The New York Giants kicked off training camp with their first practice of the summer on Wednesday. Quarterback Daniel Jones got off to a hot start, throwing a slew of touchdown passes in team drills and showing off improved arm strength throughout the first practice. Entering his fifth season in the NFL, Jones looks like a new and improved version of himself as he looks to lead his team back to the postseason in 2023.
Daniel Jones throwing the ball harder than ever before
When entering the league in 2019, scouts and analysts were critical of Jones’ arm strength. “Jones doesn’t have special arm talent,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote during the pre-draft process. “Lacks arm strength,” wrote Matt Miller, formerly of Bleacher Report and currently ESPN’s Lead NFL Draft Analyst.
Despite his perceived lack of arm strength entering the NFL in 2019, Jones has changed the narrative entering his fifth season. Jones has proven through his first four seasons that he has plenty of arm strength, completing a bevy of deep, rifled passes throughout he career thus far. But his arm strength has seemingly improved further this summer as Jones showed up to the first practice of camp reportedly putting more muster on his passes than ever before.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him throw the ball harder,” Art Stapleton of NorthJersey.com tweeted following practice.
Cole Beasley says Daniel Jones was “humming it” at Giants practice
Newly-acquired WR Cole Beasley also took notice of Jones’ arm strength:
“He’s got a strong arm, good accuracy out there,” Beasley told Art Stapleton of NorthJersey.com. “I just gotta get used to seeing his ball, he was humming it. Love what I’ve seen so far.”
Danny was dropping Dimes throughout Wednesday’s practice
Jones was listed as one of the standouts from Wednesday’s practice after throwing touchdown strikes throughout team drills. He tossed touchdowns to WRs Isaiah Hodgins, Parris Campbell (twice), Cole Beasley, TEs Darren Waller (three times) and Daniel Bellinger, and RB Saquon Barkley at Wednesday’s practice.
Jones also “showed his ability to extend plays time after time on Wednesday,” according to the practice report on Giants.com. His ability to extend plays was demonstrated on this touchdown pass where Jones rolled out and hit Saquon Barkley on the sideline for a toe-tap touchdown in the red zone during team drills.
The Giants are beginning preparations for the upcoming 2023 season as they kick off training camp this week. All eyes will be on Jones as he looks to take a big step forward the his fifth season of his career, putting some extra heat on his passes and hopefully leading the team back to the playoffs for the second year in a row.