Jayden Daniels should give Giants a case of quarterback envy

Brian Daboll will try to keep from gazing dreamily at Jayden Daniels on Sunday, but it will be difficult for him. Daboll will be like everyone else who cannot take his eyes off Jayden Daniels. Daniels, the second-overall pick in the 2024 draft, is the electrifying rookie franchise quarterback phenom who has changed everything for his franchise. There is a lot to like about Daniel Jones.He is smart, tough and dependable, and has been from Day 1.

He says and does all the right things in the eye of the relentless New York storm, and he shows up every game day as the best version of Daniel Jones. But Daboll and disgruntled-again Giants fans at MetLife Stadium will look at Jayden Daniels leading the first-place Commanders and be stricken with franchise-quarterback envy. Because Giants fans will be the first to tell you that Daniel Jones, in the midst of his sixth season as Eli Manning’s successor, has not changed everything for the Giants. And now Jones is a lame duck franchise Giants quarterback living on borrowed time.He is the starting quarterback who gives Daboll and the Giants their best chance to win, until he isn’t. Their best chance to win hasn’t resulted in enough wins.

With each loss, as the 2-6 Giants inch closer to playoff elimination, Jones’ last-gasp grip on his dream job becomes that much more DEFCON 1 precarious. The dark cloud lurking over his head is that $23 million injury guarantee for 2025 that becomes fully guaranteed if he is injured and unable to pass a physical in the offseason. Once the Giants are eliminated from the playoffs, it will make no sense for Daboll and GM Joe Schoen to let Jones keep playing. A potential doomsday scenario for Jones would be losing to Daniels then losing in Germany to the 1-7 Panthers.The risk-reward would then weigh heavily on Daboll thanking Jones for his 2022 playoff win and handing the keys to Drew Lock, with Tommy Cutlets food for thought as well. Daniel Jones is on the brink. Daboll’s pat...