The New York Giants had another disappointing season where they struggled to find anything resembling a quality NFL offense, and it all traces back to their subpar quarterback play. Following the $160 million contract the Giants handed their 2018 first-round pick, Daniel Jones battled through poor play and injury, resulting in a season that has created plenty of buzz surrounding which quarterback prospect Joe Schoen could target in the upcoming NFL Draft. Rich Eisen said on the Rich Eisen show that he’s heard that the Giants are “absolutely done” with Jones, which isn’t surprising.
In his NFL career, the 26-year-old has a mere 85.2 Passer Rating, and this past season he was downright unplayable, although injuries might have contributed to some of that play. The Giants are not winning a Super Bowl with Daniel Jones, and it seems that the front office is actively looking for an opportunity to upgrade in the QB room.
Daniel Jones Is Falling Out of Favor With Giants’ Brass
One thing has become abundantly clear about the New York Giants after the ugliness of last season, and it’s that they need a new signal caller if they want to contend. While the NFC is a weaker conference in terms of quarterback play, the Giants are usually outclassed in the passing game when Daniel Jones is behind center, and what Rich Eisen has reported backs up the speculation that New York is desperately searching for a way to upgrade the quarterback room.
This is about as definitive of a rumor as it gets, and if Eisen’s words are accurate, it indicates a deep sentiment in the organization that Daniel Jones hasn’t brought enough to the table. It wouldn’t be statistically inaccurate, in fact, it would be painting the exact picture of the New York Football Giants since Eli Manning’s retirement. When looking at the surface-level statistics, the career 3.3% touchdown rate and 2.1% interception rate stand out as suboptimal, and while Jones generates a lot of value with his legs, it’s rarely enough to float his poor passing production.
Expected Points Added per Play (EPA/Play) takes into account contributions with the arm and legs, adjusting for game situations as well, and Daniel Jones ranks in the 25th Percentile among all quarterbacks in that metric (minimum 500 plays). The Giants may not have the best supporting cast around Jones, but the production under center mirrors the likes of Tyrod Taylor, Mac Jones, and Taylor Heinicke, who their teams have replaced or will replace this offseason, and not a single QB in that group besides Daniel Jones can say they got a five-year leash and nine-figure extension as well.
Jayden Daniels or JJ McCarthy are seen as the most likely quarterbacks that will be available for the New York Giants to select in the first round, although that’s no guarantee either. Teams like the Atlanta Falcons or Minnesota Vikings could try to trade up to the fourth overall pick, and the Giants’ chances of landing a QB rely on other teams either not being aggressive for one on the trade market or the teams ahead of them not selecting the signal callers that the Giants are targeting.
Drake Maye is likely not making it past both the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots, and there’s no chance that Caleb Williams will drop to the sixth overall pick. What the Giants choose to do at QB remains a mystery, but it’s clear that they want an upgrade at the position.