Daniel Jones made his return to the Giants lineup in Week 9 after missing three games because of a neck injury. It didn't last long.
Jones played the first quarter for the Giants but was injured on the first play of the second frame. He was dropping back to pass when his right knee buckled under him. He fell to the turf, was touched down and immediately reached for his knee, in pain.
While Jones was able to gingerly walk off the field under his own power, he quickly headed back to the New York locker room. He was officially declared out after halftime, stoking concerns that his non-contact injury was a serious one.
Indeed, it was. The Giants announced after the game that they feared Jones had suffered a torn ACL in his right knee. Coach Brian Daboll confirmed that diagnosis after Jones had an MRI on Monday.
MORE: Giants lose Daniel Jones to non-contact knee injury
Coach Daboll confirms QB Daniel Jones suffered a torn ACL during Sunday's game. pic.twitter.com/JfncL55LD6
— New York Giants (@Giants) November 6, 2023
Jones' season is now over and his injury could impact him into the 2024 NFL season. That will create some questions about just who might play quarterback for the Giants next year.
New York has posted a record of just 2-7 through nine games in 2023. Without Jones and backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor, the Giants seem set to land a top-five pick in a 2024 NFL Draft class that is loaded with quality signal-callers.
As such, many will wonder whether the Giants will be looking to select a quarterback to replace Jones. After all, he hasn't played well for most of his career, and his solid 2022 campaign is looking more and more like a schedule-aided aberration.
But can the Giants actually move on from Jones during the 2024 NFL offseason? Here's what to know about why his contract will likely keep him in New York, regardless of whether the Giants add another quarterback to the fold.
Daniel Jones contract details
The No. 1 issue with the Giants trying to move on from Jones is that the team signed him to a four-year, $160 million contract on eve of free agency in 2023. The terms of that deal will make it hard for the Giants to trade him without taking on an immense cap hit.
Below is a look at the year-by-year structure of Jones' deal with the Giants, per Spotrac.com.
| Year | Base salary | Bonuses | Cap hit | Dead cap |
| 2023 | $1,080,000 | $14,355,000 | $15,435,000 | $81,500,000 |
| 2024 | $35,500,000 | $11,605,000 | $47,105,000 | $69,315,000 |
| 2025 | $30,000,000 | $11,605,000 | $41,605,000 | $22,210,000 |
| 2026 | $46,500,000 | $12,105,000 | $58,605,000 | $11,105,000 |
Is Daniel Jones' contract guaranteed?
Jones' contract isn't fully guaranteed, but it contains within it $81 million in guarantees at signing. That stems from his full $36 million signing bonus and his base salary for both 2023 and 2024, per Spotrac.com.
That's why releasing Jones would be difficult for the Giants. To part with him during the 2024 NFL offseason, the Giants would have to take a dead-cap hit — a salary cap allocation designated to guaranteed money spent on players no longer on the active roster — of more than $69.3 million. That's higher than Jones' actual cap hit of $47.1 million for that season; so, the Giants would actually lose about $22.2 million in cap space by parting with Jones.
If the Giants weren't obligated to pay Jones his $35.5 million base salary regardless of whether he is on the roster, perhaps their tune would be different. But at this time, releasing him seems like a waste of resources.
Were the Giants trading Jones for a usable asset, one might argue that would be an OK use of salary cap resources. But considering Jones' performance compared to the $30 million-plus he is making in base salary from 2024 through 2026, it's hard to imagine another team pursuing the 26-year-old quarterback — even if they believe in his upside.
So, barring a major surprise, Jones will end up in New York for the 2024 NFL season. The question then will be about how the team challenges him at quarterback.
MORE: Tommy DeVito, Matt Barkley lead Giants QB depth chart after Daniel Jones' injury
Giants draft picks 2024
Given the financial resources the Giants have allocated to Jones, the easiest way to find some competition for him will be through the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Giants have seven total picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Six of them are their own selections while one — a second-round pick — was acquired from the Seahawks in the Leonard Williams trade.
Below is a full look at the Giants' draft assets:
- Round 1
- Round 2
- Round 2 (via Seahawks)
- Round 3
- Round 4
- Round 5
- Round 6
Entering Week 10, the Giants currently project to have the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. They figure to be in the running for the top selection overall, so that could position them to select either USC's Caleb Williams or UNC's Drake Maye to replace Jones.
Even with Jones on the roster, the Giants could consider drafting a quarterback early to overtake him and attempt to fix the offense. That said, it seems more likely that they would target a top playmaker (like Marvin Harrison Jr.) or blocker (like Joe Alt) to support him while considering some mid-round competition in a loaded quarterback draft class. Players like Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix and Jordan Travis could all draw consideration for the Giants should they decide not to use their first-round pick on a non-quarterback.
So, either way, expect the Giants to scout the 2024 NFL Draft quarterback class closely. It's a talented group and they have the early-round assets needed to pursue a player to challenge Jones.
MORE: Everything to know about Giants QB Tommy DeVito
How Giants' Daniel Jones situation compares to Cardinals' Kyler Murray situation
When breaking down the decision that the Giants are facing with Daniel Jones, it has many similarities to the one that the Cardinals faced with Kyler Murray during the 2023 offseason.
Murray signed a lucrative extension with the Cardinals in 2022 and proceeded to post one of the worst seasons of his career. It seemed like Arizona — who was in the process of bottoming out under Kliff Kingsbury — would be positioned to potentially select a quarterback early in a strong 2023 NFL Draft quarterback class if they so desired. That could potentially allow them to trade Murray to a quarterback-needy team.
However, Murray suffered a torn ACL in Week 15 against the Patriots. That quashed any possibility of a trade while also putting his status for the 2023 season-opener into flux.
So, how did the Cardinals manage that situation with Murray? Well, they had to keep him but they tried to make the best use of their assets as possible. They traded down from the No. 3 overall pick to pick up more assets before moving back up to take an offensive lineman, Paris Johnson Jr., at No. 6 overall.
Later, the Cardinals spent a fifth-round pick on quarterback Clayton Tune in the hopes of developing him behind Murray. The goal was eventually for him to challenge Murray while Joshua Dobbs, who was acquired on eve of the season, started for Arizona to begin the year.
Arizona's retooling around Murray may not have been sexy, but it gives the Giants a blueprint to follow should they eschew selecting a quarterback if they land a top-five pick. Coming out of the draft with playmakers to support Jones while adding a young, potential-packed passer to challenge him — and potentially start over him if the veteran isn't ready for Week 1 — would be a solid plan.
But regardless of the path the Giants take, it's clear that this team has issues that can't be fixed overnight. And while New York made the playoffs in Daboll's first season with the team, it seems like that season — much like Jones' success — could prove to be an aberration.
