The $23 Million Reason a Daniel Jones Benching Is Looming

The New York Giants might be done with Daniel Jones.

Coming off a three-point loss in Germany to the Panthers, the team’s fifth straight defeat, the Jones era in New Jersey could be winding down after six long years.

After years of insisting Jones was the starter, head coach Brian Daboll was noncommittal when asked about it after Sunday’s debacle.

“I’d say we got a lot of work to do here in the next few days, in the next week, and we’ll evaluate where we’re at and what we need to do,” Daboll said.

Jones’s latest contract extension gives the Giants a palatable out after 2024—but only if he doesn’t trigger 2025’s injury guarantee. If he fails a physical in March, $23 million of his 2025 salary becomes guaranteed.

Injury guarantees have come into play with several quarterback contracts in recent years. The Broncos and Raiders benched starters Russell Wilson and Jimmy Garoppolo, respectively, last year and the Raiders used the strategy the year before with Derek Carr.

“I would guess—guess—that we don’t see Daniel Jones play another down for the Giants,” ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter said Tuesday.

Should the team bench Jones, Drew Lock would likely slide in as the new QB1. The team signed him at the beginning of the season, and also have their 2023 draft pick Tommy DeVito out of Illinois.

The Giants signed Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract extension in March 2023. Had the team wanted to cut him this year, it would’ve eaten $69.3 million in dead cap, still less than the Broncos’ league-record $85 million in dead cap for waiving Wilson in March.

The Giants will have to absorb $22.2 million in dead money if they cut Jones this offseason, which would ultimately still represent about $19 million in savings compared to keeping Jones on the roster.

The Giants have a bye week to think it over, although an injury in practice would also trigger the injury clause. The 2–8 New Yorkers face the Buccaneers on Nov. 24.

The Giants drafted Jones No. 6 in 2019 and made him their starter in Week 3 of his rookie season. He helped them to their first playoff win in 11 years, but the team hasn’t gone back to the postseason since that 2022 wild-card win over the Vikings.