New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones enters a crucial campaign for his career.
The former No. 6 overall pick is going into the second of a four-year, $160 million contract, and there are major questions about whether his future remains in East Rutherford.
With the 2024 season on the horizon, Jones is working his way back from a torn ACL that ended his campaign early last year.
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He’s expected to be ready for Week 1, but the team also signed Drew Lock in free agency as his backup.
Considering how much homework the Giants did on the rookie class, Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News ranked Jones as the quarterback with the third-highest chance to be benched in 2024.
Jones was ranked behind Minnesota Vikings’ Sam Darnold and New England Patriots’ Jacoby Brissett, both of which are competing against rookies selected in the first round of the draft.
Iyer believes that even though the Giants didn’t draft a quarterback, their apparent interest in drafting one means “they won’t hesitate to spin away from DJ should he keep losing his groove.”
The Giants did extensive homework on this class and even tried to trade up three spots to grab Drake Maye, who went to the Patriots. Lock has shown flashes as a spot starter in his career, but he’s still not a viable weekly starter in the NFL.
Right now, Jones is the unquestioned starter for the Giants. If he finds his way to the bench during the 2024 season, it’s difficult to imagine the current regime surviving the fallout.
For more Giants coverage, check out Kevin Hickey’s work on Sporting News.