyond their wildest dreams, with the majority of playmakers sitting out for a variety of reasons. Saquan Barkley suffered a low ankle sprain against Dallas, Kenny Golladay a hyperextended knee, Kadarius Toney has been fighting his way through ankle troubles, and Sterling Shepard is battling Hamstring and quad injuries.

Aside from Jones’s playmakers, starting left tackle Andrew Thomas suffered an ankle injury against the Rams, and ever since then, the OL has been appalling.

However, it is likely the Giants move on from general manager Dave Gettleman at the end of the season, and part of the contingency is that Daniel Jones will likely stick around for another season as they continue to evaluate his qualities. The question is, what GM will be willing to take over knowing they simply don’t have the control necessary to build a quality team?

Jones has experienced growth in some categories, including pocket presence and completion percentage, but he still struggles with staring down receivers and making poor decisions at times. Having minimal time in the pocket undoubtedly contributes to his inability to read coverages and making boneheaded mistakes.

Three reasons Daniel Jones will stick around with the Giants next season:

1.) The offensive line has been horrendous

As stated before, the offensive line ranks among the worst in the NFL, and it has been that way for the past three seasons. Jones was sacked 45 times last year in 14 games and is on pace to go down 40+ times this year over a 17 game season.

Simply watch the clip below of starting right tackle Nate Solder getting lifted off the ground by one arm and put on his backside at the end of the Giants’ most recent loss to Kansas City. When you have tackles playing at an incompetent level, it significantly impacts the play of the quarterback.

Many have continued to blame Daniel Jones for the Giants’ struggles on offense, but having experienced little pass-protection since entering the NFL, he has been unable to take the necessary leaps in development. Take a look at one of the more significant hits he took in Week 8, as the protection scheme failed almost instantly.

The Giants simply can’t evaluate Jones properly unless he has proper time in the pocket to throw the football. As he experienced against the New Orleans Saints, when he has time to allow routes to develop, he is an incredibly accurate passer with solid qualities.

2.) Failure to properly evaluate Daniel Jones

A new general manager may decide to draft his own quarterback, but the Giants are better off sticking with Jones for one more season on his rookie deal and investing their two first-round selections on offensive linemen or a mixture of OL and edge rusher.

I have little doubt the Giants can win with Jones at quarterback, but they first need to solve their problems in the trenches, where everything begins and ends.

3.) Injuries and play-calling

Big Blue has experienced unfortunate luck with injuries this season, as Jones has been forced to utilize receivers like Collin Johnson and Dante Pettis, two practice squad players/reserve options. With names like Golladay and Barkley consistently missing games, Jones has barely had any time to develop chemistry with the players on the field, making success even more improbable.

Management will likely see that as an excuse, rightfully so. However, it shouldn’t justify retaining Gettleman, who started his fourth consecutive season as a general manager of the Giants with a losing record. It is time they move on to someone with a modernized approach who feels they can allocate their draft capital toward solving several important positions.