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Jets' Gardner struggles when answering question about Giants' Jones
New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner. Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jets' Sauce Gardner struggles when answering question about Giants' Daniel Jones

New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner is downplaying a less-than-convincing answer about Giants quarterback Daniel Jones.

In a clip shared by SNY-TV in New York on Wednesday, Gardner said Jones was a "good QB" when asked about his opinion of him. However, midway through his answer, he paused for roughly 10 seconds, which suggests he didn't believe what he said. 

Gardner addressed the clip on his X account, claiming he was distracted by something else and that fans should just "chill."

Jones has floundered lately, which may explain why Gardner struggled to come up with words. 

In a 28-10 loss to the Houston Texans on Saturday, he completed 11-of-18 passes for zero touchdowns and two interceptions, including a pick-six to Texans safety Jalen Pitre.

Although it's only preseason, Jones' play may raise concerns for the Giants. After finishing 11th in NFL Comeback Player of the Year voting in 2022, the 27-year-old signed a four-year, $160M deal. In 2023, he failed to live up to the contract, going 1-5 and posting a career-low 36.3 QBR in six starts before suffering a season-ending ACL tear. 

Even before he flopped in 2023, signing Jones to a massive extension seemed like an overpay. The former No. 6 overall pick has only led the Giants to one playoff appearance in five seasons and hasn't surpassed the 20-passing touchdown mark since his rookie season.

To be fair to Jones, he has been surrounded by a weak supporting cast throughout his career. He's never had a wide receiver eclipse 800 receiving yards in five seasons. 

Still, it's clear the Giants aren't sure Jones is a franchise QB. HBO's "Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants" revealed New York head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen met with multiple passers before the 2024 NFL Draft, including Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams (h/t: Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic).

The Giants drafted LSU WR Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick instead, but if Jones doesn't improve, his days in New York could be numbered.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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