3 worst contracts in Giants history (and why Daniel Jones is No. 1)

With Daniel Jones being benched and released by the New York Giants, many fans are wondering where the 27-year-old quarterback will land next. While any team can place a waiver claim on Jones, his expensive contract with the Giants makes that unlikely. He is expected to clear waivers and will be free to sign with another team.

While Jones' contract was atrocious, the team has had its fair share of other deals that didn’t pan out. The Giants have had their share of disastrous free-agent signings and contracts, many of which have come in recent years.

Let’s take a look at three of the worst contracts in team history.

Three worst contracts in New York Giants history

3. Nate Solder, OT

We all know the Gettleman era did not go as planned during his time with the New York Giants. In his first year with the organization, Gettleman aimed to make a splash in free agency. The former Giants general manager addressed the offensive line by signing New England Patriots tackle Nate Solder to a four-year, $62 million contract. At the time, this deal made Solder the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history.

While Solder seemed like a logical choice for the Giants at the time after helping the Patriots win two Super Bowls, he failed to live up to expectations in New York. The veteran lineman appeared in 48 games, including a return to the team in 2021 after opting out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his final season in 2021 with the Giants, Solder allowed six sacks, the second-most on the team, and gave up 36 total quarterback pressures in 192 offensive snaps. The team voided his contract, and he retired shortly after that season.

2. Kenny Golladay, WR

The Giants believed they had found their WR1 when they signed Detroit Lions wideout Kenny Golladay to a four-year, $72 million contract in 2021. Golladay was coming off a season with 338 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 2020, which had been shortened due to COVID-19.

The contract seemed like a smart move at the time. The G-Men were still searching for a true WR1 after trading Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns following the 2018 season.

Golladay finished his first season in New York with 37 receptions for 521 yards and no touchdowns in 14 games. He was criticized in 2022 for having drops in games against the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans. Golladay would finish his Giants' career totaling 43 receptions, 602 yards, and one touchdown on 93 targets.

The Giants released Golladay after just two seasons due to his lack of production, making him one of the worst free-agent signings in both team history and NFL history. His performance left fans deeply frustrated.

1. Daniel Jones, QB

Jones will be remembered by Giants fans for his struggles to perform and his inability to live up to the hype during his time in New York. He will also be remembered for his contract, which will be regarded as one of the worst in team history.

The previous Giants administration, led by general manager Dave Gettleman, selected Jones sixth overall in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Duke University. After Eli Manning announced his retirement following the 2019 season, the team made finding a franchise quarterback a top priority in the draft.

Although he never lived up to the expectations of being a first-round franchise quarterback, the Giants and current general manager Joe Schoen signed Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract extension after the 2022 season. Jones played a key role in leading the team to a 9-7 record, a playoff appearance for the first time since 2016, and a Wild Card victory over the Minnesota Vikings to advance to the Divisional Round.

Jones earned his contract extension based on his performance during the 2022 season, but the terms of the deal exceeded many expectations. The contract made Jones the 17th-highest-paid quarterback in the league and ranked 15th in both total value and average annual value (AAV).

The veteran quarterback missed a significant portion of the 2023 season due to a torn ACL. He was benched in favor of Tommy DeVito ahead of this week's matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was subsequently released by the organization. This sequence of events solidified Jones's contract as the worst in team history and possibly in NFL history.

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