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With Daniel Jones expected to become a free agent in the coming days, many around the league expect the former first-round pick to find a new home before the end of 2024. Jones’ next chapter might begin sooner than later with a handful of teams, including the San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders, eyeing Jones in free agency, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
“A few people around the league mentioned the Raiders as a sensible option [for Jones],” Fowler reported. “They have a clear need at QB, and one of the team’s quarterback coaches, Fred Walker, was Jones’ offensive coordinator at Duke… And the 49ers are a situation to watch, with Brock Purdy working through a shoulder injury and Kyle Shanahan’s affinity for mobile quarterbacks.”
Fowler also mentioned the Jacksonville Jaguars and Dallas Cowboys as teams potentially in the mix to sign Jones. Both the Jaguars and Cowboys are dealing with injuries to their traditional starting quarterbacks but the ESPN reporter does not believe that Dallas will get involved.
The 27-year-old became available when the New York Giants released him after six years of service on Nov. 22. In the team’s official statement, the front office stated that Jones requested his release just days after they announced that he had been benched in favor of Tommy DeVito.
Jones is not expected to be pursued until he clears waivers, which he is scheduled for at 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 25. Once that happens, the Giants are expected to absorb roughly $20 million of the $160 million contract he signed in 2023.
Before he was released by the Giants, Daniel Jones’ tough career continued in 2024 with arguably his worst season to date. Through New York’s first 10 games, Jones led the team to just a 2-8 record while tossing just eight touchdowns with seven interceptions.
Playing from behind in most games, Jones threw for 2,070 yards in 2024 but completed just 63.3 percent of his passes. He clearly benefitted from Malik Nabers’ presence as a true No. 1 receiver, marking the first time in Jones’ career that he had a dynamic pass-catcher on the outside. However, Nabers’ inclusion coincided with star running back Saquon Barkley’s departure in free agency.
Since signing his lucrative contract in 2023, Jones has offered a touchdown-interception ratio of just 10:13. He threw just two scores in six games in 2023 before going down with a torn ACL.
While Jones has undeniably struggled throughout his career, there seems to be no better time for a struggling quarterback to experience a change of scenery. Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Geno Smith and Jared Goff have all experienced increased success in the past few seasons by joining a new organization after struggling with their original crew. There is no certainty that Jones will not be next.
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