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Do Giants still have faith in Daniel Jones?
It sounds like some individuals with the New York Giants aren't completely "done with" Daniel Jones following what was a disappointing season for the quarterback.
"As bad as Jones was in the first five games of last season, there are a lot of people very high up in the Giants organization who still believe in his ability," NFC East reporter Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports wrote for a piece published Monday night. However, Vacchiano added that Jones' concerning injury history has "shaken" the Giants' faith in the 2019 first-round draft pick.
That second part is hardly breaking news considering Giants general manager Joe Schoen voiced similar concerns about his QB1 in February. Specifically, Jones missed a total of nine games from the fall of 2021 through this past season because of neck-related issues before he suffered a torn ACL on Nov. 5. Such setbacks are particularly worrisome considering Jones is at his best when he's able to make and extend plays using his legs.
"Jones' health does seem to be a big enough issue for the organization that it's impossible to say they still believe he's their long-term answer at quarterback," Vacchiano revealed. With that said, Vacchiano insisted that newly-signed backup Drew Lock was telling the truth last week when Lock said at that time that Jones "is the starter of this team." Vacchiano also repeated a previous story that claimed the Giants refused to guarantee Russell Wilson a starting job before Wilson ultimately joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as a free agent.
It's believed the Giants may have to package the sixth overall pick of this year's draft with three second-round selections in a trade to move high enough up to take a quarterback early on the first night of the player-selection process. Insiders repeatedly have linked the Giants with Michigan Wolverines signal-caller J.J. McCarthy, but ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. predicted in a mock draft updated on Tuesday that the Giants will stay at pick No. 6 and grab Washington Huskies wide receiver Rome Odunze.
"Multiple league sources said the Giants have made inquiries about trading up," Vacchiano reported. "It should also be noted that they've talked to at least one team about trading down, so these conversations may be more due diligence than anything else."
Vacchiano concluded that "the Giants want Jones to be their opening day starter" this coming September. That's all well and good, but the club can escape Jones' contract next offseason and still doesn't know, for sure, when the 26-year-old will be cleared for contact.
While some Giants employees may still "believe in" Jones this spring, such faith seemingly is only related to the upcoming campaign.
More must-reads:
- NFC free-agency grades: Commanders are rocking, but what's up with Cowboys?
- Replacing a franchise NFL QB is a monumentally difficult task
- The 'Recent first-round QBs from the NFL Draft' quiz
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Red Sox Aren't Getting Standout Back Anytime Soon
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Top moments from 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame inductions
The 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame class had its day in Cooperstown on Sunday. This year's class included Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner, who were elected by the eligible voters from the Baseball Writer's Association of America, and Dave Parker and Dick Allen, who were elected by the Classic Baseball Era Committee. Here are some of the top highlights from Sunday's induction speeches. Dave Parker's son reads poem written by Hall of Fame father Parker's induction into the Hall of Fame was long overdue, and he sadly did not have the opportunity to enjoy the moment of seeing his name in the Hall of Fame as he died June 28. That left his speech in the hands of his son, Dave Parker II, who read a poem written by his dad. Parker spent the majority of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates where he was an MVP winner, two-time batting champion and World Series champion with the 1979 "We Are Family" team. Dick Allen's wife remembers his kindness Allen was the other veterans committee inductee, and his widow, Willa Allen, spent the majority of her speech remember the kindness of Allen off the field as much as his ability on the field. Allen is going into the Hall of Fame as a Phillie but won the 1972 American League MVP with the Chicago White Sox. He led the league in OPS four times and was the 1964 National League Rookie of the Year. A reminder that Billy Wagner wasn't naturally left-handed Being left-handed is a huge advantage (and money-maker) for pitchers, and Wagner was one of the most dominant left-handed relief pitchers to ever step onto a mound in the big leagues. But he wasn't always left-handed. Wagner was a natural-born right-handed person but taught himself how to throw left-handed after fracturing his right arm twice as a kid. It led to quite a career. Wagner made a name for himself with the Houston Astros but also spent years with the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox. CC Sabathia takes playful dig at Ichiro Sabathia accomplished a ton in his 19-year big league career. He won 251 games, won the 2007 American League Cy Young Award, was the 2009 ALCS MVP and a World Series champion. He still has apparently not gotten over the one individual award he did not win — the 2001 American League Rookie of the Year Award, which went to fellow 2025 inductee Ichiro. Sabathia made sure to make a playful dig at that. Sabathia was the only American League rookie outside of Ichiro — who also won the American League MVP that year — to get a first-place vote. He received one. The others all went to Ichiro. Ichiro stole the show Ichiro stole 509 bases in his Hall of Fame career, and on Sunday, he added one more steal to his list of accomplishments by absolutely stealing the show at Cooperstown. He delivered two of the best lines of the day, first by calling out the one lone writer who did not vote for him, keeping him from being just the second unanimous Hall of Fame inductee ever (after Mariano Rivera). His best line of the day, however, might have been when he referenced his brief time as a member of the Miami Marlins toward the end of his career. Ichiro played 14 of his 19 seasons with the Seattle Mariners while also spending time with the Marlins and Yankees.
Insider provides notable update on where Commanders, Terry McLaurin stand on extension talks
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