Last week, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones underwent surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee that was torn on November 5 in a 30-6 Week 9 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The 26-year-old, fifth-year signal caller Jones played in just six games this season, as he missed three consecutive games due to a neck injury prior to returning to face the Raiders. The Giants were 2-7 after being defeated by Las Vegas, so Jones was not a force multiplier moving his team upwards in the standings, in which they are currently 4-8 and tied for last place in the NFC East with the Washington Commanders riding a two-game winning streak.
Jones wasn’t central to the Giants’ myriad on-field issues, but continues to be a polarizing figure since being drafted by the franchise with the No. 6 overall pick in 2019. After signing a four-year extension worth up to $160 million in March, he was solidified as the team’s unquestioned starter, at least in the short term.
The contract is structured with outs after this season and next season, allowing the Giants latitude to move on from Jones without a massive financial casualty to the salary cap. They could draft his successor with what will be a high pick in April’s draft. Ironically they currently sit at No. 6 in the 2024 draft with five games remaining heading into this Monday’s (8:15 p.m.) match up with the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium.
While the situation is fluid, Giants second-year general manager Joe Schoen said the team is committed to Jones as the starter next season.
“The expectation is that when Daniel is healthy, he will be our starting quarterback,” Schoen said to reporters on Monday.
”You all saw [him] last season. The guy won 10 games, he won a road playoff game for the Giants. You guys saw the preseason,” he added. “I just think we got punched in the nose early on, we dug ourselves a hole and we weren’t able to get out of it. I still believe in Daniel.”
In the absence of Jones and second string quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who is out with a rib injury, New Jersey native and rookie third string quarterback Tommy DeVito turned a boyhood dream into reality when he led the Giants to a 10-7 win against the New England Patriots in his first home start, going 17-25 for 191 yards and no interceptions.
The Jets, who are coming off of a 34-13 thrashing by the Miami Dolphins at home last Friday to drop to 4-7 as they prepare to host the 5-6 Atlanta Falcons at MetLife this Sunday (1 p.m.), also have been without their season-opening starting QB since Aaron Rodgers tore his left Achilles tendon on September 11 four plays into Week 1.
Like his counterpart Schoen, Jets general manager Joe Douglas is already calculating and considering possible scenarios and moves as resets for next season. Rodgers will be back. But he will be a 40-year-old (he turns 40 on Saturday) QB trying to play at a high level on a repaired Achilles.
For both the Jets and Giants, plenty of uncertainties remain heading into the offseason.