New York Giants bench QB Daniel Jones

The Daniel Jones era has concluded after six seasons. The New York Giants have decided to replace him as the starting quarterback, opting to turn to Tommy DeVito as they prepare to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium following their bye week. This decision has been a long time coming. Jones, who was a surprising No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, faced numerous challenges throughout his career, including a high rate of fumbles early on, difficulties in adjusting to new coordinators and coaches almost annually, and a standout season in 2022 during a contract year. However, the current season has proven to be a struggle, culminating in a record of 3-13 in 16 starts since he signed a four-year, $160 million contract last March. The Giants currently hold a 2-8 record this season and have suffered five consecutive losses. Additionally, there is an injury guarantee stipulated in Jones' contract that must be taken into account. Ultimately, head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen recognize the need for a change, as continuing to start Jones each week has not yielded positive results.

Why did the Giants do this now ... and is Jones done in New York?

The Giants kept losing. And losing. And losing. It was time for some type of change and Jones hasn't played well now for the better part of two seasons. This was the easy move off the bye week, especially considering the skids have been greased for weeks after Daboll benched Jones four games ago in a 28-3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles where he felt they needed a "spark." Schoen said at his bye week news conference this would be a "football decision." Sure, but they had to at least think about the injury guarantee that exists. If Jones were to suffer a serious injury over the final seven weeks it could activate a $23 million injury guarantee for next season. Considering there is a reasonable out in the contract after this season, we have likely seen the last of Daniel Jones in a meaningful role as a Giant. 

What are the short- and long-term realities around Jones' contract for the Giants? How does the injury guarantee work?

Jones has two years remaining on his contract after 2024, with salaries of $30 million in 2025 and $46.5 million in 2026. None of that money is guaranteed at the moment, but $23 million of his 2025 salary is guaranteed against injury. That means if Jones were to suffer an injury that prevented him from being able to pass a physical next March, the Giants would owe him that $23 million whether or not he's on the team. This is the argument for sitting him down -- to avoid a situation in which he does get hurt, putting the Giants on the hook for that money. Separate from the injury guarantee, if Jones is on the Giants' roster on the fifth day of the 2025 league year, $12 million of his salary for 2025 becomes fully guaranteed. This would be the argument for cutting him -- even if he's healthy -- before the start of the league year in March. If the Giants were to release Jones after this season and before any of the money becomes guaranteed, they would incur a dead-money salary cap hit of $22.21 million on their 2025 cap as a result of the remaining proration of his signing bonus ... but would owe him no more actual cash. Trading him would incur the same dead-money implications as a release. And designating him as a post-June 1 release (or trading him after June 1) would allow the Giants to spread the dead-money hit out over two years.

What do the Giants believe are Tommy DeVito's strengths/weaknesses and can he lift this team?

It's certainly a bit surprising that the Giants jumped Drew Lock and went straight to DeVito. He showed something last year as an undrafted free agent on his way to three straight wins late in the season. But the Giants didn't think enough of DeVito to give him a legit chance to be the backup. They declared Lock the backup the day he signed, and DeVito had been the third-string emergency option in every game this year. They're hoping some of that DeVito magic resurfaces. At the very least, the Giants know he's not scared of the moment. 

What are the implications of this move for coach Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen?

They're out of people to blame. They overhauled Daboll's coaching staff leading into this season and the roster is theirs after three years. Daboll even took over playcalling this season after promoting/demoting coordinator Mike Kafka. Yet the Giants have the 32nd-ranked scoring offense at 15.4 points per game this season. This is an opportunity to show with DeVito, or Drew Lock, that Jones was the primary issue. If the Giants continue to struggle scoring after the quarterback change, Daboll and Schoen will need to take a long, hard look in the mirror. 

What are sentiments in the locker room over this move?

The Giants' players have long been supporters of Jones, even if there was some visible frustration from his receivers in recent weeks. Still, they respect the way he works and comports himself. Tight end Daniel Bellinger said after their latest loss to the Carolina Panthers in Germany that Jones is their guy. "He's our starter. I think he's our leader, our captain. He's the guy we need to be our quarterback," Bellinger said. It will be interesting to see how this plays out considering the respect Jones has earned, balanced with his struggles on the field, with his teammates.

Are the Giants now locked in on taking a quarterback in the 2025 draft? Who are some early names on the radar?

With Jones likely playing elsewhere in 2025, the Giants will indeed be looking for a franchise quarterback in the offseason. ESPN's Football Power Index has New York projected to land the No. 4 overall pick, which would potentially give it the opportunity to take Miami's Cam Ward or Colorado's Shedeur Sanders. Ward -- my current QB1 ahead of Sanders -- is an electric playmaker who can make throws from all types of arm angles. His ability to create inside and outside of structure stands out, even though it sometimes gets him into trouble. Sanders, on the other hand, is a polished pocket passer who can put the ball wherever he wants. He has an average arm, but his poise, field vision and toughness make him the top pure passer in this class.