When Daniel Jones was drafted number six overall by the infamous Dave Gettleman we all chuckled. When he spent years fumbling from the pocket at the slightest bit of contact we all laughed. When he tumbled over his own two feet on an 80-yard scamper like the clumsiest Charlie Brown you ever did see we flat-out guffawed.
And yet...
Daniel Jones just led the Giants to a playoff win on the road versus the 13-4 Minnesota Vikings. That is a true sentence. He threw for over 300 yards to guys like Isaiah Hodgins and Richie James. He led the team — a team that has Saquon Barkley at full health, in rushing yards. Most importantly, he had zero turnovers.
Daniel Jones won the turnover battle
That has been the story all season for Danny Dimes, he solved his turnover problems. There were 27 quarterbacks who had over 310 attempts this season (Daniel had 472). DJ threw the fewest interceptions (5) of all of them. If you had tried to make that bet in Vegas before 2022 kicked off, they would have gifted you the penthouse suite.
He led the league in interception rate (1.1%), was fifth in completion rate (67.2%) and seventh in QBR (60.6). Considering where he's come from, and that his leading receivers heading into preseason are either off the team or riding the bench, this year ol' Charlie Brown has proven he belonged.
But, stats lie
Now it hasn't been all buttercups and roses this season. Daniel's yards per attempt tied Justin Herbert and Aaron Rodgers, which contrary to popular belief is not good in the silly year of 2022. Andy Dalton averaged more pass yards per game. Marcus Mariota threw as many touchdown passes...
He's not exactly the next Joe Montana. But he may be coached by the next Bill Walsh.
Brian Daboll has done everything he can to unlock the potential of Daniel Jones. It paid off in an improbable nine win season and a spot in the NFL's final eight. But is he the man to bring this franchise to the promised land?
Contract-Year Danny
Would better skill position players and an improved offensive line make Daniel rise even higher or have we reached his ceiling? Will another year in Daboll's offense only improve Daniel's chances of living up to his draft capital? Now that the Giants have survived the year of cap hell placed upon them by the former GM, they have some big-boy decisions to make.
Is Daniel Jones the man of the future? More importantly, is he worth the contract you would need in order to sign him?
Not that he'd be asking for the 45 million a year that Josh Allen and Pat Mahomes are making, but would he be worth the 40 million a year that Derek Carr is making? Would Daniel Jones accept anything less than 35 million a year? After all, that's the same amount that Kirk Cousins is making in Minnesota, a man that DJ just out-dueled on a national stage.
Dimes has done everything he can to cash in at the right time, having the best year of his young career. Will Daboll decide he is the future? Will DJ walk into the vast unknown? Is he worth 35 million dollars? It all comes down to your answer to the original question.
Is Daniel Jones good?
Senior content creator Kate Magdziuk thinks so! At least, good enough for a second contract with the G-Men. Find out why.
Wager on Divisional Danny Dimes with Gaming Society's Bet Club!
Test your knowledge and bet on real NFL odds with tokens instead of cash. Play risk-free, practice your betting skills, and climb the leaderboard by making accurate picks to win real prizes.
