Daniel Jones was taken with the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
From day one, criticisms, including those from former ESPN analyst Todd McShay were levied against the Giants for the selection, as many other options were on the table for a team in desperate need of help at other positions. These options included linebacker Josh Allen, recipient of the Franchise Tag from the Jaguars, the team who selected Allen immediately after Jones was taken.
Were these criticisms justified, especially as the Giants may seek to replace Daniel Jones?
Todd McShay should get his job back just for how accurate he was about Daniel Jones 😳 pic.twitter.com/e29vsdWvHk
— KB (@KidBlueRB27) March 3, 2024
Daniel Jones was Eli’s Backup
Eli Manning held down the QB1 position for the Giants since he himself was drafted in 2004. Despite a lifetime starting record of exactly 117 wins and 117 losses, the younger Manning captured two Super Bowl wins over the Belichick-Brady dynasty in New England in 2007 and 2011. In the later stages of his career, Eli began sliding backwards as he aged, and the Giants made the oft-criticized move to draft Daniel Jones 6th overall in 2019.
The original plan was for Jones to sit for one season behind Manning. After two bad losses to open 2019, Jones would be thrown into the fire as QB1 for the Giants. Jones performed admirably in the 2019 season, immediately leading the Giants to back-to-back wins to even their record (at that point) of 2-2, before the team finished 4-12 on the season. Jones would end his rookie season with 24 touchdowns against 12 interceptions.
However, he also gave away the ball 19 times via fumbles.
Daniel Jones struggles in 2020 and 2021
Jones experienced his first Week 1 start in 2020. In the full season of 2020, Jones seemed to have regressed. In his first season working under then-new HC Joe Judge, Jones went from 24 passing touchdowns to 11, and took an increased number of sacks. Despite this, the Giants were, shockingly enough, able to remain in postseason contention until the final hours of the 2020 season despite the 6-10 record.
Downside of Daniel Jones falling down on this play is that it's going to overshadow the fact that the Eagle gave up AN 80-YARD RUN TO DANIEL JONES #Eagles #Giants pic.twitter.com/E7IqU4hoJv
— John Breech (@johnbreech) October 23, 2020
2021 seemed to show even further regression from Jones. Before his Week 12 injury that saw him miss the remainder of that season, Jones continued his issues with inconsistent play, and once Jones was out for the remainder of the year, the team flatlined to a 4-13 record.
Playoffs?
Daniel Jones seemed to turn a corner in 2022. Under both new management and coaching, Jones recorded perhaps his very best season in New York, capped by an upset playoff win over the Vikings. For a time, it seemed like Jones finally showed what he was capable of. He stopped turning over the ball, turned in consistent performances all across the board, and Giants faithful were rewarded with a trip to the postseason.
Jones also won Comeback Player of the Year. After all of this, Jones ended with a 160 million dollar contract, one that immediately became one of the worst possible decisions the franchise could make.
Daniel Jones Returns to Struggling in 2023
The Giants were viewed as a team ready to return to the postseason again in 2023. And then the Dallas Cowboys came to town in Week 1. In that Sunday night opener, Jones and the Giants faced disaster. They were beaten in every aspect by division rival Dallas, losing 40-0.
The next weekend, Jones and the Giants faced Josh Dobbs and the Cardinals. The disaster only continued as the Giants spotted Arizona a 20 point halftime lead, one that necessitated a second-half surge to barely escape as 31-28 winners. For the remainder of his 2023 season, Jones struggled further, often seen being the target of angry sideline confrontations with coach Brian Daboll, and the Giants sank to a 2-6 record going into their Week 9 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Jones tore his ACL in that matchup, ending his season. Then, a bevy of quarterbacks, including Tommy DeVito, had to finish the campaign out. It would be DeVito who would shock Giants fans, as he would lead the team on a three-game winning streak from Weeks 11 to 14. Tyrod Taylor would finish the campaign for the Giants, and the 6-11 final record now has the Giants at the exact same 6th pick they held in 2019, when they drafted Jones.
Conclusion
Todd McShay, for the most part, was entirely correct in his assessments of Daniel Jones in the lead up to the 2019 NFL Draft. But to what extent isn’t nearly as clear. Jones turned in two good seasons in the five he has spent in New York. Daniel Jones has had highlights where he’s been able to show his impressive speed. He’s also had about as many lowlights. But for Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll, two men who need to have a fantastic Offseason to stave off the hot seat to save their jobs going forward, a final decision on the quarterback position must be necessary.