{"id":18567,"date":"2024-11-24T04:07:48","date_gmt":"2024-11-24T04:07:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=18567"},"modified":"2024-11-24T04:07:48","modified_gmt":"2024-11-24T04:07:48","slug":"daniel-jones-notes-2024-draft-giants-departure-potential-landing-spots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=18567","title":{"rendered":"Daniel Jones Notes: 2024 Draft, Giants Departure, Potential Landing Spots"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Daniel Jones<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and the Giants have mutually parted ways<\/a>. He is currently on waivers, but the nature of his contract ensures he will go unclaimed and thus have the opportunity to join his next team as a free agent. In the wake of this week\u2019s news, a number of updates have emerged regarding the nature of his situation in New York and his potential market. \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As has been well documented (in no small part by the Giants\u2019 status as the subject of this summer\u2019s\u00a0Hard Knocks\u00a0<\/em>series), the team showed considerable interest in a move up the board for a rookie passer. Efforts to acquire the No. 3 pick \u2013 and thus the chance to draft Drake Maye<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 fell short, but Jones made clear his feelings on the subject of nearly being replaced on at least a post-2024 basis. To little surprise, ESPN\u2019s Jordan Raanan reports<\/a> the Giants\u2019 desire to draft a successor added extra pressure for Jones ahead of the 2024 campaign.<\/p>\n

This season also, of course, represented Jones\u2019 return from the ACL tear which shut him down the year prior. He struggled leading up to his Week 12 benching<\/a>, throwing nearly as many interceptions (seven) as touchdowns (eight) and taking 29 sacks. The 27-year-old was in position to occupy the fourth spot on New York\u2019s QB depth chart once\u00a0Tim Boyle<\/a> <\/strong>was added, insurance against him seeing the field and thus being unable to pass a physical this offseason. Jones spoke with head coach Brian Daboll <\/strong>about his future before taking time to contemplate his next steps<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Part of that brief period included time on the scout team defense (something NFL Network\u2019s Mike Garafolo notes<\/a> Jones volunteered for) at practice and what has turned out to be a public goodbye to the franchise. The sixth-year passer faced the issue of needing to initiate an arrangement with the organization regardless of what form it took. Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reports<\/a> simply leaving the team while remaining on the books \u2013 like Derek Carr<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>did after his 2022 Raiders benching \u2013 was not an option in this case without an agreement in place between team and player.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Instead, Jones requested the Giants move on before no doubt doing so this offseason anyway, something Daboll noted was a surprising development in the wake of the decision to bench him (video link<\/a>). Indeed, Dan Duggan of The Athletic adds<\/a> New York would have been willing to carry Jones as a fourth-string quarterback for the balance of the season, but the former No. 6 pick\u2019s request to be let go made that a moot point. Jones will begin the process of seeking out a new team shortly as the Giants prepare to start Tommy DeVito<\/a> <\/strong>for the time being and (in all likelihood) select a new franchise passer in the 2025 draft.<\/p>\n

Jones will be on waivers until Monday afternoon, after which point he will be eligible to join an interested suitor. His base salary for the rest of the year is already locked in, so a league minimum pact is expected once his next deal is in place (along the same lines as\u00a0Russell Wilson<\/a><\/strong>\u2018s Steelers pact checking in at a low cost since the Broncos are still on the hook for most of his 2024 compensation). New York will receive a small degree of cap relief via an offset once Jones has a new deal in place, as noted by CBS Sports\u2019 Joel Corry<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The fact a prorated league minimum investment is all that will likely be required could make Jones an attractive option to teams seeking experienced depth under center down the stretch. A market could be generated quickly, but The Athletic\u2019s Dianna Russini writes the Duke product could instead prefer to remain unsigned for a period and take advantage of a starting gig opening up through injury or other circumstances (subscription required<\/a>). In any case, the opportunity to join an organization interested in exploring a deal for 2025 should present itself.<\/p>\n

Any number of teams have been floated as logical suitors for at least a short-term run to close out the year. That includes the\u00a0Cowboys,\u00a0<\/strong>but veteran insider Josina Anderson reports<\/a> they are not currently looking into adding Jones.\u00a0Cooper Rush<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>is in place atop the depth chart now that\u00a0Dak Prescott<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>is out for the year, and\u00a0Trey Lance<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>could see time if Rush were to suffer an injury or be demoted in the coming weeks. Dallas owner\u00a0Jerry Jones\u00a0<\/strong>does not (at least publicly) view the end of the 2024 season as a lost cause best spent as an evaluation period, making it likely the team\u2019s incumbent passers will continue to be leaned on in Prescott\u2019s absence. \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Even without the Cowboys in the running, executives around the league informed both ESPN\u2019s Jeremy Fowler<\/a> and Jori Epstein of Yahoo! Sports<\/a> that multiple teams will likely pursue Jones as a high floor backup and\/or a potential bridge quarterback for next year. Teams with young passers in need of development now \u2013 or those which will add one this spring \u2013 could stand to let Jones at least compete for a short-term gig atop the depth chart. As a result, Fowler names the\u00a0Raiders\u00a0<\/strong>(whose staff includes\u00a0Fred Walker,\u00a0<\/strong>Jones\u2019 former college offensive coordinator) as a \u201csensible option.\u201d Vegas could look to move on from one or both of\u00a0Gardner Minshew<\/a> <\/strong>or Aidan O\u2019Connell<\/a> <\/strong>in the offseason, given their respective 2024 struggles.<\/p>\n

Epstein, meanwhile, notes that multiple league personnel pointed to the\u00a0Vikings\u00a0<\/strong>as a logical landing spot. Provided\u00a0Sam Darnold<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>were to depart in free agency, Minnesota could look to insulate first-rounder J.J. McCarthy<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>(whose meniscus tear has left him sidelined for his entire rookie campaign) for 2025. Head coach\u00a0Kevin O\u2019Connell\u00a0<\/strong>has drawn praise for his work with Darnold, who could be the top veteran passer on the market this offseason. Duplicating that success with Jones could help put him on a similar path while giving McCarthy more time to develop.<\/p>\n

Regardless of how things play out on the Jones front, his situation will be interesting to monitor over the coming days. The Giants\u2019 next steps at the QB spot will dominate their offseason plans, while it remains to be seen how the end of the current season and the setup of the next one will fit into Jones\u2019 NFL future.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n