Even Though Daniel Jones’ Ceiling Is A Game Manager, Is That What The Giants Always Wanted?

From his 1st round selection in 2019 to his potential final year with the Giants, the best projections of former Blue Devil Daniel Jones have never been a league-wide threat.

With an average QBR ranking of 20th since 2019, Jones’ numbers have steadily declined since producing a 55.7 his rookie year, with 3,027 yards on a 61.9% completion percentage, 24 touchdowns to 12 interceptions.

Even though his progressive decrease in offensive production coincided with a Jason Garrett-run offense that ranked 31st in football in both seasons, it will still be decision time in the Meadowlands.

But, is the benchmark for picking up Jones’ fifth-year option lower than the media expects?

For an answer to this question, we need not look any further than the predecessor of Jones: Eli Manning.

While showing the upmost appreciation for a quarterback that suited up for 236 career games, it’s safe to say that Eli does not get discussed much in the greatest quarterbacks of all-time conversation.

Yet, according to Insider, Manning has earned the 6th-most money in NFL history ($252.3), which was about 4 million more than his brother Peyton.

Clearly, Peyton’s career numbers are head and shoulders above Eli, and maybe the combination of entering the league after Peyton and playing in New York helped him win the brotherly battle. But in terms of career production on the field, the two brother should not have been as closely compared financially.

The other career figure that the brothers are even at is the most important one: championships.

Both Manning brothers won 2 rings apiece, with a difference winning formula.

In both 2007 and 2016, Peyton was apart of a top-5 offense, including the second-best passing offense in ‘07 and best in ‘16.

The Giants in 2008 and 2012, however, never had a passing offense within the top-10. Instead, their defense both seasons took an impressive step up in the playoffs, while their offenses were lead by a strong rushing attack.

Now, where does Daniel Jones factor into this discussion? Maybe as the perfect replacement for a proven-winning formula.

If there was one thing Manning was for the Giants, it was consistent. And despite the difference in record, Jones has similar numbers to Manning’s first three-years, where he even bests him in several categories.

Entering year 4, Jones’ completion percentage (62.8 to 54.1), TD/INT ration (45/29 to 54/44), and yards per game (221 to 196) all bests Manning’s early years.

While it may not be as flashy, the Giants have shown the preference of a solid, game-manager taking snaps under center than a potential salary-cap tanker deserving of a larger paycheck.

And, with the current track record of teams like the Seahawks, Packers, and Chiefs who have been forced to make difficult roster decisions, it may not be the worst strategy for the turnaround of Big Blue.

So what type of season will it take out of Jones to be brought back? The answer may lie outside of his passing metrics and offensive efficiency, and more so on his ability to stay on the field and keep them in games.