Just like Saquon Barkley, New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones has heard the countless people bashing him all offseason. It’s been tough for fans of the signal-caller to see, as there’s hope Jones can get his career back on track this year and help the G-Men be a competitive squad in the process.
From our chair, Jones has what it takes to live up to the hype this year and remind everyone of why the Giants used a first-round pick on him back in 2019. Here’s a look at three reasons why Jones will be able to deliver for this team and be the most valuable player for the NFC East side this campaign.
3. Brian Daboll has full belief in Daniel Jones
There’s nothing like having the new guy in town back you up 100 percent. That’s what we’ve seen from Brian Daboll in terms of Jones from the moment he made his way to East Rutherford. The Giants had plenty of opportunities to go out and find a new quarterback to replace Jones this offseason.
Instead, Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen have stuck with Jones every step of the way. Daboll has said with confidence that he believes in Jones and he’s ready to see what the former No. 6 overall pick can do in his first year running the new offense. Even better for Jones, offensive coordinator Mike Kafka has spoken highly of him as well.
With the new regime fully in his corner, the table is set for Jones to go out and have a strong 2022. It will all come down to execution for him. Yes, countless people have been blasting Jones and claimed he has no chance of being a quality signal-caller this season. Those people are doing so from their couches.
Daboll and Co. are paid the big bucks to decide who will take the field and who won’t. If the first-year head coach had any doubts in Jones, he’d surely voice his concern to Schoen. Heck, then we might have seen the team push for a Jimmy Garoppolo trade. That didn’t go down and now everyone will be ready to see what Jones can accomplish.
2. Saquon Barkley will take the pressure off of Daniel Jones
The only person who has more pressure on him than Jones would be Barkley. Actually, let’s go ahead and say these two are facing the same amount. Luckily for the Big Blue supporters, both of these guys are entering the new year with plenty of confidence, which is fantastic to see, especially for No. 26.
Barkley looked ready to be a superstar in this league after his breakout rookie campaign in 2018. Things have only gone downhill for him since, but the running back has all the tools to have a big-time year for the Giants in 2022. With him fully recovered from his injuries, including his torn ACL in 2022, Barkley has some swagger back in his step.
He has turned countless heads this summer thanks to his strong play at training camp. No one has forgotten about him truck sticking Aaron Robinson during a session. Barkley will be ready to make plays on the ground and through the air for Jones. Whenever Jones is in trouble, he’ll surely be able to count on Barkley to get things done for him.
1. The offensive line will make an unreal difference for Daniel Jones
While there’s been some injuries up front, there’s no denying that Schoen made revamping the offensive line a priority this offseason. In addition to using the No. 7 overall pick on right tackle Evan Neal, the Giants have also brought in center Jon Feliciano and right guard Mark Glowinski. This is tremendous for Jones.
We don’t have to worry about left tackle, with Andrew Thomas manning that spot. The hope is that Thomas can continue to make strides this season and potentially earn himself a trip to the Pro Bowl. Right now, though, there is some worry at left guard, as Shane Lemieux is dealing with a foot injury and isn’t expected to play Week 1.
There’s going to be some movement there. Despite that, there’s been a needed makeover for the line and it’s going to make a strong difference for Jones. He’s not going to be running for his life on a consistent basis and will actually have some time to not only make throws, but also scan the field and potentially take off if need be. If Jones does have a head-turning year, the play of the offensive line will be a key reason for it.