Pros and Cons of Lions Pursuing New York Giants QB Daniel Jones

Read more on the pros and cons of the Detroit Lions pursuing N.Y. Giants quarterback Daniel Jones this offseason or in 2023.

Could New York Giants signal-caller Daniel Jones be the Detroit Lions' next starting quarterback? 

For starters, Lions fans and pundits alike both agree that the incumbent, Jared Goff, isn't the long-term answer in the Motor City. 

Meanwhile, there's a chance the Giants won't exercise Jones' fifth-year rookie contract option. The "G-Men" will have until the beginning of next May to pick up that option. But, if they don't, Jones, who's presently in his third NFL season, will become a free agent in 2023 at just 26 years old. 

Jones has been nowhere near a home-run draft pick since New York general manager Dave Gettleman selected the Duke product with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. 

He took over the reins under center from two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning, and has experienced his fair share of struggles since. 

He's thrown for just 10 touchdowns in 11 games, and he owns a paltry QBR of 41.0, which places him 25th among all qualified passers in 2021. 

If the season were to end today, it'd be the worst QBR for Jones in a single season since he entered the league. And, it's not exactly close to the QBR he put up during his rookie campaign in '19, during which he produced a career-best 24 passing touchdowns in 13 games (12 starts).  

Vincent Carchietta, USA TODAY Sports

At least partially due to Jones' lack of career development, Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett was relieved of his duties earlier this season. 

Former Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens has taken over the team's play-calling duties on an interim basis since, and he/whoever gets the job on a full-time basis next season will be tasked with getting Jones' career back on the right track. 

Whether the Giants are able to accomplish such with Jones is anyone's guess at this point. 

It begs the question: Would Jones be better off with a change of scenery at this juncture in his career? 

Whether Detroit is the right place for it to happen is another question. Detroit's offensive coaching staff, currently led by OC Anthony Lynn, doesn't leave me with much optimism that Motown is the right fit for the former first-rounder. 

But, at the end of the day, Lions general manager Brad Holmes should be evaluating every single option when it comes to his quarterback situation for next season, because it's already crystal clear that Goff is no longer an NFL starting-caliber signal-caller. 

While I'm not sold on Jones being the guy that can lead the Lions to their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, it wouldn't hurt to put in a call to the Giants this offseason to see what the asking price is for the QB known as "Danny Dimes."