NFL cap expert 'hated' contract Giants gave Daniel Jones

Add NFL salary-cap expert and Over the Cap founder Jason Fitzgerald to the list of noteworthy individuals who have criticized the New York Giants over the contract they gave quarterback Daniel Jones this offseason. 

"I hated that contract," Fitzgerald told The Ringer's Sheil Kapadia for a piece published Tuesday. "I didn’t think it made any sense for the Giants at all. The franchise tag is made for a player like Daniel Jones." 

It was initially reported on March 7 that Jones and the Giants agreed to a four-year deal worth up to $160M that includes an additional $35M in incentives and $82M in fully guaranteed money. The following month, multiple NFL executives blasted the Giants for what was referred to as a "wild" contract.

"From 2019 to 2021, 38 quarterbacks had at least 600 dropbacks," Kapadia wrote. "Jones ranked 35th in that group in (expected points added) per pass play." 

Signing Jones allowed the Giants to use the non-exclusive franchise tag to hold onto the rights for star running back Saquon Barkley. Additionally, The Athletic's Dan Duggan and Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio mentioned that Jones' contract carries "an escape hatch" that could allow the Giants to move on from the 2019 first-round draft pick after the 2024 season.

Similar to how the Indianapolis Colts recently drafted raw quarterback Anthony Richardson in part because of "what he can become tomorrow," the Giants paid Jones for what they hope he'll be across multiple years playing under head coach Brian Daboll. Jones enjoyed his best pro season, to date, during Daboll's first campaign with Big Blue, and the two guided New York to a postseason berth and a road playoff win at the Minnesota Vikings.

"Daboll leaned on Jones as a runner and didn’t ask him to do too much in the passing game," Kapadia pointed out. "Jones' average pass traveled 6.3 yards—the lowest mark for any starter. The recipe worked. Jones finished 12th in EPA per pass play, and the Giants ranked 10th in offensive DVOA."

According to ESPN stats, Jones finished this past regular season tied for sixth among qualified players with a 60.8 adjusted QBR and fifth among quarterbacks with 708 rushing yards. The 25-year-old tossed 15 touchdown passes and rushed for seven scores across 16 games. 

Giants general manager Joe Schoen has essentially admitted he won't overpay to keep Barkley or any running back on a long-term contract, which is why using the franchise tag on Jones wasn't a realistic option. The fact that New York truly is only married to Jones through January 2025 likely makes his deal less of a "gamble" for the club than Kapadia and others have suggested.