It is the most debated contract in modern football. Seriously. When Joe Schoen inked Daniel Jones to a four-year, $160 million deal after the 2022 season, the collective gasp from NFL Twitter could have powered a small city. Some saw it as a necessary reward for a guy who just won a playoff game in Minnesota. Others saw it as a desperate overpay for a quarterback whose career arc looked more like a rollercoaster than a steady climb.
The New York Giants find themselves in a fascinating, albeit stressful, predicament. You’ve got a franchise with four Super Bowl rings trying to find its soul in a post-Eli Manning world. It hasn't been easy. Jones, often called "Danny Dimes" by the hopeful and something much less flattering by the critics, is the face of this struggle.
He’s tough. Everyone agrees on that. He will take a hit, get up, and do it again. But in the NFL, toughness doesn't always move the chains.
The $160 Million Question
Let’s be real for a second. The money is the sticking point. If Jones were making $15 million a year, the conversation would be totally different. But when you’re taking up a massive chunk of the salary cap, the expectations shift from "don't lose us the game" to "go win us the game."
The 2022 season was the outlier. Under Brian Daboll—who basically arrived as the "quarterback whisperer" after his success with Josh Allen—Jones looked efficient. He ran the ball effectively. He stopped turning it over. That Wild Card win against the Vikings felt like a turning point. It wasn't.
Since that contract was signed, things have been... messy. Injuries have played a huge role, sure. You can't ignore the torn ACL or the recurring neck issues. A quarterback’s best ability is availability, and Jones has struggled to stay on the field. But even when he’s out there, the explosive plays just aren't happening often enough.
The New York Giants roster around him hasn't always been a symphony of talent, either. For years, the offensive line was a revolving door of "who is that guy?" and "why is he letting a defensive end through untouched?" Saquon Barkley, the one true superstar playmaker, is gone to Philadelphia. That hurts. It changes the entire math of the offense.
Why the Giants Are Stuck (For Now)
NFL contracts are basically giant puzzles. The Jones deal was structured in a way that made him almost un-cuttable in the first two years. That’s just how the cap works.
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- The dead cap hit is a monster.
- The team had to see if 2022 was a fluke or a foundation.
- Drafting a replacement isn't as easy as it looks on Madden.
Honestly, the New York Giants front office is playing a high-stakes game of "Wait and See." They brought in Drew Lock. They looked hard at the 2024 draft class but ultimately decided that Malik Nabers was too good to pass up. And Nabers is electric. He’s the kind of receiver who makes a quarterback’s life ten times easier. But even a talent like Nabers can only do so much if the ball doesn't arrive on time or if the guy throwing it is seeing ghosts in the pocket.
There’s this specific look Jones gets when the pocket collapses. Fans know it. It’s a mix of hesitation and "here we go again." That internal clock is broken. When you get hit as much as he has, it’s hard not to start sensing pressure that isn't there.
The Brian Daboll Factor
Daboll is a fiery guy. You see him on the sidelines, face turning red, screaming at his headset. He wants this to work. His reputation is tied to Jones. If Jones fails, the "genius" label starts to peel off Daboll.
They’ve tried everything. Short passes. RPOs. Design runs. But the league is about the vertical threat. If you can’t threaten a defense over the top, they just sit on the intermediate routes and dare you to beat them. Jones hasn't consistently proven he can do that at an elite level.
Looking at the Numbers (The Scary Part)
Success in the NFL is usually measured by EPA (Expected Points Added). In 2022, Jones was actually decent in this metric. He was top ten in several efficiency categories because he wasn't making mistakes.
The problem? The NFL is an arms race.
In a division with Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott, "decent" is a recipe for a 7-10 record. The New York Giants aren't aiming for 7-10. They want to compete for titles. You look at the stats from the 2023 season—before the injury—and they were abysmal. The offense couldn't find the end zone. It was a slog. A painful, three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust slog that didn't even result in the three yards half the time.
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Some analysts, like those at Pro Football Focus (PFF), point to the "Big Time Throw" rate. Jones has historically ranked low here. He plays it safe. Playing it safe gets you paid, but it rarely gets you a ring unless you have the 1985 Bears defense backing you up. The current Giants defense is good—Dexter Lawrence is a literal mountain of a man—but they aren't that good.
Is There a Way Out?
The "Jones New York Giants" era feels like it's approaching a natural conclusion, whether that's a resurgence or a parting of ways. The 2025 off-season is the "out." That’s when the contract becomes manageable to move on from.
If Jones plays like a top-12 quarterback this year, he stays. Simple. If he struggles or gets hurt again, the Giants will likely be picking high enough in the draft to finally pull the trigger on a new signal-caller.
It’s a brutal business. Jones is a guy who does everything right. He’s the first one in, last one out. He doesn't say the wrong thing to the media. He’s the "perfect" pro. But the NFL doesn't care about your work ethic if the scoreboard doesn't reflect it.
What Fans Get Wrong
Fans think the Giants "hate" Jones or that they are "stuck" with him. It’s more nuanced. The front office wants him to succeed because it makes their lives easier. Finding a franchise QB is the hardest task in sports. If Jones is the guy, the rebuild is over. If he’s not, they start over from scratch, and that usually means people get fired.
They aren't sticking with him out of loyalty. They are sticking with him because the alternatives—at least until recently—weren't clearly better. You don't jump out of a plane unless you’re sure the parachute is packed.
The Malik Nabers Effect
We have to talk about Nabers again. This is the biggest variable. For the first time since Odell Beckham Jr., the New York Giants have a true "X" receiver who can take a slant 80 yards.
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If Jones can't produce with Nabers, Wan'Dale Robinson, and a revamped offensive line featuring Jon Runyan Jr., then the excuses are officially gone. This is the "No Alibi" season.
- The line is better (on paper).
- The weapons are younger and faster.
- The play-caller is desperate.
It’s the perfect storm for either a career-defining comeback or a final chapter.
Actionable Insights for Giants Fans
If you're following the New York Giants this season, stop looking at the total passing yards. That's a "hollow" stat. Instead, watch these three specific things to know if the team is actually making progress with Jones at the helm:
Watch the Third Down Conversion Rate
Winning teams stay on the field. If Jones is checking down on 3rd & 8 and coming up short, the offense is broken. Look for him to challenge defenders past the sticks.
Monitor the Sack Percentage
Some sacks are on the offensive line. Many are on the quarterback. If Jones is still holding the ball for 3.5 seconds, he’s going to get hit, and he’s going to get injured. A quick release is the only way he survives a 17-game season.
Red Zone Efficiency
Field goals don't win games in the NFC East. The Giants have historically struggled to turn "trips to the 20" into six points. Jones needs to use his legs in the red zone—it’s his greatest weapon, and they need to stop being afraid of him getting dinged up there.
The reality of the New York Giants right now is a team caught between two eras. They have the ghosts of past glory and the harsh reality of a modern, pass-heavy league. Daniel Jones is the man caught in the middle. Whether he’s the bridge to the next great Giants era or just a footnote in the team’s history will be decided on the turf of MetLife Stadium. Keep an eye on the injury reports and the pocket presence; those will tell you more than any post-game press conference ever could.