A “football decision” brought the Giants to a one-way intersection with quarterback Daniel Jones on Monday.
Third-year general manager Joe Schoen spelled out the thought process last week before the Giants left the team facility for a bye week with the worst record in the NFC. Yes, the 3-7 Panthers and 3-6 Cowboys have a game on the G-men.
When the Giants reported for work Monday, all of the signage was the same but signs of massive changes ahead were abundantly visible.
Following the path of the Denver Broncos with Russell Wilson in 2023, the Giants decided to park their starting quarterback – and his $23 million injury guarantee – in favor of undrafted No. 3 quarterback Tommy DeVito. Head coach Brian Daboll apparently jumped No. 2 Drew Lock, who was once traded for Wilson, for the second-year option. DeVito went 3-3 as a starter last season after Jones suffered a torn ACL and backup Tyrod Taylor was hurt.
His popularity prompted the Giants to adjust his contract and the nickname of Tommy Cutlets revealed in part the depths of disdain some factions of Giants fans hold for Jones, who was the No. 6 pick in 2019 during the failed Dave Gettleman regime.
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Jones’ most consistent trait has been susceptibility to injuries. Not entirely by the fault of his own considered the offensive line working in front of him, Jones battled neck and knee injuries and was inherited as the “franchise” quarterback by the Schoen and Daboll regime.
Schoen insisted last week that all decisions for the rest of the season will be driven by what helps the Giants win games.
“It will be a football decision,” Schoen said. “Any decisions we make moving forward as we evaluate the roster and what we’re doing for the final seven games will be football decisions.”
At 2-8 this season, DeVito digs into his big opportunity starting this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before a Thanksgiving Day visit to Dallas, where the matchup pits a pair of undrafted quarterbacks. The Cowboys turned to longtime backup Cooper Rush with Dak Prescott on IR and he’ll duel DeVito.
The Giants made a different “football decision” on Jones only two years ago, signing him to a four-year, $160 million contract in the same offseason Schoen smacked Saquon Barkley with the franchise tag.
Jones appears to be done in New York.
Whether Schoen and Daboll are around to make football decisions in 2025 depends on the mood of president, CEO and co-owner John Mara and chairman, co-owner and president Steve Tisch.
They’ve failed to choose a winning path since Tom Coughlin last roamed the MetLife Stadium sideline in 2015. Ben McAdoo, Steve Spagnuolo, Pat Shurmur, Joe Judge were all ejected before they hit their 34th game as head coach of the team.
Daboll coaches his 35th this week.
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