Giants decline fifth-year option on QB Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones of the Giants walk off the field after a game against the Washington Football Team at MetLife Stadium on Jan. 9. Credit: Jim McIsaac
But first, some business with the 2019 draft class.
The Giants declined the $22.4 million fifth-year option on Daniel Jones’ rookie contract but picked up the $10.8 million option for defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence on Thursday, coming to decisions on their first-round picks from three years ago ahead of Tuesday’s deadline to lock them in for 2023.
The Giants still believe Jones, who was taken sixth overall in 2019, can develop into a winning franchise quarterback but their decision to decline the option saves them from paying him the $22.4 million if he can’t. That money would have been guaranteed while Jones’ development most certainly is not, which makes the decision far from unexpected.
Jones, 24, has missed games because of injury each of his first three professional seasons and has thrown just 21 touchdown passes in the past two seasons combined after throwing 24 as a rookie. The Giants are 12-25 in games he started.
The call on Jones means the quarterback will head into the 2022 season and his first in an offense designed by new head coach Brian Daboll on the final year of his deal and dramatically ups the importance of this coming season on his future with the team. If he plays well enough to prove to the new Giants regime he can be the franchise quarterback with whom they want to move forward they would be able to use the franchise tag (expected to be about $30 million for quarterbacks, or about $8 million more than what they would have guaranteed him with the option). That tag could also lead to a long-term contract to keep him beyond 2023.
If Jones does not play to that level of commitment the Giants will be free to move on from him without any financial ties and try to find their next quarterback by other means next offseason. The only quarterback on the Giants roster currently under contract for the 2023 season is backup Tyrod Taylor who signed a two-year deal this offseason.
Lawrence, meanwhile, who was selected 17th overall in 2019, is seen as a key piece of the Giants’ defensive line for the next two years. He’s been a three-year starter in the middle of that group and had 52 tackles and 2.5 sacks last season.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
