With Daniel Jones under center, the New York Giants were a clown show. The Duke product amassed 97 career turnovers in 70 NFL games, meaning he coughed the football up more than once per game. He’s never played a full 17-game season and has been one of the worst quarterbacks in football since entering the league in 2019.
He may have helped lead Big Blue to a playoff win in 2022, but he has still never eclipsed 3,205 passing yards in a season. Jones was paid handsomely to stay in New York when it was in Joe Schoen’s best interest to let him leave, like the Vikings did with Sam Darnold.
While the Charlotte native is amid a quarterback competition with Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis, the Giants’ quarterback room looks to be in a much better spot. Since cutting ties with the six-year veteran, Brian Daboll now boasts a trio of quarterbacks who can effectively run his offense—and Jaxson Dart has been sensational in preseason action.
All of that is a clear sign that moving on from Jones was the best thing to happen to the G-Men.
Daniel Jones, not Brian Daboll, was the person holding the Giants back
In Saturday’s 31-12 preseason victory over the Jets, New York’s four passers combined for 407 passing yards and three total touchdowns, two of which came courtesy of the first-round rookie.
And the fruits of post-Jones life were felt at MetLife Stadium. On the Giants’ third offensive play from scrimmage, Russell Wilson had all day to throw and found a streaking Beaux Collins on a post route that gained 80 yards and all but cemented the undrafted rookie’s place on the 53-man roster.
Meanwhile, the 22-year-old out of Ole Miss went 14-16 and recorded a game-high 137 passing yards. He was impressive in Buffalo, but he’s now making a real case to be QB1 with games like this one.
Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka never drew up chunk plays for Jones, as he never had the arm strength or decision-making prowess that the 10-time Pro Bowler possessed on that play. And the 36-year-old’s pass was in the air for 62 yards.
The difference is night and day. With “Danny Dimes," the offense was stuck in neutral, where now, it feels like juice is returning to East Rutherford with every vertical shot Kafka dials up
For the first time in forever, Giants fans don’t have to settle for false hope under center. They can actually believe in the future, and Dart has showcased more poise and potential in three months in blue and white than his predecessor did in six years.
It was Jones who was on the verge of getting Daboll fired, and now fans can rest easy knowing they are in far better hands on Sundays, and the root of most of the team’s problems is gone.