The New York Giants are reportedly “absolutely done” with franchise quarterback Daniel Jones and are experiencing “buyer’s remorse,” according to NFL Network’s Rich Eisen.
“Number three, of my top five rumors I heard at the combine, is the Giants are absolutely done with Daniel Jones. Done. Done,” Eisen said during a Monday episode of his The Rich Eisen Show.
“Might have to play him this year but that ain’t it. And they feel that ain’t it. The words I heard at the combine, multiple times, the two words were buyer’s remorse,” Eisen concluded.
“The Giants are absolutely done with Daniel Jones. The words I heard at the combine multiples times were buyers remorse.” – @richeisen #NYGiants pic.twitter.com/Bwzf3KpJHe
— WBG84 (@WBG84) March 4, 2024
This is a massive joke. I am no Daniel Jones apologist. The dude has looked skittish, he’s made poor throwing decisions his whole career and he can’t hold on to the ball. So I wouldn’t even be upset if the G-men take a quarterback in the upcoming draft. That being said, it hasn’t even been a year since they handed Jones a $160 million contract. (RELATED: Please God, Do Not Let Saquon Barkley Go To The Cowboys)
Buyers remorse? Less than a year into his deal? Hardly anything has changed. Yes, he got hurt. Jones suffered a neck injury and then a season-ending ACL injury last year. Sure, ACL injuries are worrisome, but with today’s medical advances, most NFL players actually come back stronger and still enjoy successful careers after torn ACLs. Outside of that though, Jones is the same guy he was when the Giants gave him a new deal.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 05: Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants warms up before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on November 05, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ian Maule/Getty Images
I made the above point to popular Giants podcaster Dan Schneier and he argued that, actually, something had changed. He said teams took away the “smoke and mirror” to expose Jones’ inability to make quick reads and that maybe this was what was leading to the buyer’s remorse.
“What changed?” Schneier asked. “Teams took away the smoke and mirror scheme used to prop up DJ in 2022: If first-read wasn’t there, they taught him to run the B gap. Then defenses took away the B gap and rushed him different, also took away bootleg plays and forced DJ to process info post snap and get rid of the ball quickly. He struggled with this as he has since Duke days. Slow eyes.”
Plenty changed. Check out Warren Sharp’s EPA from a clean pocket stat from earlier. Filtering only plays from clean pockets. Tyrod top 10. DJ bottom 3. What changed? Teams took away the smoke and mirror scheme used to prop up DJ in 2022: If 1st read wasn’t there, they taught him…
— Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL) March 5, 2024
But here’s the problem with that argument. He’s always been slow to make reads. He’s always stared down his first receiver.
Aidan Hutchinson drops into coverage, Daniel Jones doesn’t see him and throws it right at him for Hutchinson’s second career interception. pic.twitter.com/JP6dPeyANz
— Seven Rounds in Heaven (@7RoundsInHeaven) November 20, 2022
Daniel Jones has a turnover in 22/27 career starts
He’s -162 to throw an Interception tonight on @BSSportsbook pic.twitter.com/vA7nJIoDkv
— Bets Stats (@betsstats) September 16, 2021
In 2022, he actually enjoyed his best career touchdown-to-interception ratio, throwing only five picks compared to 15 touchdowns. Maybe that was the result of head coach Brian Daboll’s “smoke and mirrors” scheme. But if one good year that was obfuscated by fancy scheming is enough to convince your franchise to commit nine figures to a guy and then turn around a year later and say “That was a bad idea,” how are Giants fans supposed to have any faith in the leadership going forward? (RELATED: Man Who Single-Handedly Destroyed My Football Team Somehow Finds Another Job)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 05: Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants throws a pass in the first quarter of a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on November 05, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Images
New York Giants fans are amongst the most loyal fans in sports. For that loyalty, we have been rewarded. The Giants are one of just seven teams with four Super Bowl wins. Two of those Lombardis came in short succession, with wins in 2008 and 2012.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 05: Quarterback Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants poses with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Giants defeated the Patriots by a score of 21-17 in Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 5, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
But since that 2012 win the team has been largely irrelevant. They’ve made a mere two postseasons in the 12 years since, going 1-2 in the two playoff berths.
I am not one to call for “fire everyone” or to clean house. I don’t even want that. I like Schoen and Daboll and the new regime. But, if this buyer’s remorse is true, they have lost a major piece of my trust going forward. Every Giants fan and their mother knew handing Daniel Jones a fat deal was a mistake, but we went along with it because the regime assured us he was their guy. They can’t even stand by their decision for a whole year? That’s poor management, plain and simple.