The NY Giants’ roster features several young players capable of breakout seasons in 2021, but none are more important to the franchise’s trajectory than Daniel Jones
As Daniel Jones prepares to embark on his third NFL season as the NY Giants’ quarterback, the expectations have never been higher.
By and large, Jones‘ added scrutiny entering the 2021 campaign is because of an improved supporting cast, and pressure to live up to his billing as a top-10 pick.
At least one NFL executive believes Jones can make the kind of leap in his third season, that quarterbacks such as Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes made in their second, that the NY Giants are banking on.
“This year, it’s going to prove out that not only is it Daniel Jones [that’s the Giants’ second-best player],” an NFC personnel executive tells FanSided. “But he’ll be even better than Saquon Barkley. Call it a gut feeling, but after everything they did around him, it’s just his time.”
For Jones to develop into one of the NFL’s premier quarterbacks, he’ll need to dramatically cut down on his turnovers and unforced errors.
Last season, Jones tossed 10 interceptions and lost eight fumbles while producing a 17.6 bad-throw percentage. Those numbers will need to dramatically improve if Jones is going to make strides and the NY Giants are going to take steps towards competing.
In the days leading up to training camp beginning for the Giants, we’ll examine five players who could be on the cusp of a breakout season in 2021.
Will this year be different? Will this be Jones’ breakout campaign?
Here’s a look at why Daniel Jones has a chance to breakout and elevate his game to the next level, why he might not, and our verdict on what to expect from the NY Giants’ quarterback this season:
Why Jones will breakout:
This will easily be the most electrifying — and talented — supporting cast that Jones has ever had at his disposal.
The NY Giants went out this offseason and built what has the potential to be a top-five collection of weapons around Jones. Kenny Golladay led the NFL in receiving in 2019, Kyle Rudolph is among the more reliable red-zone targets among tight ends across the league, and Saquon Barkley’s return should alleviate some of the pressure on Jones to be the focal point of the offense.
Jones has the mobility to execute offensive coordinator Jason Garrett‘s system at a high-level, and his read-options should be far more effective with Barkley in the backfield alongside him.
Given that Matthew Stafford produced a 107.9 passer rating when targeting Golladay, there’s a pretty good chance that Jones could see a similar uptick in production. Likewise, with all of that firepower, the NY Giants’ offense should average significantly more than 17.5 points per game, as it did in 2020.
Jones’ arm-strength, mobility, and finally having legitimate weapons at every offensive skill positions should set the stage for him to take the much-needed leap.
Why Jones won’t breakout:
All the talent in the world around him, isn’t going to singularly hold the key to Jones eliminating costly mistakes.
Jones has been the definition of average through his first two seasons, and failed to live up to the expectations of being a No. 6 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
Most quarterbacks who go on to carry their teams to postseason success, show legitimate signs of growth in their second season. Jones, instead, regressed, passing for just 10 touchdowns in an offense that was largely stuck in neutral in 2020.
Jones did not surpass 300 passing yards in a single game last season, and while the fact that he cannot be blamed completely for the 156 pressures he faced, the fact that he failed to surpass 3,000 yards in a league that is slanted more than ever in favor of high-powered vertical passing offenses is concerning.
The verdict: Breakout
There are too many positives stacked in Jones‘ favor for this not to be his breakout campaign.
In addition to the arrival of Golladay, first-round pick Kadarius Toney, tight end Kyle Rudolph, and the return of Barkley, this will also mark Jones’ second season in Garrett’s scheme, which should translate into more consistency, more big plays, and fewer turnovers as a result of dropped passes or facing the ball into tough spots.
Jones is going to need to do his part, which means finishing higher than 18th among PFF’s highest-graded passers in the league, and figuring out how to cut down on fumbles, but his pedigree and drive should be an asset in overcoming those challenges.
In the first upcoming 17-game season, there’s no reason to believe Jones can’t push for 3,500 passing yards with at least 30 touchdowns, given his revamped supporting cast and familiarity with the coaching staff and scheme.
The NY Giants are well-positioned, with an additional first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft to be big players in the trade market for the top available veteran quarterback next offseason, or to move up to take the best available passer in the NFL Draft, if Jones falters. The feeling here, though, is that Jones makes the leap and that pick can be used to continue to build out the roster around him.
Matt Lombardo is FanSided’s National NFL Insider and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday. Email Matt: Matt.Lombardo@FanSided.com, Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL