Giants' Daniel Jones addresses season-ending torn ACL

Quarterback Daniel Jones spoke with reporters Wednesday and danced around a question regarding whether the New York Giants could ultimately draft his replacement next spring as he's recovering from the season-ending torn ACL he suffered this past Sunday. 

"I’m focused on what I’m doing right now," Jones said when asked about possibly having to compete with a rookie next summer, per Darryl Slater of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. "I can control what’s in front of me, and that’s this rehab process and doing everything I can to help this team finish strong and play well. That’s what I’m focused on." 

Jones signed a four-year contract reportedly worth up to $160M with the Giants this past March but has missed a total of nine games since the second half of the 2021 season because of worrisome neck injuries. Most recently, the 26-year-old went down with a torn ACL during Sunday's 30-6 loss at the Las Vegas Raiders. 

"It’s tough for sure," Jones acknowledged about his latest setback. "You put a lot into preparing to play. And to get it taken from you through an injury is definitely tough. That’s real, and that’s something that you deal with as a player. But I can’t afford to feel sorry for myself or sulk. And I’ll be fine. I’ll bounce back, attack the rehab process like I have anything else, and come back stronger."

The Tankathon website shows the Giants would possess the fourth overall pick in next year's draft if the season ended before Week 10. With unimpressive undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito taking Jones' spot atop the depth chart until further notice, New York realistically may struggle to earn even two additional wins before Week 18 concludes. 

On Wednesday afternoon, oddschecker listed the Giants as 16-point underdogs for this Sunday's game at the 5-3 Dallas Cowboys. 

By all accounts, the Giants can afford to use a high 2024 draft pick to grab a quarterback before they escape Jones' contract after next season. Jones understandably didn't want to address such a scenario on Wednesday, but the 2019 first-round draft choice likely sees the writing on the wall as he prepares to have surgery "sometime in the next couple weeks" after the swelling in his knee goes down.