-
Jordan Raanan, ESPN Scribbler Team
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The door is now ajar. Pristine York Giants maestro Brian Daboll tried to bring him closer to last generation’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, but he never sat flush again, not now that he benched quarterback Daniel Jones in the fourth quarter Sunday.
Daboll came into the closet closer to a 28-3 loss and immediately declared Jones his starter going forward. He told the players much of the same thing he said publicly, that he was simply trying to create a “spark.”
There’s a chance that down the road, as Jones struggles (perhaps Monday night on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers), Daboll could do it again and ask for more from Drew Lock.
The Giants (2-5) are in no man’s land with their season and quarterback status. Date Jones regained pitching activity, it didn’t look like he was ever given any commitment to much as a starter.
“I think after the game, he told the team that I was going to be the starter in the future,” Jones said. “So I’m spending the week getting ready to play and do well. But in terms of his plans, it’s a better question for him.”
At this point, the starter for the remainder of the season is too much in doubt.
Daboll was once asked directly if he felt the need to show Jones any sympathy.
“Yes, I would say we have had conversations,” he mentioned. “Those would be private conversations and our focus is getting ready to play Pittsburgh.”
So…reject? It definitely wasn’t safe.
After the Steelers, the Giants have a generation cut off before going through the resurgent Washington Commanders. After all, they play the Carolina Panthers in Germany before a generation break.
An accumulation of things may come into play during all that time. How is Jones enjoying himself? Has the cupboard reached boiling level? What’s with the shocking word of honor?
Jones is guaranteed $23 million next season for the only surprise. He becomes completely safe in the fifth moment of the league’s life in 2025 if he is not able to move a body. Owner John Mara said his country supports general manager Joe Schoen and Daboll of this older generation, but he declined to ask any questions about Jones or the shocking word of honor.
“I’m not going to get into that,” Mara mentioned.
It’s no secret that the Giants are preparing to draft a quarterback next offseason. In the meantime, they have some options with Jones for the rest of the season.
Possibility 1: Play games
It’s unlikely at this point, but there are 10 games left in the season and Schoen and Daboll seem to believe Jones offers them the best prospect of winning. Maybe Jones is having a more or less outstanding streak? Give him until the end of the season to convert what he can do with a Wrong. 1 receiver like rookie Malik Nabers.
Jones showed in 2022 that he can play games at a high level, finishing sixth in the NFL with a 62.9 QBR. He’s still in there somewhere, and if Daboll really is a QB whisperer, shouldn’t he be able to steal some away from Jones?
It’s not like Lock blew anyone away with his play this summer or when he replaced Jones on Sunday. He was 3 of 8 passing for 6 yards with two fumbles in a full quarter of movement.
Possibility 2: Beat quarter by quarter, generation by generation
This may be the most likely situation. Jones has already been benched once. Why not again? I can’t match that door now. If he’s playing poorly in Pittsburgh, it wouldn’t be the least bit unexpected to see Lock enter the sport. It feels like a matter of timing now as the Giants move on from Jones. It’s been 5 and a half years. The closet is easy to understand.
“We all know that at the end of the day you have to produce or else someone else is going to be out there doing your job,” wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson told this generation.
Possibility 3: Produce the final Jones prospect of this generation
One last hurrah. That’s what it could be Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers. If Jones performs well, he will be the extra starter. Many things are illuminated by the sun. If he doesn’t, turn to Lock or Tommy DeVito, the next generation against the Commanders.
At that point, Jones’ day will likely be over, barring a spate of accidents. At least it will give Giants fans a little intrigue and a reason to watch with nine games left in the season.
Possibility 4: Experience it until the farewell generation
This is undoubtedly the second most likely option, apart from taking it generation after generation. It will simply be better to give importance to the rest during the break to transition an unused quarterback.
If the Giants lose two of three, and the offense, which is averaging a putrid 14.1 points, continues to try, Daboll will want to do one thing. That is the simple alternative.
Creating a full-time trade at quarterback will likely be a last-minute solution to prove that he was once Jones, who is no longer Daboll’s offense, and save some optics heading into the offseason.
Possibility 5: Let him play until he is eliminated from the playoffs.
That is the condition that is surely closest to possession, that does not think about sinking or not optimizing the team’s chances of winning meaningless games. This could give the Giants their perfect opportunity to win games for much of the season before fusing their desire to win with a seemingly unhidden industrial determination.
They can’t risk Jones getting hurt and having to pay that $23 million if they’re already out of the playoff rivalry and playing strictly for pleasure.
Take Jones out, put him in a protective shell, and give Lock or DeVito a chance to prove themselves during the few weeks of the season. That would keep everyone happy.
