Tiki Barber Offers Unexpected Thinking Regarding Daniel Jones
Former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber, no co-host of the Tiki and Tierney program on WFAN, made some headlines with his outside-the-box idea that New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, a pending unrestricted free agent, actually be more valuable to the crosstown rival Jets than to the Giants.
“If the Jets get stuck with nobody … the guy who is across the town, Daniel Jones, is more valuable to them than he is to the New York Giants,” Barber said. “They didn’t draft Daniel Jones. They still got a lot of pieces they got to get in place before they’re viable — before they can even beat the Eagles.
“Daniel Jones makes a lot of sense for the Jets, as crazy as it sounds,” he concluded.
The Giants have made it clear that they want Jones back, and if they are unable to reach a new long-term deal with the quarterback, they are reportedly planning to use the franchise tag on the 25-year-old which would carry a hefty $32.417 million price tag that automatically gets deducted from the team's estimated $44 million in available salary cap space.
Such a chunk of change would potentially limit what general manager Joe Schoen could do in free agency, both in terms of retaining his own such as running back Saquon Barkley and safety Julian Love and adding to the roster.
However, Barber believes that the Jets might just be in a position at this point in their roster rebuild where it might behoove them to part with two first-round picks, which would be the compensation if they were to sign any franchise-tagged player.
Tierney disagreed with Barber's take.
“I like Daniel Jones, but he ain’t worth two first-round picks,” he said, adding that Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson might be worth the two first-round picks.
Jones is coming off his best -- and first winning season as a pro. He posted a 9-6-1 record as a starting quarterback and set new career highs in completion percentage (67.2%) and passing yards (3,205) with a career-low five interceptions despite not having one of the top receiving corps in the league. He also added a career-best 708 rushing yards.
Jones recently switched agency representation, moving on from CAA for Athletes First. While the franchise tag seems likely, it could end up being costly for the Giants even beyond this year, absent a new deal.
If tagged, Jones would collect $32.417 million in 2023 if that tag is used, regardless if he plays on that or if he reaches a new long-term deal, because the tag is automatically guaranteed, and any long-term deal would have to pay out the tag amount in cash for the first year.
Assuming Jones continues to play well, he would then, per Pro Football Talk, be in line for a 20 percent salary increase.
Unless someone else is willing to give him what he wants and give the Giants a pair of first-round picks, he’ll make $32.416 million in 2023 — and he’d be in line for a 20-percent raise ($38.89 million) for 2024. That’s $71.31 million over two years, with Jones then in line to potentially become an unrestricted free agent in 2025 unless the Giants would be willing to give him a 44-percent bump to $56 million for 2025.
Even if they do that, the total investment will be $127.32 million over three years, for a total average of $42.4 million. With the ability to pivot elsewhere if his performance in 2022 ends up being the exception and not the rule.
The Giants, however, are unlikely to let things escalate to that point.
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