Former NFL executive: Giants will use franchise tag on QB Daniel Jones

It appears former NFL executive and current ESPN insider Mike Tannenbaum doesn't believe the New York Giants and quarterback Daniel Jones will sign a long-term contract before free agency opens.

"To me, he’s going to get franchised," Tannenbaum told Ed Valentine of Big Blue View about Jones during the latest edition of the "Valentine's Views" podcast. "I’m sure the Giants are going to look at this, say, 'hey, he’s done it for a year. He played really well. We’re happy with him, we’ll franchise him, get through the season and then go from there.'" 

Jones enjoyed a breakout campaign playing under first-year head coach Brian Daboll and stayed healthy enough to make 16 regular-season starts before Daboll rested key players for Week 18. Both Jones and star running back Saquon Barkley remain on track to become free agents in March, and multiple stories have suggested the Giants are closer to re-signing Barkley than locking Jones down ahead of the third weekend of February. 

On Thursday, ESPN's Jordan Raanan reported that "Barkley's teammates seem to think the Giants will reward their star running back." Signing Barkley would keep the franchise tag open for the Giants to use on Jones but also wouldn't necessarily prevent general manager Joe Schoen from working out a deal with the 25-year-old signal-caller. 

The Giants have from this coming Tuesday to March 7 to tag any player. Raanan mentioned the franchise tag for a running back is about $10.1 million for 2023, while the tag for a quarterback is approximately $32.4 million. 

To compare, it's been estimated that Jones could earn somewhere in the ballpark of $35-37 million per season via a second pro contract. It's possible, though, that number could go up to $40 million per year if Jones somehow hits the open market (which he probably won't). 

Saving the franchise tag for Jones would put New York's QB1 in yet another one-year "prove it" situation. That could work out well for the 2023 Giants considering how he played under Daboll in year one, but it could also cost the organization millions of additional dollars in negotiations next winter if Jones cements himself as the club's long-term answer at the sport's most important position.