It’s fair of NY Giants fans to read this headline and immediately ball their hands up in a fist while yelling at their screens that it’s too early to call for Daniel Jones to be replaced.
It is too early at the moment.
Next offseason, though, could be a different story.
When Jones replaced Eli Manning in 2019 as the starting QB, he was able to deliver perhaps the most spectacular debut in Giants history at the position. He gave New York four touchdowns–two with his arms and two with his legs–and helped bring the NY Giants their first victory of the season.
The good vibes lasted all of two weeks, as the NY Giants would go on to win one more game before losing their next nine consecutively. This past season was a marginal improvement, as the NY Giants were able to win six games with Jones as the clear No. 1 option following Manning’s retirement, but they fell a game short of the Washington Football Team for the NFC East crown.
NY Giants GM Dave Gettleman went out and found several WR weapons for Jones in blockbuster free agent addition Kenny Golladay and first-round draft pick Kadarius Toney out of Florida after adding veteran TE Kyle Rudolph. With Saquon Barkley returning from a torn ACL and Devontae Booker forming a capable backfield platoon, Jones has no excuses for not taking the next step forward.
It’s possible that Jones doesn’t.
Just like with Sam Darnold and the NY Jets, Jones’ time with the NY Giants could be limited if New York’s four-year postseason drought doesn’t end.
In that scenario, these 4 2022 NFL QB prospects could be in the mix for the NY Giants’ 2022 NFL Draft strategy:
NY Giants’ Daniel Jones replacement #1: Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler could become the next Sooner QB to be taken with the No. 1 overall selection after Kyler Murray went first in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Murray was the only QB taken ahead of Jones, whose selection caused an uproar by those claiming Dwayne Haskins should have been the rightful pick after throwing 50 touchdowns with Ohio State in 2018.
As it turns out, those people were wrong, as Haskins is already a backup in Pittsburgh after failing to seize the starting role in Washington against the likes of Kyle Allen and Taylor Heinicke.
Either way, Rattler is a can’t-miss prospect that New York would have a tough time passing up if Jones bombs in his second full season as the Giants’ starting signal-caller. A 28:7 TD-INT ratio coupled with an extra six touchdowns scored with his feet makes Rattler the consensus top QB in college football in 2021.
Avoiding a down-year in his own third season would lead to a top spot in next year’s draft based on the expectations he is carrying for Oklahoma this upcoming season.