Daniel Jones

New York Giants: Is Julio Jones a potential trade target for the Giants?

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New York Giants, Julio Jones

One of the greatest wide receivers of this generation is rumored to be on the market this offseason. Could Julio Jones be a good fit for the New York Giants’ offense with Daniel Jones? The Giants should at least monitor the Julio Jones situation.

Jones is one of the best receivers in the NFL and has had an elite career thus far, but is getting up there in age. He is also coming off an injury-filled year. Should the Giants still consider making a move on Jones this offseason?

The Falcons have one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL with Jones and Calvin Ridley. With the emergence of Ridley, he has shown wide receiver one numbers when Jones has been injured this past season. Matt Ryan, the Falcons’ quarterback, is also aging. Seems like Jones is the odd man out.

Once the new Falcons general manager is hired, he will assess the roster and whether to rebuild the Falcons or stay with the team as is and try to make a playoff push.

Jones has been on and off the field all year, playing only nine games this season. In those nine games, Jones has shown he still got it hauling in 51 catches for 771 yards but only three touchdowns. With Jones missing seven games, you would like to see more touchdowns, but Jones has been dealing with injuries all year.

Questions

The questions all Giants fans are asking right now are, why would we be interested in Julio Jones, and what is it going to cost the Giants to acquire a player like him?

The Giants need a difference-maker on the offensive side of the ball; Jones would be just that. Daniel Jones or any Giants quarterback, at that matter, needs a player they can trust that will go up and get the ball. Jones is faster, taller, and stronger than anyone the Giants currently have on the outside. He is a freak of nature, and from what he has shown this past year, he still can ball.

The cost to get Julio in New York is very hard to say. Jones is 31 currently and aging, it will be hard for the Giants to give up a first-round pick for an aging player. The Falcons traded wide receiver Mohommad Sanu to the New England Patriots for a second-round pick in 2019. If Sanu got traded for a second-round pick, I could only imagine what the Falcons would want for Julio Jones.

Not only will the Giants have to give up assets to get Julio Jones, but the Giants will also have to create a little bit more cap space as well. Jones’ cap hit in 2021 will be around $23 million dollars, which is very high for a wide receiver. In 2022 and 2023, the cap hit will get more affordable, being around $19 million dollars but after that, Jones has an opt-out in his deal.

Forget Julio Jones, draft a receiver:

Would you trade your first-round pick for Julio Jones or keep your first-round pick and draft one of two premier receivers in this year’s draft class? Some really want Ja’Marr Chase from LSU or Devonta Smith from Alabama. Which sounds better, Julio Jones or one of the two rookies?

If the Giants have a chance to go with one of the two premier receivers in this draft class, it will be hard to pass them up. If the Giants miss both of the receivers, that is when I think you could see the Giants try to make a play on a talent like Julio Jones.

Forget Julio Jones and drafting a receiver, sign one:

The Giants will also be looking to sign one of the top receivers in free agency if they do not decide to go with one in the draft. Allen Robinson, Kenny Golladay, Chris Godwin, Will Fuller, Curtis Samuel, and Corey Davis are some of the big-name receivers that could be hitting the open market this offseason.

Robinson is looking to win, which considering the state of the Giants, he might stay away. Golladay has missed 12 games this season and could take a one-year prove-it deal with the Giants. Godwin, in my opinion, will not hit the open market. The Buccaneers will either franchise tag or extend him this offseason. Fuller got caught with PEDs in the middle of the season, but his performance on the field is something the Giants could be interested in. Samuel is more of a number two receiver but could be a good outside receiver with Sterling Shepard in the slot and Darius Slayton on the opposite side. The last receiver we have is Corey Davis, he has ties with safety Logan Ryan from the Tennessee Titans. Davis has been injury-prone much of his career but will fit the Giants scheme if he stays healthy.

What should the Giants do?

The New York Giants have to bolster their wide receiver corps. If the Giants have to trade for a stud like Julio Jones, or sign a big-time receiver this offseason, and or go young and draft an absolute stud receiver. Either way, I do not think the Giants will not leave this offseason empty-handed.

New York Giants: How much blame falls on Daniel Jones for poor 2020 offense?

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New York Giants, Daniel Jones

As we head into week 17, the New York Giants’ offense ranks at the bottom of the NFL, averaging a disappointing 17.1 points per contest. Their passing game is also abysmal, averaging 187.7 yards per game, but their running attack has been the only saving grace if any.

There’s plenty of blame to go around, ranging from coordinator Jason Garrett to quarterback Daniel Jones. However, it is clear that Jones has regressed since his rookie season in 2019 when former head coach Pat Shurmur called offensive plays.

Ultimately, Shurmur‘s offense was more efficient, despite many clamoring about his predictability and lack of creativity. No matter how you look at it, Jones had a better overall season, aside from his turnover problem. DJ has alleviated some of those issues when it comes to fumbling and throwing interceptions, but his best game this season came in week one against the Pittsburgh Steelers when he threw for just 279 yards and two touchdowns.

In 2019, his best performance came in week 16 against the Washington Football Team, when he threw for 352 yards and five scores, earning a 132.1 quarterback rating. He was near perfect, and that performance alone sparked optimism for his future.

However, we should have listened to Cowboys fans when they told us Garrett’s scheme was boring and bland. His route concepts are outdated and predictable for modern defenses. He runs too many hooks and flat routes, with receivers not even running beyond 5 yards or getting to the sticks. His offense doesn’t give Jones the ability to create on the move and utilize his instincts properly. It is all mapped out for Jones to hit first reads quickly and not move on to his other targets. Of course, you can blame a lack of playmakers for this issue, but we saw DJ perform much better in 2019 without TE Evan Engram in the second half of the year. Of course, having Saquon Barkley back was helpful, but he was still hampered by a high ankle sprain he suffered earlier in the season.

Who’s to blame for the New York Giants’ offensive woes?

At this point, I would say that 60% of the blame falls on Jason Garrett and his failure to develop intricate route concepts and get players open in man coverage. The last few games, opposing teams are playing primarily cover 1, which is a run-stopping formation. They are lining up in cover 1 against the pass because they don’t respect the receivers and their ability to get open in man coverage. With the receiver failing to gain separation, Jones has to make pinpoint accurate throws, but he does have one flaw that shows up on tape consistently.

What some analysts call “burping the baby,” Jones taps the ball before throwing too often, which resulted in two poor passes against the Baltimore Ravens in week 16. On one throw to Wayne Gallman up the seam, Jones taps the ball, allowing the pass rush to get to him, and the pass ended up behind Gallman, despite him making an acrobatic catch. If he hits them in stride and throws this without tapping the ball, Gallman picks up an extra few yards. They say football is a game of inches, so everything counts.

On a play earlier in the contest, Jones taps the ball just before throwing a dig route to CJ Board — in that split-second, he allowed pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue to hit his arm and disrupt the pass.

It’s small things like this that need to be ironed out in Jones’ game, but I do think those issues will alleviate with time. Having a better play-caller and some better blocking on the OL (should be better in 2021 with experience) would certainly help, but the lack of playmakers doesn’t exactly flush DJ with confidence.

Finding a more modern coordinator to develop route concepts and open up screens would be beneficial, as Garrett criminally missuses Engram and doesn’t push players down the field appropriately.

Overall, I would say Daniel Jones should take about 15% of the blame, but nobody has done him any favors, and I would like to see the Giants get him some more help in the wide receiver corps and a new coordinator who focuses on modern-day passing strategies.

New York Giants: Daniel Jones plans to play from the pocket

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New York Giants, Daniel Jones

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones returned from his hamstring and ankle injuries last week to play against the Baltimore Ravens. Jones admitted to making changes to his play the past few weeks due to his injuries.

During Jones Wednesday press conference, Jones said he has not been able to take off and run like he had been able to do since the Cincinnati Bengals game when he left early due to a hamstring injury in Week 12.

“I think you can tell from the tape I can not do a lot of the same things I am used to doing,” Jones said, via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. Jones then continued to say that he will be playing more in the pocket until he feels 100% healthy before moving around and taking off running.

Jones has been at least getting over his injuries enough to go full participant during his Wednesday practice and is officially off the New York Giants’ weekly injury report.

Just last week, Jones was limited in all three weekly practices with both hamstring and ankle injuries. It is very nice to see him getting over injuries in preparation for one of the biggest games of his entire career thus far. I do miss Jones using his legs to extend the play and running out of the pocket and gaining extra yards, but we will have to settle with his pocket-passer version, which looked solid in the second-half loss to Baltimore in week 16.

New York Giants “absolutely” going with Daniel Jones in the future

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New York Giants, Daniel Jones

Even if the New York Giants end up finishing the season with a high draft pick once again, it looks like Daniel Jones has job security at quarterback. Or at least, the Giants organization is confident enough in Jones to publicly declare that he has job security. While the franchise said the same things about Eli Manning before he was replaced, there’s no competitor waiting in the wings to Jones and the Giants will only find one if they draft a quarterback this year.

Joe Judge, too, insists that they already have their man going forward. He already made other statements along those lines this season, but this latest statement puts it in firmer terms and goes more into the reasoning behind the Giants keeping their faith in Jones during a tough year.

What did Judge have to say?

“You always want to know about is Daniel our guy? Are we going forward with Daniel? The answer is absolutely…” Judge told reporters on Monday. “You watch the tape yesterday and you see that guy in there operating, executing, understanding the pressure and not just standing in there with courage like he’s done all along and taken a hit but understanding how to take the hit and deliver an accurate pass and move the sticks down the field.”

Judge went as far as to defend Jones’ play in the loss, where he had 252 yards and one passing touchdown but was sacked six times. The sacks were a major setback in this game and the six times equals the other season high game for Jones, the one against Arizona when he was still partly injured.

“I thought Daniel yesterday played well. There are some plays I’m sure he’d like to have back, some plays we’d like to do differently. That’s natural in any game,” Judge continued. “We’re going to coach it to eliminate those plays on the front end. But at the same time, there was a lot of growth that I saw with Daniel that’s really showed up in terms of how he had to play the game yesterday and what he’s able to do.”

Daniel Jones’ long term future

Jones has indeed grown this season to reduce his turnovers but still has some ways to go to solidify his spot long term. Next season looks like the make or break one for him, because not only will it be his crucial third year, but the Giants should have more talent around him.

Right now, Jones is limited by both a bad offensive playcaller and by a poor offensive line and a group of receivers that has a hard time getting opened. If the Giants can deal with at least two out of three of those factors, we’ll probably get a more accurate look at just what Jones can do next year.

But until that point, don’t be surprised if reporters continue to ask each week if Jones is still the starting quarterback. After falling short of big expectations from the infamous New York press, Jones will be frequently questioned until he either improves further or is out of the franchise.

New York Giants: Daniel Jones expected to start, says report

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New York Giants, Daniel Jones

The New York Giants were missing Daniel Jones against Cleveland, but that should change when they take on Baltimore tomorrow. Jones has been struggling with a hamstring injury and a further ankle injury for weeks now, but the team is opting to bring him back instead of shutting him down for the season with two games left. At least, that’s according to what a source told ESPN about the subject.

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is expected to start Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens after missing last week’s game with ankle and hamstring injuries, a source told ESPN.

Jones last played against the Arizona Cardinals but had big troubles owing to his lack of mobility. Presumably, the Giants have learned their lesson after that time and are confident that Jones won’t suffer from the same issue in this game. Before that point, Jones had missed the Seahawks game outright – but the Giants were able to achieve victory regardless with Colt McCoy.

Reports from earlier in the week indicate the staff is more confident in Jones’ movement and recovery. However, that’s not to say that he’s returned to practicing with no limits just yet.

Going into this game, Jones is an important addition for the Giants because they technically still have a chance in the playoff race. If the Giants win out in the last two games and Washington loses one of their last two games, they’ll make it in.

But that’s a tall task considering the current state of the team, and we won’t know until Sunday if Jones will be able to play at a hundred percent strength and contribute to that outcome.

New York Giants: Injuries piling up heading into week 16 contest Vs Baltimore

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New York Giants, Golden Tate

The New York Giants are heading into a difficult matchup against the Baltimore Ravens in week 16, a must-win if Big Blue wants to increase their chances of making the postseason.

The Giants are struggling immensely on offense, averaging a measly 17.4 points per contest, just one spot ahead of the New York Jets. However, their competitors, the Ravens, are averaging 28.8 points per contest and are the best rushing team in football. While their passing game is quite limited, they have found ways to supplement their lack of yards in the category.

Stopping Lamar Jackson will be a primary task for defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who will likely utilize more spies against him. Expect to see a heavy dosage of outside linebacker Carter Coughlin spying on Jackson, to go with a number of disguised coverages to force him to make mistakes.

The Giants will need all hands on deck for this contest, but they are still dealing with numerous injuries that will hurt their abilities on both sides of the ball.

Heading into the weekend, quarterback Daniel Jones is dealing with an ankle and hamstring injury and has a questionable designation for Sunday’s game. He was limited in practice all week, but Coach Joe Judge indicated that he was making motivating progress. The expectations are that Jones will suit up for the contest but could once again be limited with his running abilities.

Aside from DJ, the Giants are also skeptical when it comes to star linebacker Blake Martinez and cornerback Darnay Holmes. Martinez had a lower back injury a few weeks ago but pushed through and managed to clear that injury. He has since picked up an ankle injury that has made him a “questionable” for the game. Holmes missed last week’s loss to the Cleveland Browns with a knee injury and is also questionable for the contest.

Another hit on offense, wide receiver Golden Tate has been ruled out with a calf injury that he picked up during Wednesday’s practice. If this injury lingers, it could very well be the last snap Tate has taken as a Giant.

Nonetheless, with injuries scattered across the team, the Giants are vast underdogs in this week 16 matchup. It would be a miracle if they’re able to pull off a win, but nothing is impossible, and we can always count on Graham to dial-up a great defensive game plan against any opponent.

New York Giants: Daniel Jones limited but on track for Sunday return

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New York Giants, Daniel Jones

Despite back to back losses, there’s some good news right now for the New York Giants. Both of those losses have had something to do with the injury to Daniel Jones, but reports indicate that Jones is getting ready for a comeback on Sunday against Baltimore.

As expected, Jones was still limited when the Giants took to the field once again on Thursday in practice.

Darnay Holmes was also a limited participant while Golden Tate didn’t participate at all due to a calf injury. Evan Engram, on the other hand, has a calf injury of his own but was a full participant in practice. The same goes for offensive lineman Matt Peart, who is dealing with an ankle injury but was a full participant.

Joe Judge recently confirmed that Jones is the team’s quarterback – at least for the near future.

It remains to be seen, however, if Jones will be fully healthy going into this future game. We’ve already seen that his play is significantly worse when movement isn’t an option. Against Baltimore this Sunday, much of the game may just come down to whether or not Jones is playing healthy enough to perform like his best self.

It’s still relatively early in the week, though, so as the game on Sunday gets closer, we’ll get a better look at the progress of Jones’ return.

New York Giants HC Joe Judge says he is all-in on injured, healing QB Daniel Jones

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New York Giants, Daniel Jones

The New York Giants are preparing to play the Baltimore Ravens this Sunday. It is still uncertain who will start at quarterback for the Giants this week, though. Typical starter Daniel Jones is still recovering from two injuries (hamstring, ankle) and missed last week’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

The Giants are hoping to see their starting quarterback make his return to the field this week, but they will not rush him back if he is not healthy. However, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN, today’s practice saw Daniel Jones look the best he has since suffering his original hamstring injury in Week 12.

Along with that crucial information came more news surrounding the Giants’ second-year quarterback. Head coach Joe Judge spoke with the media today and discussed his quarterback’s injury and the long-term future of Daniel Jones.

Joe Judge expresses long-term confidence in Daniel Jones

New York Giants head coach Joe Judge spoke with the media today and answered questions about quarterback Daniel Jones. Joe Judge has been watching Daniel Jones carefully this season and has come away impressed. In fact, Judge went as far as to say that Daniel Jones has “earned his respect.”

When discussing the current state of the Giants and also the long-term future, Joe Judge made it clear that he is confident in Daniel Jones:

Daniel Jones is our quarterback. – Joe Judge via Giants.com

Joe Judge gave that answer when asked if he ever gets “a second and a half to think about next year,” is Daniel Jones the Giants’ quarterback? Joe Judge affirmed that Daniel Jones is the quarterback of the New York Giants this year and next year. This quote alone likely eliminates the Giants from any quarterback mock draft discussion.

Joe Judge says he has seen a “string of moments” where Daniel Jones has proven himself to be a franchise quarterback. Judge noted the “respect he has in the locker room” as well as the improvements Jones has made “throughout this season.”

I think he’s demonstrated a level of toughness and leadership and knowledge on the field that gives us confidence to put him out there and build with Daniel. – Joe Judge on Daniel Jones in 2020

Joe Judge is impressed with what he has seen in Daniel Jones during his first season as the head coach of the New York Giants. Judge and the Giants are confident they can build with Daniel as the team’s franchise quarterback.

The overwhelming majority of Giants fans have expressed great confidence and trust in head coach Joe Judge. Judge endorsing Daniel Jones as the Giants’ franchise quarterback should bring the fanbase to rally around the second-year gunslinger from Duke.

These final two games will decide a lot about the Giants going forward

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New York Giants, Daniel Jones

Despite having a 5-9 record and suffering through their seventh losing season out of the last eight seasons, they are still in the race for the division title due to the futility of the 2020 NFC East.

However, with two difficult games coming up against the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys, who both have caught fire the past couple of weeks, it’s very possible that the Giants could lose out and finish 5-11, finding themselves with yet another top 10 pick in the draft.

These next two weeks will say a lot about the state of the franchise both in the short-term and potentially the long-term as well. The fate of general manager Dave Gettleman will most certainly hang in the balance, and possibly quarterback Daniel Jones as well.

Head coach Joe Judge seemed to suggest that Daniel Jones is not going anywhere in 2021 during an exchange with NFL Network’s Kim Jones on Wednesday. Judge mentioned how Daniel Jones has earned his respect throughout the course of the season, especially with all the challenges the team was faced with. Judge even went as far as to say, “Daniel Jones is our quarterback,” when asked a follow-up question about him.

Now, of course, we need to take everything with a grain of salt because what Judge said was expected, but it seems to be a safe bet that Jones will at least will be the starting quarterback at the beginning of next season, especially if Gettleman sticks around.

If Gettleman gets fired and a new general manager is brought in, however, the quarterback question definitely gets more interesting. Judge will, without a doubt, have a big say in who the next general manager is, and then the two of them will have to decide where to go at the position. It’s possible that the new general manager would want to bring in his own quarterback, and he’ll be able to convince Judge to get on board, but it’s also just as likely they’ll stick with Jones.

If Jones is healthy enough to play these final two games, his performance can help his chances of staying if he plays well and finishes the season on a high note. If he remains out, there’s also the chance that could hurt his standing a little bit. The best availability is availability, as Giants fans have been harshly reminded of.

There’s no doubt Jones is talented and had a promising rookie season, but there’s also no doubt he’s regressed badly in his second season. Now, a lot of that is due to offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and his horrible scheme that does not play to Jones’ strengths, but Jones certainly isn’t blameless. Garrett’s fate is probably already decided, and he’s the most likely person to be gone after the season, but Jones still needs to play better and prove that he’s taken the next step in his development, which he has yet to do regardless of the other factors that may play into it.

At the very least, the Giants would be wise to get themselves a backup who can give Jones some legitimate competition and give the team a better chance of winning games when he’s in. No disrespect to Colt McCoy, who’s solid and well-respected around the league, but he’s not going to cut it.

When it comes to Gettleman, he’s on much thinner ice than Jones, and the rest of the season could singlehandedly decide whether he keeps his job or not. Despite having a 14-32 record over his close to three seasons as general manager, if the Giants win the division and even go on to win a playoff game, John Mara could see that as enough evidence that the team is going in the right direction and keep Gettleman.

If the Giants go 1-1 or 0-2 and finish no better than 6-10, then it becomes more likely that Gettleman will go, and Judge will bring in his own guy. This past offseason was a successful one for the Giants in both free agency and the draft, with several key role players being added to the roster, but a lot of that is due to the coaching staff getting the most out of the players.

The fact of the matter is that this roster still lacks a lot of talent in critical areas, talent that even the best of coaching staffs need to achieve success. That’s on Gettleman, who’s had more than enough time to solve that problem by now, but his misses have just greatly overweighed his hits. Other teams that were in similar situations to us when Gettleman took over, such as Cleveland, Buffalo, and Arizona, have turned it around while the Giants have been stuck in a cycle of losing. I know that each team’s situation is different, but it should show you that rebuilds don’t have to take as long as they have for the Giants.

The point is that these final two games carry a lot of weight for the Giants. They are both very important and will have lasting implications one way or another, no matter where the team finishes. They could define what the offseason looks like for the Giants while also providing answers to some critical questions surrounding the team.

New York Giants: Ranking the needs on offense for 2021

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New York Giants, Daniel Jones

The New York Giants produced another dud of an offensive performance against the Cleveland Browns in week 15, scoring a season-low six points. They beat their previous season-low of seven points from the week prior against the Arizona Cardinals.

Unfortunately, the unit that entered the season with high hopes has turned into one of mediocrity and embarrassment. The Giants have 13 combined points over the past two games and are severely limited without starting quarterback Daniel Jones. In addition, their wide receivers are unable to create ample separation, and the offensive line has been inconsistent at times. It seems as if there are more problems than solutions compared to the expectations last off-season.

Nonetheless, it is fair to mention that the Giants have been playing without Saquon Barkley and a completely revitalized offensive line, composed of several rookies. There were always going to be struggles this season, but nobody expected the offense to be second to last in the NFL in points per game. At some point, the blame must be distributed evenly, but let’s take a look at where they need to allocate resources this upcoming off-season.

Ranking the New York Giants’ needs on offense for 2021:

1.) No. 1 WR

The Giants don’t have any imposing threats, as Evan Engram remains inconsistent and polarizing. They have Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, and Golden Tate, but none of the three are capable of blowing a game open at any time.

Tate will likely be cut after the 2020 season concludes, meaning the Giants will save a bit of cash they can allocate toward a number one receiver. If they want to take the free agency route, they could look at players like Allen Robinson, Kenny Golladay, or even Corey Davis of the Tennessee Titans. Alternatively, they could consider the NFL draft as a tool to solve their receiving woes, but it depends on how they value other positions of need.

One way or another, the Giants need to draw attention away from opposing defenses, and getting a top pass catcher will do just that. Pairing an elite receiver with Saquon Barkley will completely rejuvenate the offense and open up the playcalling for Jason Garrett, or whoever holds that job in 2021.

2.) New play-caller

The second need is a new play-caller because Jason Garrett simply hasn’t gotten the job done this year. The Dallas Cowboys managed to score 41 points against the San Francisco 49ers with a ravaged offensive line, backup quarterback, and backup running back on Sunday.

There are teams that find ways to put points on the board, and Garrett’s conservative scheme and playcalling have not helped the Giants win games. With sporadic deep shots and a lack of creativity, the Giants are once again entering a turnstile of predictability and monotonous schematics.

At some point, the Giants are going to have to consider a younger OC with a more modern approach to the game, as running the ball to victory doesn’t work in today’s NFL. The passing game is equally, if not more important, so finding a coordinator who can develop intricate route concepts and get receivers open is essential.

3.) More continuity on the offensive line

The New York Giants have taken significant strides in the trenches this year, but they remain inconsistent. Rookie left tackle Andrew Thomas has grown exponentially, so giving him a bit of slack as necessary.

They still have a rotation at left guard with Will Hernandez and Shane Lemieux, which must be solved at some point. Right tackle is the most glaring need, as the Giants continue to roll with Cam Fleming despite their confidence in Matt Peart. It is possible that Peart is simply feeling the after-affects of Covid, which has led to more reps for Fleming the past couple of weeks.

However, the line allowed eight sacks and five fumbles last week against Arizona, a completely embarrassing performance. They played better against the Browns but were manhandled in the running game at times and lost a few one on one battles. Back up quarterback Colt McCoy was still only sacked once, which indicates a far better performance in week 15 for the Giants.

More reps and consistency for the young linemen will prove to be the key, so we should see an elevation in play next season.