There is no denying that the New York Giants and QB Daniel Jones has been the topic of much debate over the past few years.
The former 6th overall draft selection, one drafted by a regime that would be wiped clean after the 2021 season, Jones has had highlights in his time thus far, and an equal amount of lowlights. Despite the fact that the Giants were reportedly “done” with the former Duke Alum, top NFL executives may have other ideas about what is truly occurring.
New York Giants, Jones Have Hectic 2023 Season
The 2022 edition of the New York Giants finally returned to the postseason for the first time since 2016, winning a Wild Card contest against the Minnesota Vikings along the way. While a big part of that successful season was running back Saquon Barkley, Jones also turned in his best season in New York, limiting his turnovers amidst a season in which the Giants still finished 3rd in their division.
2023 started with high hopes, and then those hopes came crashing down as soon as the first game of the season. Afterwards, the Giants and Jones never found their footing, and Jones was injured multiple times, including the torn ACL that ended his season in Week 9.
The rumors of Jones replacements, both in-season and moving forward, began immediately. The Giants turned to Tommy DeVito
Daniel Jones has a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the 2023 season https://t.co/mCCrkezJsb pic.twitter.com/fLO5jIlJY3
— SNY (@SNYtv) November 6, 2023
What Are These Executives Saying?
The Athletic’s Mike Sando visited Indianapolis, and while there, he uncovered information that may contradict the swirling rumors that the Giants were done with Jones. Speaking on condition of anonymity, some Executives said the following:
“…quarterbacks Caleb Williams of USC, Jayden Daniels of LSU and Drake Maye of North Carolina will be the first three selections of this year’s draft. Some have suggested that Schoen could take Michigan signal-caller J.J. McCarthy at No. 6, and one executive told Sando that he thinks the Giants “have” to grab him if he falls out of the draft’s first five choices. “
However, another executive said the following:
“That doesn’t mean they will do it,” the executive added. “They desperately need offensive line. Let’s just give them Alt. I could see them saying, ‘If Jones doesn’t work this year, we will have another top 10 pick next year and worry about it then.'”
If a Daniel Jones Replacement Doesn’t Happen, Who Might Giants Turn To At 6?
The New York Giants possess the 6th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Joe Schoen would do good to draft one of the three highest-ranked receivers, or he may choose to draft Notre Dame tackle Joe Alt, as the executive suggested. In fact, the pressure on Schoen to fix the Giants offensive line could be high enough that it may cost him his job, should 2024 be another failure for the team.
Should We Believe These Rumors?
The NFL Draft is so often a time for smoke and mirrors-caliber rumors to dominate the discussion. For teams like the New York Giants who sit at the front of the board, navigating the smoke and mirrors is pivotal to avoiding making the wrong decisions come the night of April 25th. But in a class that possesses such impressive talents, making one decision that seemed right at the time can backfire in the long run.