Giants GM Joe Schoen Shows Support for Daniel Jones in 'Hard Knocks' Clip

The embattled quarterback is coming off a lost, injury-riddled season.

Daniel Jones, quarterback, throws the ball during practice. The NY Giants NFL team held an organized team activity at their training facility in East Rutherford, NJ on Thursday May 30, 2024. / Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY

To those of us on the outside, it looks like the writing might be on the wall for Daniel Jones and the New York Giants. Jones struggled in 2023, turning the ball over nine times in six games before going down for the year with a torn ACL in November. Over the offseason the Giants brought in Drew Lock and rumors immediately began to swirl that he had a shot at supplanting Jones as starter despite the latter's large contract.

But it sounds as if Jones has the full backing of the front office. The Giants' 2024 offseason is being highlighted in a new Hard Knocks series currently airing. A recent episode featured general manager Joe Schoen explaining that Jones never really had a shot last season because the team's offensive line was so banged-up, and he is not giving up on the young quarterback.

"The reality is, facts: three serious injuries in two years," Schoen said. "We need to protect ourselves. [Jones] didn't have much of a chance this year. That's legit. Your offseason, the four guys, the core guys that were going to play together played less than 60 snaps together. Miami, we got f------ three practice squad guys playing for us. Like, nobody could f------, you could have Pat Mahomes and he can't f------ win behind that. I'm not giving up on him."

“I’m not giving up on him” Joe Schoen on Daniel Jones pic.twitter.com/edYADaLRug

— Talkin’ Giants (@TalkinGiants) July 3, 2024

Jones did indeed play behind a patchwork offensive line when he was able to get on the field last year. He was sacked on 15.8% of his dropbacks, by far a career high and third-worst in the NFL. Jones was sacked 30 times in six games! Only two other players were sacked at least 30 times while playing less than half the season— Ryan Tannehill and... Danny DeVito, Jones' backup last season. Between Jones and DeVito the Giants' OL gave up 67 sacks, two more than the league leader Sam Howell.

Jones has his obvious limitations, but it seems like Schoen does not believe he was set up to succeed last year. The numbers, at least, back that up.