Big Blue View
No change — yet — at quarterback
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll said Monday that Daniel Jones will continue to be the team’s starting quarterback this Sunday when the team travels to Germany to face the Carolina Panthers.
Jones will also continue to receive all of the first-team reps.
“Nothing changes,” Daboll said.
The Giants are 2-7 and have lost four straight games. Jones is in the second year of a four-year, $160 million contract, but has no guaranteed money beyond this season provided he does not suffer a catastrophic injury that would prevent him from passing a physical next season.
That $23 million injury guarantee, and the belief that the Giants will move on from Jones after this season, has everyone wondering how long the Giants will ride with the sixth-year quarterback before pulling the plug to avoid being stuck with the injury guarantee on their 2025 books.
Jones, though, is coming off what could be considered his best game of the season. He was 20 of 26 (76.9%) for 174 yards with two touchdowns. He added 54 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Jones had a 119.7 passer rating, his best since posting a 125.2 against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17 of the 2022 season.
“I thought he did a nice job. The week before [against the Pittsburgh Steelers] I thought he did a lot of good things,” Daboll said. “When you lose, you know, it doesn’t feel like any of that, But he made a lot of good plays for us.
“He had the batted ball, we had Malik [Nabers] behind it, a couple other balls that were kind of right off the tips of a couple of guys here. I think he executed the offense well and gave us an opportunity.”
The Giants have a bye after this Sunday’s game against Carolina. Should the Giants lose a fifth straight game and fall to 2-8, they may have to move on from Jones whether he is playing well or not.
Placekicker Graham Gano, on injured reserve since suffering a hamstring injury on the opening kickoff against the Washington Commanders in Week 2, “has a chance” to be activated prior to Sunday’s game.
“I think Graham is getting close,” Daboll said. “How close he is right now, I think we’ll know here in the next couple of days.”
Greg Joseph made 13 of 16 field goals (81.3%) and all six of his extra-point attempts in six games as Gano’s replacement before going on IR before Sunday’s game with an oblique injury. Rooke Jude McAtamney was elevated from the practice squad. He made a 31-yard field goal and his only extra-point attempt.
Daboll said that edge defender Kayon Thibodeaux (fractured wrist) was unlikely to be ready. Punter Jamie Gillan is not on IR, but has missed four games with a left hamstring injury. Daboll said Gillan also “has a chance” to be ready this weekend.
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