It was back in March of 2023 that the New York Giants inked quarterback Daniel Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract.
This deal came after Jones surprisingly led the Giants to the NFL Playoffs. Even then, some were thrown off by how much the former No. 6 pick from Duke received.
Fast forward well over a calendar year, and the contract looks terrible. The Giants boasted a 1-5 record with Jones as their starting quarterback last season before he suffered a torn ACL. He threw two touchdowns against six interceptions in those six starts.
It led to some speculation that New York might use its first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on an heir-apparent. That did not come to fruition. Rather, the Giants added a young receiver for Jones in that of Malik Nabers with the sixth selection.
Heading into what promises to be a make-or-break season, it seems as if Jones is getting propped up by the Giants brass.
Related: New York Giants’ Daniel Jones in Sportsnaut’s NFL QB rankings
New York Giants owner doesn’t regret handing Daniel Jones huge contract
“I’m still happy we gave him that contract, because I thought he played really well for us in ’22. Last year, he got hurt. Let’s be honest, when he was playing, we weren’t blocking anybody. So, let’s give him a chance with a better offensive line, with some weapons around him to see what he can do,” Giants owner John Mara said, via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.
“I was nervous about giving up too much to go and get a quarterback, but I was prepared to let them do that if that’s what they wanted to do. We made a decision to stay with Daniel and add a weapon for him, and I think that’s going to work out for us.”
To be fair, Jones is now the 14th highest-paid quarterback in the NFL at $40 million per season. This comes after the likes of Jared Goff, Tua Tagovailoa, Trevor Lawrence and Jordan Love all inked deal at $53-plus million annually.
As for Jones, he has to prove himself all over again this coming season. New York can get out of his contract with a $22 million dead cap hit next offseason. Should he not take that next step, Jones will likely be calling another NFL city home in 2025.