Every player should aspire to be a teammate like Giants veteran receiver Darius Slayton. Even though he is likely in his final year with Big Blue—since general manager Joe Schoen has not offered him an extension—Slayton remains a staunch supporter of his quarterback, who is coming off an ACL tear and has had volatile performances in recent seasons.
Slayton Stands by Jones Amidst Criticism
Ironically, what stands between Slayton and a long-term deal is Daniel Jones’s contract itself. Yet, Slayton has always been a great teammate, once again shielding Jones from negative media attention after a tough Week 2 outing against the Houston Texans in the preseason.
During joint practices this past week, Jets’ cornerback Sauce Gardner gave a vague and direct response when asked about his thoughts on Jones as a quarterback. Initially, Gardner’s response was positive, but he then took a long pause and seemed to lose his train of thought.
Jones is coming off a rough season that ended with a significant knee injury. He threw for 909 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions. Jones has only thrown 15 or more touchdowns twice in his career, with the first instance occurring in 2019, the only time he’s thrown over 17 touchdowns.
“I don’t know what his intent was,” Slayton said of Gardner, via Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. “I think I saw a tweet [in which] he said maybe he got distracted or something like that and that’s why he paused. But whatever it was, regardless … it’s easy to say negative things once there’s a negative narrative around a person. But it doesn’t always make it — well, in this case it doesn’t make it true. Nor does he see him on a day-in, day-out basis.”
The Future of Jones and Slayton with the Giants
Ultimately, the Giants have the option to cut ties with Jones after the 2024 season, saving over $19 million. This could be their best path to success, allowing them to reset at the quarterback position and reduce long-term cap hits. This move could also enable Slayton to remain with the team and potentially earn a new contract, but it would mean Jones would enter free agency to test his luck.
While another team might see Jones as a bridge option, his time as a starter could be nearing its end if he doesn’t have an outstanding upcoming season. To truly prove himself, Jones would need to throw for over 30 touchdowns and add a few rushing scores, which is highly unlikely given his injury history and inconsistent production over the years.
Slayton Defends Jones’s Contract
Slayton continued to defend Jones and his contract, pointing out that high salaries are the norm for quarterbacks these days. When the Giants signed Jones to his new deal—one of the top contracts at the time—they included a clause allowing them to exit after the second season to protect themselves long-term. The Giants have every reason to consider exercising that option. Even if Jones performs well, he will count $41.6 million against the cap in 2025 and a staggering $58.6 million in 2026. These numbers are unsustainable if the Giants aim to continue building their roster and investing in key positions.
“The thing with the money is, that’s what quarterbacks get paid,” Slayton said. “You don’t see anybody talking about Derek Carr. And I actually think Derek Carr’s a good quarterback. But I’m just saying, what did the Saints do?
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A Make-or-Break Season for Jones
While Slayton’s defense of his quarterback is commendable, the statistics paint a different picture. Jones, coming off an ACL tear, faces significant challenges. With a solid offensive line and a WR1 in Malik Nabers, there are no more excuses for the 27-year-old quarterback. It’s now or never for Jones to prove his worth.