Rex Ryan: Benching Daniel Jones was the right decision (1:17)
Rex Ryan, Tedy Bruschi and Mike Greenberg discuss the New York Giants’ decision to bench quarterback Daniel Jones for Tommy DeVito. (1:17)
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Jordan Raanan, ESPN Staff WriterNov 18, 2024, 08:17 AM ET
- Jordan Raanan is a reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN. Raanan covers the New York Giants. You can follow him via Twitter @JordanRaanan.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants have benched the struggling Daniel Jones and are expected to name Tommy DeVito as their new starting quarterback, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The benching of Jones starts the process of the last-place Giants moving on from the quarterback they signed to a four-year, $160 million deal less than two years ago.
DeVito will start in Jones’ place beginning next Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium. The Giants (2-8), who are coming off their bye week, also have veteran Drew Lock, who has served as Jones’ backup for every game this season.
The change at the quarterback position comes with seven games still remaining in New York’s season. Although the Giants’ record and Jones’ play were key factors in the move, ownership and general manager Joe Schoen also had to consider that there is a $23 million injury guarantee in his contract for 2025 that becomes fully guaranteed if he gets injured and is unable to pass a physical in the offseason.
The Giants are not the first team to sit a quarterback to protect themselves against a substantial injury guarantee. Last year alone, the Denver Broncos did the same with Russell Wilson ($37 million) and the Las Vegas Raiders with Jimmy Garoppolo ($11.25 million).
Coach Brian Daboll said after the Week 10 loss to the Carolina Panthers that the Giants would “evaluate” everything during their bye week — a stark contrast to the previous weeks, when he immediately committed to Jones after losses. At that point, the wheels were in motion to make a quarterback change.
But there have been signs in previous weeks that the Giants would eventually head in this direction. They openly looked for a quarterback at the top of this year’s draft and also pulled Jones in a 28-3 Week 7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles four weeks ago.
DeVito won three straight games last year as a surprise starter following injuries to Jones and Tyrod Taylor. He was the third-string quarterback for every game this season behind Lock.
Jones has struggled ever since winning a playoff game after the 2022 season and signing his deal in March 2023, with the Giants going 3-13 in his 16 starts over the past two seasons. He has 10 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions, including two costly picks deep in Carolina territory during New York’s 20-17 overtime loss in Germany.
Jones, 27, has thrown two touchdown passes and four interceptions in his past five games. He also failed to connect with open wide receivers on a flea-flicker against the Panthers, sending Daboll into a visible tizzy. He went down the sideline yelling and with his arms flailing in disgust.
The Giants, who are 32nd in the NFL in scoring at 15.6 points per game, are in line for one of the top picks in next year’s draft, which presumably will go toward a quarterback.
Moving on from Jones is as big an indictment on Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen as it is on the quarterback. They signed him to the eye-opening deal with Jones coming off the best season of his career in 2022 and used the franchise tag on running back Saquon Barkley, who is now thriving with the rival Philadelphia Eagles.
Jones threw 15 touchdown passes and just six interceptions while finishing sixth in QBR during the career year in 2022. He also was close to flawless in a playoff win over the Minnesota Vikings.
But the Giants haven’t been able to get Jones back to playing at that level, partly due to injuries and an inoperable offensive line last season. Jones missed games in 2023 with a neck injury and torn ACL.
