T
he New York Giants are going into another season hoping, rather than expecting, Daniel Jones will be The Man, but that shouldn’t stop Big Blue from trading for Pro-Bowl quarterback Mac Jones if their own starter flops.
Striking a deal for Mac Jones, who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie for the New England Patriots in 2021, is an idea put forward by Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox. He thinks “the New York Giants might be willing to take a flier on Jones if Daniel Jones flops in what is possibly his last audition to be the team’s long-term starter.”
Swapping one Jones for another may seem like going from the frying pan into the fire, but there are compelling reasons why the Giant might give Mac a chance.
Giants Have Good Reason to Consider Mac Jones Trade
Jones is now the backup for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the Giants may feel they can salvage his upside. Especially after the 25-year-old “played extremely well for Jacksonville this preseason,” according to Knox.
The latter also noted how a trade for Jones would be cost-effective because the signal-caller is “entering the final year of his rookie contract.” While Knox thinks it would be possible for the Jags to fetch “a Day 2 draft selection,” a pick on the third day of the 2025 NFL draft seems more likely given Jones’ recent fall from grace.
He entered the pros as the 15th player selected in ’21 and quickly guided the Pats to the playoffs on the strength of 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns through the air. Yet, his time in New England soon turned sour and ended with Jones dealt to the Jaguars for a mere sixth-round choice this year.
Jones drew criticism for poor leadership skills. His manner even left one former Patriots Super Bowl winner threatening violence.
While there are plenty of question marks about Jones, he’s proved he can win at this level. His best performances involved pushing the ball vertically.
It’s what he did against the Cleveland Browns as a rookie, when “Jones completed +16.2% of his passes over expectation, the highest CPOE for a rookie QB in a game this season. Jones was especially accurate throwing downfield, completing 6 of his 7 passes over 10 air yards for 103 yards and a TD (+40.4% CPOE),” per Next Gen Stats.
A downfield passing game is something the Giants are hoping to build around dynamic rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers and second-year burner Jalin Hyatt. Perhaps head coach Brian Daboll could use Jones to make the more expansive aerial attack work.
Jones played his college football at Alabama, one of Daboll’s old stomping grounds. The Giants’ boss was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Tuscaloosa in 2017, the same year Jones arrived on campus. Daboll knows the system that made Jones worthy of a first-round pick.
The Giants’ own first-round passer may not inspire the same confidence.
Daniel Jones Still Seems on Borrowed Time
Attempts to replace Daniel Jones this offseason were hardly subtle. The Giants even talked to the Pats about trading up to draft Drake Maye.
That talk went nowhere, but the Giants seemingly aren’t done at least considering what life without No. 8 can look like. Not after general manager Joe Schoen was shown alongside his Chicago Bears’ counterpart Ryan Poles at the collegiate game between Georgia and Clemson on Saturday, August 31.
In a clip from HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” relayed by “He’s A Giant” co-host Monte, Schoen can be heard saying it’s “gotta be nice not to be looking at the (quarterbacks).”
This is a reference to the Bears selecting Caleb Williams with this year’s No. 1 pick to be their franchise quarterback. Schoen’s statement hints the Giants still haven’t found their guy, with ESPN’s Jordan Raanan believing “It’s pretty clear where Daniel Jones stands.”
If Jones still can’t convince his bosses he’s the future, the Giants may wait for next year’s draft to correct the problem. Unless they feel comfortable risking a mid-season trade for a Pro Bowler who’s regressed.
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