The New York Giants ended their playoff drought thanks to a breakout season from quarterback Daniel Jones. Now, head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen must weigh Jones’ value to the franchise and whether or not it’s worth re-signing him.
Jones, the No. 6 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, made tremendous strides in his fourth season. Months after the franchise declined his fifth-year option for the 2023 season, Jones posted career-highs in completion rate (67.2%), yards per attempt (6.8) and passer rating (92.5).
- Daniel Jones stats 2022: 92.5 QB rating, 15-5 TD-INT, 67.2% completion, 60.8 QBR
He also became an instrumental part of the Giants’ rushing attack. Across 17 games, Jones recorded a career-high seven rushing touchdowns, ran for 57 first downs and finished with 708 rushing yards with only one lost fumble.
Entering the offseason, Jones is one of the top NFL free agents available. Turning 26 in May, the 6-foot-5 quarterback proved he is capable dual-threat talent and he won a playoff game. As New York prepares for contract negotiations, Jones’ demands could require him to become one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL.
Related: Daniel Jones opens up about his future with New York Giants
Yahoo Sports NFL insider Charles Robinson shared on the You Pod to Win the Game podcast that an NFL executive told him the starting point for Jones’ contract demands likely start at $40 million per season.
“I brought up Daniel Jones, we were talking more just about generalities like quarterback money. He was like, ‘You’re gonna be surprised when you hear the ask, like, I’ll bet you it starts with a four.”
Charles Robinson on NFL executive’s expectation for Daniel Jones’ asking price
Before free agency, nine quarterbacks were signed to contracts worth at least a $40 million average annual value. If Jones sets the starting point for negotiations at that figure, he would match Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
New York finds itself in a challenging situation. It is currently projected to have $44.927 million in cap space this offseason and there is more room that could be created by cutting specific players. However, both Jones and Saquon Barkley are free agents this spring.
Related: New York Giants preparing for huge cost to re-sign Daniel Jones
If the Giants apply the franchise tag to either player, it automatically assigns either a $32.445 million cap hit (Jones) in 2023 or a $10.1 million cap hit (Barkley).
While New York wants to re-sign Jones, the organization must consider whether it is worth investing more than $30 million per season into him. While he played very well this past season, he still showed limitations as a passer and the Giants could find a starter who does more for the offense than Jones.
For now, the Giants will keep negotiating with Jones with the hope that the two sides can reach a more cap-friendly resolution. If his asking price doesn’t budge off $40 million per season, though, New York might begin exploring alternatives at quarterback and focus on re-signing Barkley.