Giants' Daniel Jones discusses expectations for make-or-break season

Quarterback Daniel Jones seemingly isn't lacking confidence ahead of what is likely a make-or-break season regarding his New York Giants career.

"I expect a lot of myself," Jones said during an appearance on the latest edition of the "Simms Complete" program that's on the Bleav Podcast Network, per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. "I expect a lot of the team, and what’s going on outside, that is not necessarily something that is going to drive me."

Jones is coming off the worst season of his NFL career, which included the 27-year-old suffering a second worrisome neck injury since the fall of 2021 before he went down with a torn ACL in his right knee on Nov. 5. Meanwhile, the Giants let star running back Saquon Barkley test free agency in March, and he's now with the Philadelphia Eagles.

"We hadn’t played well, and I hadn’t played well," Jones said about accumulating a 1-5 record as a starter last season. "So, it was tough to have to leave it like that."

It's now public knowledge that Giants general manager Joe Schoen at least looked into possibly moving up from the sixth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft to the third selection with North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye in mind. The New England Patriots ultimately stayed at pick No. 3 to take Maye, and Schoen used the sixth selection to acquire LSU Tigers wide receiver Malik Nabers.

"He’s been fun to watch," Jones said about Nabers. "He had a good spring. You can see the physical tools that he has — his explosiveness but also his strength and how well he catches the ball."

Before Jones can begin targeting Nabers in meaningful games, the 2019 first-round draft pick must first get medically cleared for contact. Jones has insisted throughout his ACL recovery that he'll be good to go for training camp later this month, and he told podcast co-hosts Phil Simms and Matt Simms that he is "doing pretty much everything — running, cutting, everything I need to do."

The Giants can escape Jones' contract next offseason, and many believe he will be benched in favor of backup Drew Lock at some point this fall. 

As of Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Jones sixth among the betting favorites at +1600 odds to win the Comeback Player of the Year Award for the upcoming campaign.