The New York Giants have officially demoted quarterback Daniel Jones and taken him off starting duties. Unusually, he’s getting knocked all the way to Q3, with Tommy DeVito as the starter and Drew Lock on backup.
According to head coach Brian Daboll, the decision was made after “evaluating and watching a lot of tape” and said viewing was the reason for the change. Daboll calls the quarterback switch a “necessary move for us.”
Coach Daboll: We are making a quarterback switch from Daniel Jones to Tommy DeVito. After evaluating and watching a lot of tape, that’s the reason we are going with Tommy. Drew Lock will be the backup. This was a necessary move for us and I’m looking forward to working with Tommy… pic.twitter.com/OTPmSCIq0P
— New York Giants (@Giants) November 18, 2024
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Fans have been speculating that Jones would be replaced as the starting QB since the Giants lost to the Carolina Panthers in Week 10. Notably, after the team’s 20-17 loss to in Germany, Daboll declined to confirm Daniel Jones as the starting quarterback moving forward.
When asked directly if Jones remained the starter, Daboll refrained from a definitive answer, stating that the team is still “evaluating things.” Now, he has decided to bench struggling starter Jones following a disappointing 2-8 start to the season.
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While the official X/Twitter post regarding the QB change stated that “evaluating and watching a lot of tape” was the reason for changing QBs, it is not entirely clear what that means other than the team’s current dismal record.
Numerous commentators are speculating that there is a financial aspect to Jones’ demotion, despite Giants general manager Joe Schoen stating last week that the terms of Jones’ contract would not influence the decision, emphasizing that any move to bench him would be based purely on football reasons.
However, it has been noted that Jones’ contract includes a provision that would guarantee him $23 million in 2025 if he fails a physical due to an injury sustained this season.
Now in the second year of a four-year, $160 million extension signed last year, Jones has no guaranteed money left after this season. If the Giants decide to part ways with him and pursue a new franchise quarterback, they would face a $22 million dead money hit on their salary cap.
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NFL Draft analyst Field Yates broke down the actual numbers:
The financials in play for the Giants by (presumably) moving on from Daniel Jones this offseason:
Cap space created: $19.395M
Dead cap incurred: $22.21M— Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 18, 2024
Jones was drafted 6th overall by the New York Giants in 2019 and has had a mixed NFL career. Known for his mobility and arm strength, he showed promise early with a solid rookie season, throwing for 3,000+ yards and 24 touchdowns. However, turnovers have been a consistent issue throughout his career. Despite flashes of potential, Jones struggled with consistency and injuries, particularly in 2020 and 2021.
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