New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is entering a pivotal moment in his NFL career with plenty of optimism that he could take a step forward with coach Brian Daboll. While that might happen, a top NFL reporter thinks the situation could unfold very differently.
Jones will head into training camp with some buzz regarding his outlook for the 2022 season. Teammates praised his work ethic and Giants legend Eli Manning believes the young quarterback can accomplish a lot. However, not everything is positive for the former 6th overall pick.
New York already declines the fifth-year team option, a sign that the franchise isn’t willing to commit to even a fully-guaranteed contract just for the 2023 season. The Giants also signed veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Jones will be the starting quarterback in Week 1, but it seems there is at least a possibility he doesn’t keep the gig for long.
Related: NFL Top 100 players
NFL insider Charles Robinson said on Yahoo Sports’ You Pod to Win the Game podcast that he believes there is a real shot Taylor surpasses Jones on the depth chart, becoming the Giants’ quarterback early this season.
“I think there’s a chance Tyrod Taylor ends up being the starting quarterback for this team. Maybe by the end of September, maybe by early October.”
Charles Robinson on New York Giants quarterback situation
Related: New York Giants schedule
There are some aspects to like about Jones. Among qualified quarterbacks, he ranked 18th in Pro Football Reference’s on-target rate (76.1%), just behind quarterback Russell Wilson and even ahead of Tom Brady (75.4%) and Josh Allen (74.8%).
- Daniel Jones stats (2021): 2,428 passing yards, 10-7 TD-INT, 6.7 ypa, 84.8 QB rating, 2.8 TD%
However, he also ranked 26th in air yards per attempt (7.4), 27th in deep ball completion percentage (30.8%) and 31st in clean pocket accuracy rating (7.2), per Player Profiler. On top of that, he finished 23rd in quarterback rating in a clean pocket (93.2).
Taylor completed just 60.7% of his pass attempts last season with a 76.7 quarterback rating in six games. While he does have familiarity with Daboll from their time with the Buffalo Bills, it happened years ago.
- Tyrod Taylor stats (Buffalo Bills): 22-20 record, 62.6% completion rate, 51-16 TD-INT, 925 QB rating, 1,575 rushing yards
If the 33-year-old quarterback replaces Jones before November, Jones either suffered a significant injury or his future in the NFL is extremely grim. Even with a new regime in charge, New York wants to provide him with every opportunity to prove himself. If he can’t hold off Taylor, Jones will go down as one of the biggest NFL Draft busts in recent history.