Big Blue View
Cornerback is doing his best to make the team, and to help the quarterback of the future at the same time
Nic Jones knows he’s not in Kansas City anymore.
A 2023 seventh-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs, Jones was part of teams that went to the Super Bowl — winning one — in his two seasons there. Now that he is a trying to continue his career with the New York Giants, a team that has gone 9-25 the past two seasons, he understands the difference.
“I really feel like the difference here more so is like that bubbling excitement. Like KC, not to say like they aren’t excited, but it’s real structured, studious. The standard’s already been set for who they are,” Jones said.
“Over here, you have that hunger, that excitement every day because we’re chasing that standard. We’re trying to establish an identity for this defense and this team, and I think that’s something that just gets you going every day, knowing that people are doubting you, there’s questions still about you, as opposed to KC. They kind of just assume we’re the best team, whatever.
“But over here, we take that with a chip on our shoulder every day. They don’t see us that way, but we see us that way.”
Jones played in 10 games for Kansas City in two seasons, nine of those in 2023. He spent most of last season on the Chiefs’ practice squad.
The Chiefs did not bring him back after last season, and Jones signed with the Giants. He is competing for a spot as a reserve cornerback.
“I’m mainly really just grateful for every opportunity. Like being a MAC kid, under-recruited out of high school, got hurt in college, had to play my way to get here, seventh-round pick,” Jones said. “It’s kind of like doing the same process all over again. Seventh round pick is you can almost think of being undervalued in a way because nobody sees themselves as a seventh-round pick. Obviously, I see myself as a lot more.
“So honestly, even now, just taking a chance on myself, you know, a free agent, 23, a young defense that’s looking for pieces, that’s looking for hungry guys, contributors. I feel like this fits me being here.”
Jones spent the early portion of training camp tormenting rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. He took Dart’s first 11-on-11 pass of camp to the house with a pick six. He has knocked down a couple of Dart passes, and blitzed to sack the rookie on at least two occasions.
The two have become, for lack of a better way to put it, frenemies.
“It’s competitive. I think he enjoys it because he likes a good challenge,” Jones said. “His locker’s like two seats down from mine, and we just back and forth talk ball, like all day. It’s definitely fun to compete with him because he’s super-talented.”
Jones has no issue sharing information with Dart when he is able...
