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Daniel Jones is no longer a New York Giant.
Days after being demoted to QB3 on the team’s depth chart, Jones requested a release from the Giants on Friday. In a statement Friday morning, team president John Mara announced the Giants had “mutually agreed” to Jones’ request. Jones will now go through waivers before becoming a free agent. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Jones is “likely” to clear waivers due to his contract.
“Daniel has been a great representative of our organization, first class in every way. His handling of this situation (Thursday) exemplifies just that. We are all disappointed in how things have worked out,” Mara said. “We hold Daniel in high regard and have a great appreciation for him. We wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
Jones was drafted out of Duke with the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He started 69 games across his 6 seasons with the team. His best came in 2022, when the Giants went 9-6-1 as Jones threw for a career-best 3,205 yards with a career-low 5 interceptions.
In the 2 seasons since, Jones has played just 16 games and the Giants have gone 3-13 in those appearances. They opened the 2024 season 2-8 before making the decision to bench him earlier this week.
When Jones met with the media on Thursday, he thanked the Giants and shouldered the blame for the poor start.
“There have been some great times, but of course, we all wish there had been more of those,” Jones said. “I take full responsibility for my part in not bringing more wins. Nobody wanted to win more games worse than me and I gave everything I had on the field and in my preparation. Of course, this season has been disappointing for all and of course I wish I could have done more. I’m 100% accountable for my part. I did not play well enough consistently enough to help the team get results.”
The 4-year, $160 million contract Jones signed in March of 2023 included a reported $81 million fully guaranteed. According to ESPN reporting, the Giants will take on “more than $20 million” in dead money with the decision to release Jones.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
