In the Giants’ loss on Sunday, Daniel Jones didn’t throw a touchdown pass but did throw a pick-six. And that’s become fairly typical for Jones the last couple years.
Since signing a four-year, $160 million contract with the Giants during the 2023 offseason, Jones has only won one game as a starting quarterback. He has thrown only two touchdown passes. And he has thrown three interceptions that were returned for touchdowns.
Throwing more pick-sixes than touchdown passes represents such brutally bad quarterback play that it’s almost hard to believe it’s possible, but that’s what Jones has done. There are three other quarterbacks who have thrown at least three pick-sixes in the last two years, and they’re all bad quarterbacks: Sam Howell, Mac Jones and Bryce Young. But all of them have also thrown at least 10 touchdown passes in the last two seasons. Jones has thrown two touchdown passes in the last two seasons.
The Giants are now 1-6 in games started by Jones over the last two years. That’s certainly not all Jones’ fault, but the Giants have been a better team without him than with him: When Jones missed time with injuries last season, Tommy DeVito went 3-3 as starter and Tyrod Taylor went 2-3.
Giants coach Brian Daboll says benching Jones is not in his mind, but if Jones doesn’t play a whole lot better in a hurry, it’s hard to believe he’ll be the Giants’ starting quarterback much longer. If Jones were to suffer a serious injury this year that makes him unable to pass a physical in 2025, he would be guaranteed $23 million for next season. The Giants may soon decide that they have to cut their losses and get out from under Jones’ contract. His days as the Giants’ quarterback appear numbered.