Is Daniel Jones going to be the starter for the New York Giants in 2019? No. At least, that’s if the coaching staff are to be believed. There’s been plenty of talk flying around about how the number six overall draft pick is ready to start right now, and now that Jones has three good preseason games under his belt, it doesn’t seem that the talk is going to cease anytime soon. But throwing Jones right into the line of fire isn’t the plan for the Giants, and it hasn’t been since the draft.
It doesn’t stop the question from coming up by now, though, every week, as if the team’s answer might change. This time, head coach Pat Shurmur had to do what he’s been doing all training camp long and reaffirm that the starter is Eli Manning.
“I think what we’re doing is, and I’ve said it all along, Eli’s our starter and we’re getting Daniel ready to play. I think he’s done a good job in the preseason, as I’ve mentioned all along. He’s getting better, and he’s going to continue to do that so that at whatever time we need him to play, he’ll be ready,” said Shurmur.
But affirming Manning as the starter one time wasn’t enough, and Shurmur found himself being asked again if he was for sure about Manning being the starter once again.
“I just said Eli’s the starter. Didn’t I just say that? Excuse the fact that I had to repeat it, but I felt like I just said that. It’s all good,” Shurmur repeated.
It likely won’t be the last time such an explanation is repeated – the Giants still have one preseason game left, after all, and it’s unknown how the offense will perform in the regular season following major changes. Will the Giants change their stance when the regular season starts due to the performance of Eli Manning?
We’ll see. It’s impossible to know right now, because for now, just how good or bad Manning will play this season remains a mystery, despite being the main deciding factor in Jones’ fate this season.