Benching Daniel Jones for the remainder of the 2024 season would signify more than just acknowledging his declining performance. It would mark the New York Giants effectively surrendering on the current campaign. Head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen simply cannot afford a losing season, especially if they intend to retain their jobs in 2025.
At this point, the Giants have failed to provide Daboll with a young quarterback to develop, and he may never get the chance after the organization committed to Jones with a four-year, $160 million contract following just one playoff win in five seasons.
After Jones’ disastrous Week 1 performance, which included a pick-six and a red zone interception, it’s clear he is on a short leash. However, turning to backup Drew Lock won’t significantly improve their chances of winning football games.
Jones’ Contract: A Financial Quagmire for the Giants
One of the biggest challenges the Giants face is the injury guarantee clause in Jones’ contract, which could seriously impact the team’s salary cap if not handled properly.
If Jones were to suffer a season-ending injury and fail to pass his year-end physical in March, the Giants would be responsible for his 2025 cap hit of $41.6 million, which would account for 15.22% of the team’s cap space. Such a scenario would be financially crippling and could be seen as malpractice by the front office.
Jones’ contract is essentially immovable, given the significant guarantees and his underwhelming performance. While some teams, such as the Miami Dolphins, might be interested if the guarantees were minimal, Jones, at 27 years old, has become an untouchable player headed toward a backup role in 2025.
The Giants’ Financial Options
If the Giants decide to bench Jones for the remainder of the season, they could follow the model set by the Denver Broncos with Russell Wilson. In this case, Jones would carry a $22.2 million dead cap hit for the 2025 season, but the team would save slightly more than $19 million by releasing him. The Giants could also spread the dead money over the contract’s final two years, potentially freeing up nearly $30 million in salary space next off-season.
Even ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported on the complications the injury guarantee could pose for the Giants moving forward. With Week 2 against the Washington Commanders fast approaching, Jones doesn’t have much more time to prove his worth before the Giants may be forced to reconsider their quarterback situation.
Daboll’s Expectations for Week 2
Heading into Week 2, Daboll was direct about what the team needed to do: score more points and get the ball to rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers. Unfortunately, Jones struggled mightily to achieve both objectives in the Giants’ Week 1 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
The Giants now face a Washington team led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, a player whom Daboll reportedly coveted and would have traded up to draft, given the opportunity. However, a few late-season wins by backup Tommy DeVito took the Giants out of contention for a top quarterback prospect, leading them to select Nabers, a decision that wasn’t a bad move but left their quarterback situation unresolved.
Jones Running Out of Time
Jones’ recent stats are damning: he has thrown just two touchdown passes in his last eight games and has tossed more interceptions to opposing teams since signing his new contract. As the losses mount and the offense stagnates, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the Giants may need to pull the plug on the Jones experiment.
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Whether or not Daboll believes that Jones can still succeed as an NFL quarterback, the reality is that all three—head coach, general manager, and quarterback—are on the hot seat. If things don’t improve quickly, sweeping changes could be on the horizon for the Giants.