Key teammate noticing more 'swagger' from Daniel Jones

New York Giants star running back Saquon Barkley noticed a change in Daniel Jones after the quarterback signed a new contract with the club in March. 

"I don’t want to speak for DJ but he’s gonna come in every single day with the same mindset, be the leader that we need," Barkley recently told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post about Jones. "You can see his swagger has grown a little bit more after being involved in the system, understanding the system even better." 

Jones guided the Giants to a playoff appearance and a road postseason win in his first season playing under head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, and the franchise ultimately rewarded the 26-year-old with a four-year contract that could be worth up to $160M. It was noted on Monday that Jones is "more comfortable than expected returning to the same offensive system," and Barkley suggested that the 2019 first-round draft pick could be in for a breakout campaign while again working with Daboll and Kafka.

"You get to be under a system for another year, have all the coaches basically come back, that just helps your confidence grow," Barkley explained. "When your confidence grows you get that swagger." 

Of course, "swagger" probably isn't the first word that comes to mind when somebody thinks of Big Blue's QB1 who has been labeled by some as "boring" and who is routinely roasted on social media for his gameday outfits.