Daniel Jones is biggest puzzle piece after Giants' quiet trade deadline

NY Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is a divisive figure. He’s shown moments of real promise, but also plenty of downright ugly football.

The trade deadline has come and gone, and despite rumors that the Giants would make some moves to shake things up, the front office stayed quiet. With a 2-7 record and little chance of seeing the playoffs, fans were expecting at least a small splash, maybe trading away free agents-to-be like WR Darius Slayton or OLB Azeez Ojulari.

Instead, they held firm, giving mixed signals on their long-term plans.

It's now or never for NY Giants QB Daniel Jones

Jones' season hasn’t been terrible, but it’s far from a success either. Giants fans and critics alike seem to fixate on his weaker performances, often overlooking the good ones. Just last week, though, Jones notched the second-highest grade of his career and earned the third-highest QB rating among all quarterbacks in Week 9.

Jones completed 20 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns against the Commanders. He added 54 rushing yards on seven carries with a rushing touchdown. By all accounts, it was a very good performance.

But it still wasn't enough.

In one sense, Jones is the biggest winner of this quiet deadline. The Giants kept Darius Slayton, giving Jones a familiar and reliable target for the rest of the season. Slayton’s 2024 numbers are solid, with 32 receptions for 469 yards and a touchdown so far, plus a 14.7 yards-per-catch average. Keeping him in the lineup gives Jones a weapon he can count on, especially given Slayton’s experience as the team’s deep threat.

It’s a move that, at least for now, suggests the Giants want to see if Jones can build on that Week 9 performance and prove he deserves to be the starter.

But Jones is also the biggest loser here. The Giants didn’t add any pieces to help him out or boost a struggling offense, which could be a sign that they’re ready to move on from him come 2025. With an interesting quarterback class looming, there’s plenty of speculation that New York might use a top pick on a new signal-caller.

By holding off on trades, the Giants might be signaling a focus on stockpiling resources and planning for the long term. They may have received offers that didn’t make a trade worthwhile, but somewhere deep down, GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll must feel the urgency to show some progress and close out the second half of the season on a positive note.

That future might not include Jones.

The final stretch of the season is critical for Jones. If he wants to secure his role in New York, he’ll need to keep proving himself, week in and week out. But without any fresh help from the front office, he’s left to make his case with the weapons he has.

Whether that’s enough to change the Giants' plans remains to be seen.

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