The 2023 season has been a lost one for the New York Giants, who are just 2-8 and completely buried in the NFC playoff picture. A big part of the problem has been a disastrous year for Daniel Jones, who the Giants signed to a four-year deal worth $160 million in the offseason, as he regressed statistically before suffering a torn ACL in Week 9 to end his season.
Jones actually improved on his completion percentage year-to-year, completing 67.5 percent of his passes compared to 67.2 percent in 2022, but he saw his yards per attempt decline to a career-low 5.7 in 160 passes. Turnovers were also a problem for Jones, who threw six interceptions in six games and generated three total touchdowns on the season.
Given the realities of their situation, including the fact that Jones' guaranteed money runs out after next season, the Giants are doing their homework on potential replacements for Jones if they land a top pick in April's NFL Draft. Franchise icon Eli Manning, who Jones replaced as the Giants' starting quarterback in 2019, doesn't think this is a wise course of action.
Eli Manning doesn't think the Giants should replace Daniel Jones yet
The New York Post reached out to Manning for his thoughts on the Jones situation and Manning made it clear in a video that he feels moving on from Jones is not a good decision. While 2023 has been rough for Jones, who dealt with neck issues before suffering the torn ACL, Manning points out that Jones was very successful in his first year in the Giants' new offense in 2022, something that cannot be forgotten.
The Giants saw enough out of Jones in 2022 to give him a ton of money and Manning feels the Giants would be better off surrounding Jones with better supporting talent than simply casting him aside and starting over. There are some good pieces on the Giants for sure as Manning mentions Dexter Lawrence, Saquon Barkley and Darren Waller as solid building blocks in his commentary.
What this situation comes down to is whether general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll feel that their best path to sustained success comes with Jones or a top young quarterback like Drake Maye or Caleb Williams. The Giants should land a high draft pick either way, so they can either keep Jones and build around him, potentially using the second pick on another player or trading back for a ton of assets, or draft his replacement.
The situation is eerily similar to when the Giants had the second pick in the 2018 draft, when they opted not to take a successor for Manning in a loaded class of prospects and took Barkley at No. 2 instead. The move largely put the Giants in this position so it will be interesting to see if history will repeat himself.