The New York Giants take the field for the first time on Thursday night as they kick off their preseason against the Detroit Lions at 7 PM EST. It’s unorthodox to see important starting players receive extended action in the preseason, especially at the quarterback position. However, Giants starting quarterback Daniel Jones is eager to take the field and hoping to get some action on Thursday night for the preseason opener.
Could the Giants give Daniel Jones some playing time in the preseason opener?
Following the Giants’ first joint practice with the Lions on Monday morning, Jones told the media in attendance that he wants to suit up on Thursday night for the preseason opener (h/t Connor Hughes of SNY):
“I’d like to play. At the end of the day, that’s the coach’s decision,” Jones told the media per SNY. “I’ll do whatever Dabes [head coach Brian Daboll] thinks.”
Having the team’s starting quarterback take the field in the first week of preseason is an atypical move for most NFL teams. But for Jones, it could make sense to give him some action as he returns from injury this summer.
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Jones needs to play at some point in the preseason
The Giants cannot afford to get off to a slow start this season with some winnable games ahead in the first two weeks of the regular season. They fell into that trap last year after getting blown out in Week 1, Week 3, Week 4, and Week 5 to stumble their way into a 1-4 hole.
Having Jones fully healthy and sharpened at the start of the regular season will go a long way toward getting the season off on the right foot. Jones has been knocking off the rust during training camp as he continues to recover from an ACL tear that prematurely ended his 2023-24 season in Week 9.
Jones has had his fair share of ups and downs during camp but has begun to string together a solid few days of practice this week. Continuing to ramp him up in preparation for a make-or-break 2024-25 season will be a crucial element of the summer. Resultingly, the Giants should work to give Jones some playing time during the preseason as he continues to get ready for the regular season.
