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New York Giants Mailbag: Daniel Jones, Running to the Sticks, and More

Checking in with the readers to see what's on their minds this week.

Patricia Traina

New York Giants Mailbag
New York Giants Mailbag / Patricia Traina | New York Giants on SI
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If you'd like to submit a question for the mailbag, please use the link below or post your questions on X (formerly known as Twitter) to @Patricia_Traina, hashtag #askPTrain. Please note that letters may be edited for clarity/length.

Let's say it's 3rd-and-10, and the receiver, instead of running for 11+ yards, goes out 7 yards and gets tackled. Now it's 4th, and they are forced to punt or attempt a field goal. I believe it happened at least twice. It was 3rd and very short on the Giants' next-to-last possession. The quarterback sneak was working. Why not try the quarterback sneak on 3rd? If it doesn't work, do it again on a quick count on 4th down.

Instead, it went backward on 3rd and was unsuccessful on the 4th, which resulted in the RB taking it to the house for Cincy. I have always been a proponent of using a two-back set during the game. First, it keeps the D guessing. Next, with play action it can set up the screen and flea flickers and various other creative play calling, which the Giants play caller cannot be accused of, creativity that is. How do you feel about any of the above, my friend?

Joe, the answer is that the receivers need to run to the sticks. Period. Let's not make this any more complicated than it needs to be. Right now you get the sense that they are only concerned with getting the ball out of Daniel Jones's hands ASAP and then letting the receivers pick up the YAC. As we have seen it doesn't always work that way.  As for using the quarterback sneak, I think it would depend on where they were on the field, the score, and the time left. 

If Daniel Jones gets cut but can’t pass a physical, $23 million of his $30 million base salary in 2025 will get tacked onto a dead-money hit of $22.210 million if he’s a pre-June 1 transaction.

If he can pass a physical and he’s cut as a pre-June 1 transaction, so long as he’s cut before March 15, when $12 million of his base salary becomes guaranteed for 2025, he counts for just $22.210 million in dead money against the cap.

So to answer your question, the difference is $23 million.  

First, they’re not moving Evan Neal to left tackle this year. Offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo confirmed what I have been saying now for weeks: Neal, thanks to his injuries and inability to get on the field during the spring and most of the summer, is behind on his on-field work. And they want to get him up to speed at right tackle before moving him to left tackle.

Regarding your question, I think they should at least give Ezeudu a couple of games. I also suspect they’re going to give him a lot more help on that side versus on the right side and just hope for the best. My personal hope is that, given that Ezeudu has had the entire spring and summer to work at left tackle versus last year, when he got thrown into the mix at the very last minute, he’s improved.

I don’t think the Giants go with a firesale of the roster if they continue to lose. Do they maybe look to move on from a guy who is not in the long-term plans? That I could see. 

But you don’t want to dismantle the entire roster when you’re trying to build a foundation. And this roster really isn’t that bad; in fact, dare I say it’s solid. 

The common denominator now is at quarterback. If he’s the reason why general manager Joe Schoen thinks this roster isn’t going anywhere, you replace Daniel Jones after this season. You don’t rip down the entire program and start over; otherwise, you’re never going to build cohesiveness.

Does the Seattle game count?

I can’t speak for ownership, but as I said in my response above, this team is trying to build a solid core foundation. And for the most part, they have. The O-line is better, the receivers are better, and the defense is playing well (including the defensive secondary, which really concerned me). The running game looks promising as well. 

The common denominator? The quarterback. There has been far too much inconsistency in that position, and I truly believe the Giants need to really look in the mirror and shove any sentimentality they might have for Daniel Jones to the backburner. 

This continued clinging to hope that Jones can be the next Eli Manning because he was coached in college by David Cutcliffe like Manning, or because he carries himself a lot like Manning did, or because he has Manning’s work ethic, etc. 

It’s been six years, and Jones, even when healthy and with a decent supporting cast around him, has been far too inconsistent. He continues to make stupid decisions at the worst possible times, and he still isn’t trusting what he sees out there, and he’s still forcing things that just aren’t meant to be forced.

I can’t. I’m sorry. Hamstrings take a while to heal, depending on the severity, and I heard when Gano was injured, his hamstring issue was not a simple little tweak. You better make sure that sucker is healed–and that he suffered the hamstring in the same leg where he had the groin issue is another factor.

If I had to guess, I think maybe we see Gano after the bye week. As for Dyonte Johnson, I don’t get the sense there’s any rush to open his window right now, but I don’t know where he is in terms of his recovery.

It ain't over 'till it's over.

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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