Giants' Daniel Jones compares new neck injury to previous issue

Eyebrows were raised when it was learned Sunday that battered New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is dealing with a neck injury for the second time in three seasons. 

"It’s different than what I’ve dealt with in the past," Jones said about his neck during a Tuesday appearance on the Fanduel TV "Up & Adams" program, per Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. "Just trying to heal up as fast as possible, follow the advice from the trainers and doctors but I’m feeling better." 

Jones missed the final six games of the 2021 season because of a neck issue that ultimately required him to need what was called at the time a "non-football-related" offseason procedure. More recently, the 26-year-old was knocked out of the Week 5 31-16 loss at the Miami Dolphins, but head coach Brian Daboll told reporters Monday he's "optimistic" Jones will be able to play in the upcoming "Sunday Night Football" matchup between the 1-4 Giants and 3-2 Buffalo Bills. 

Jones played his last game of the 2021 campaign in late November of that year, and it's unknown if he would have been fully cleared for football activities and contact had those Giants been a playoff team. He acknowledged on Tuesday that "the biggest thing is dealing with the contact," which suggests he'd probably already be ruled out if the Giants were facing the Bills on Thursday rather than on Sunday evening. 

ESPN stats show that Jones has thus far taken the second-most sacks (28) in the NFL this season while playing behind what may be the league's worst overall offensive line. The Giants, meanwhile, have already suffered four double-digit defeats on the campaign, and OddsChecker listed them as 14-point underdogs for Sunday's contest at Highmark Stadium as of Tuesday afternoon. 

Debates about when and/or if the Giants should move on from Jones and his contract can wait. They first need him to be healthy, and that may mean sitting the fifth-year pro so he can be good to go for the home game versus the division-rival Washington Commanders on Oct. 22.