It was yet another bad game for Daniel Jones as his time with the New York Giants in all likelihood may be coming to an end. After losing their fifth straight game, with Jones throwing two costly interceptions, the former sixth overall pick now holds a dismal 24-44-1 record during his NFL tenure, as New York continues to head in the wrong direction.
That $160 million deal New York’s front office handed to Jones in March of 2023 is not working out. Since receiving that contract, the Giants haven’t won back-to-back games with Jones at the helm, and he still hasn’t thrown three or more touchdown passes in a single game since his rookie season in 2019.
Now at 2-8 and currently projected to have the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, this is where Big Blue should pivot in the quarterback direction, whether to close out the season or to start fresh in 2025.
3 Daniel Jones Replacements NY should consider after another disappointing start
3. Drew Lock
This may be the obvious choice since he’s already the Giants’ backup quarterback, but that’s precisely why New York should turn to Drew Lock to finish out the season. The Giants signed the former Denver Bronco and Seattle Seahawk this past offseason to a one-year, $5 million deal, and despite his struggles in Week 7 relief duty, the team should at least see if the former second-round pick can ignite a spark for the offense.
Despite his struggles as Denver’s starter toward the end of the 2019 season and throughout 2020, Lock has shown flashes of talent and mobility, along with a strong arm. In his five NFL seasons so far, Lock has thrown for over 5,200 yards with 28 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. While this touchdown-to-interception ratio may raise some concerns, he still presents an upgrade over Daniel Jones.
Perhaps Lock’s most memorable NFL start came last year with Seattle in a Week 15 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. With the Seahawks trailing 17-13 and under two minutes left in the fourth quarter, Lock led a 92-yard touchdown drive, capping it off with a 29-yard touchdown pass that secured the win for the Seahawks.
This is yet another example of Lock being able to do something Jones hasn’t - lead a go-ahead scoring drive, a skill Jones has often lacked. There’s nothing to lose by opting to start Drew Lock and seeing if he can ignite a spark for a Giants offense that has struggled all season.
2. Tommy DeVito
Who remembers the Tommy DeVito era last season? Though short-lived, as the undrafted quarterback only made six starts, it left a mark. Around this time last year, the Giants were also sitting at 2-8, and when DeVito took over as the starter, Big Blue went on to win three straight games. I’m not saying that will happen again, but starting DeVito over Jones would certainly excite Giants fans, who have mostly been booing the offense whenever it takes the field.
Though short-lived and eventually showing his lack of NFL experience, the young signal-caller still surprised many, passing for over 1,100 yards with eight touchdowns and just three interceptions. His best start came in Week 14 against the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football, where he led a late scoring drive that set up a game-winning field goal. Even though he was benched after struggling in his final two starts, there’s no harm in turning to DeVito, affectionately known as “Tommy Cutlets.”
Who knows, maybe after his rookie season, his development has progressed, and he could be vastly better than he was last year. The only way to find out is by putting him under center.
1. Find Jones' replacement in the draft
With the Giants currently projected to pick second in the draft, this is a decision that Joe Schoen and the front office have to consider carefully. Despite John Mara still clinging to the hope that Jones can become a good quarterback, Giants fans have endured six years of frustration with him at the helm, even with a playoff appearance and win in 2022. If neither DeVito nor Lock is the answer to replace Jones, it’s time to finally draft a quarterback in the first round.
The 2025 draft is set to feature a plethora of talented quarterbacks, making it nearly impossible for the Giants to pass on one if they land a high pick. From Cam Ward of Florida and Jalen Milroe of Alabama to Quinn Ewers of Texas, just to name a few, you’d be hard-pressed to convince any Giants fan that Jones is better than any of these young guns.
New York’s offense has the pieces to be explosive, and even though the offensive line has faced its usual issues, there’s no question that Jones is holding this unit back - a fact that has been evident all season and throughout his NFL career. It’s time to finally make a change. If the Giants end up with a high draft pick, as they’re projected to, choosing a quarterback in the first round is the right way to go.