Stud quarterback Daniel Jones will lace up his cleats and play in his first career playoff game on Sunday afternoon, but some folks inside of NFL circles still have questions about whether Jones is a franchise quarterback or not.
Jones has proven many doubters wrong this season by posting career-highs in passing attempts, completions, passing yards, average yards per pass completion, passer rating, QBR, rushing attempts, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, games played and fourth-quarter comebacks. Danny Dimes also posted the fewest turnovers of his career this campaign.
Jones has certainly improved this year, but has he improved enough to receive a mega contract extension? On FOX this weekend, future Hall-of-Fame head coach Sean Payton gave his thoughts on the future of Jones and he delivered quite the take on the fourth-year NY Giants signal-caller.
Is Daniel the future for the Giants? @SeanPayton gives his take ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/hwm56FSRPa
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 14, 2023
Sean Payton’s take about Daniel Jones and wine is hilarious
This is 100 percent the best take we have ever heard about Danny Dimes. Payton stated that he feels strongly that Jones will return to New York in 2022, but he seems conflicted about whether he is a franchise quarterback or not.
"“When you sit down and you’re going to order some wine, and you ask someone to come give you the 98 and above, I don’t think he is going to be in that category, but this is going to be an affordable wine, we are going to like him, approachable, affordable wine, it’s going to be one we like the way it tastes, but we are going to need some other compliments around it,” Payton said."
Look, we all know that Jones is not in the elite quarterback tier with Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow, and he likely never will be. But, could he be in that next tier right below them? Absolutely.
Payton is basically saying that while Jones is not in that elite tier, he will not cost as much money as those other guys, which saves room to add other pieces. He is also saying that Jones is willing to grow and continue to get better each year. Payton also alludes to the fact that you will be very satisfied with Jones, thanks to his fourth-quarter comebacks and low turnover rate.
The ex-Saints coach was spot on when he said that you want to surround Jones with great weapons, and that is not a knock on Jones. The league’s best quarterbacks are all surrounded by next-level talent.
Jones does not yet have that talent around him, but Joe Schoen can get him that this offseason. Allen and Jalen Hurts joined the star ranks after their general managers traded first-round picks to get them elite receivers, and Schoen might chose to continue that trend in March. You just never know. What we do know is that Jones should be back next season, and Payton will be watching him closely.