Giants Need to End the Daniel Jones Era Now

It's time for the Giants to rip off the bandage and acknowledge that Daniel Jones is not the answer at quarterback.

Nov 8, 2024; Munich, Germany; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) during practice at the FC Bayern Munchen training grounds at Sabener Strasse. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The New York Giants 2-8 season results from numerous factors, though none seemingly bigger than the play of its “franchise quarterback,” Daniel Jones.

Yes, that same Daniel Jones who, in 2022, the first year of the Joe Schoen-Brian Daboll era, looked like he had finally turned into the quarterback former general manager Dave Gettleman, who drafted Jones sixth overall in 2019, thought he could become. 

That has not been the case as year after year, it’s the same thing with Jones, who struggles to make quick decisions, who is mainly a one-read quarterback, whose accuracy leaves something to be desired, and who after a 20-17 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers, is now 3-13 as a starter since 2023.

Why is everyone so surprised by Daniel Jones’ performance?!?!?

This has been who he is for 95%+ of his career.

It’s who he was coming out of college—it’s who he has been as a pro.

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) November 10, 2024

Going up against one of the worst defenses in football, Jones couldn’t get anything going. The Giants were down 10-0 at the half–just another instance in an endless stream of games where Jones played from behind, looking every bit like a quarterback who can’t get out of his own way.  

It’s not all Jones's fault. The kid works hard. He’s well-liked and well-mannered and has shown thick skin even under the broiling spotlight that gets ratcheted up several notches with every mistake and loss he is a part of.

But if insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results, shouldn’t it be time for the Giants to end the Daniel Jones era? 

Head coach Brian Daboll, unlike in past weeks, wasn’t willing to name Jones as his starter after the upcoming bye when the topic of the starting quarterback came up. 

There are people who point to the $23 million injury guarantee in Jones’s contract as the reason to make the move. But this is now more than just that injury guarantee. 

But this is about a franchise that is spinning its wheels at quarterback and who desperately needs to move on from a six-year relationship that just hasn’t been productive or fruitful.

Nov 8, 2024; Munich, Germany; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) during a press conference at the FC Bayern Munchen training grounds at Sabener Strasse. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence was asked if Daboll’s message was getting through to the locker room, and his response was, shall we say, concerning.

“I think it is,” he said. “Just has to be comprehended a little better. Yeah, I think it’s getting through. It’s just critical moments, and we’ve got to understand what those critical moments are to be able to win and come out on top.”

Lawrence’s response raised a few eyebrows and he was asked if he’s troubled over the perception that Daboll’s message isn’t getting through to his teammates.

“Yeah, it’s annoying for sure,” he said. “But I’m not in other people’s heads or brains. Maybe it’s got to be communicated differently or got to hear it from somebody else.” 

This is concerning in that it makes one wonder if the players are starting to tune out Daboll, who likes to preach sticking to the process.  

In addition to Lawrence’s words, one wonders if this is also why the coaching staff can’t seem to get cornerback Deonte Banks to play to his potential or why the ultra-competitive Malik Nabers doesn’t think twice about pointing out how he’s been open only not to get the ball.

One also has to wonder about the lack of attention to little details, such as when a Giants punt gunner overran a Carolina returner who had called for a fair catch only to muff the punt, the nearest Giants defender in no position even to have a chance at recovery, or going back to all those pre-snap penalties and other discipline-related mistakes that have hurt this team.

This is where Daboll’s biggest challenge lies. If the players are tuning him out–and it’s certainly fair to wonder if that has started–it will be virtually impossible for ownership to ignore when deciding the future direction of this team.

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