Following Daniel Jones’ injury, the Giants could face a series of potential problems in 2023 and beyond and the NYP’s Paul Schwartz is here to give some answers to questions Jones’ injury might create.
Q: In Jones finished with the Giants?
A: Those predicting that Jones will never throw another pass for the Giants might want to store those prognostications in the overhead compartment. There is a salary cap and ramifications for cutting a high-priced player and no one has forgotten that the Giants last March gave Jones a four-year contract worth $160 million. His cap number for 2024 is $47.5 million, and if the Giants decide to cut ties with him after the season — they will not do that, for several reasons — the dead money hit would be $69 million.
That is … untenable. The four-year deal contained an “out’’ after two seasons but even then, if the Giants parted ways with Jones after the 2024 season, he could count $22 million in dead cap money in 2025. That would be a Giants record. Contracts have consequences. Jones will be on the team in 2024.
Q: Will Jones be the starting quarterback in 2024?
A: Just as Jones will be back, it is inconceivable that the Giants will await his return to health without significantly upgrading the position. First of all, he will be coming off a major injury. Secondly, he was an ineffective quarterback this season, playing one outstanding half of football in Arizona and not much else to get excited about. Plus, he missed three games with a neck injury, the second time in three seasons he missed time with a neck issue. Availability is a talent and Jones is not available enough.
As it stands today, the Giants would own a top-five pick in the 2024 draft and they have two second-round picks if they want to create a package to move up. They need help everywhere. They thought they were out of the quarterback procurement business and now they get dragged back in, having to think about Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy and maybe Shedeur Sanders because Jones’ season unraveled so painfully and completely.
Would the Giants actually use a high first-round pick on a quarterback, with Jones financially obligated to the team for at least another year? Everything must be on the table and this must be considered.
With the answers Paul Schwartz provided to the questions surrounding Daniel Jones’ injury, the Giants should buckle up and embrace what’s ahead of them since he won’t be able to play in 2023.