4 reasons for the Giants to move on from Daniel Jones

1. Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll can pick their guy

In the end, you have to remember one thing. Most general managers and head coaches like to pick their guys. And in this case, they like to pick their own starting quarterback.

Jones was inherited by the current regime. His fifth-year option was not picked up, even if in hindsight, Schoen admits that he should have done so. Daboll initially put Jones in tough situations in training camp to see if Jones could win him over - and he did. But here’s the truth, Jones didn’t overwhelm the new regime into thinking he was the long-term answer, he had to show them he belonged.

Even with the 2022 season that featured a playoff berth and a win, the Giants brass still wasn’t completely sold that Jones was the guy long term. The contract and the possible outs involved to cut Jones after 2024 or 2025 show that. If not, then there are no outs and the Giants are with Jones until the end of the 2026 season. However, Schoen and Daboll still wanted to be sure that Jones could take the next step and built those “in case of emergency” escape clauses in Jones’ deal. And if they needed to use them, then it gives Schoen and Daboll a chance to do something all regimes like to do.

They get to pick their own quarterback. Ernie Accorsi got to when he made the trade on the day of the 2004 NFL Draft for Manning. Jerry Reese never got to pick one of his own, but instead, inherited Manning and the two Super Bowl championships that came with it. He tried to get Patrick Mahomes back in 2017, but Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs beat everyone to the punch. Dave Gettleman got to pick his own with Jones.

Schoen inherited Jones, but unlike Reese with Manning, there hasn’t been a championship trophy with Jones that prevents Schoen from looking elsewhere. With a draft class that will have a lot of quarterbacks possibly featured as first-round picks, Schoen will be tempted to go after one. And with Jones' contract built the way it is, along with the season the Giants are having, the writing could be on the wall for Danny Dimes.