There are many varying opinions floating around about New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones — some complimentary and others not so complimentary.
Jones is 12 days away from unrestricted free agency and if the Giants want to have him back under center they have to pay him the going rate for a starting NFL quarterback.
The one-year franchise tag price is $32.4 million. A longer-term deal could cost more or less depending on how it’s structured. Many believe Jones is worth at least the franchise tag figure while others are dead against doling out big bucks for a quarterback whose numbers are anything but eye-popping.
One analyst, NBC Sports’ Chris Simms, says the Giants need to get over the sticker shock and pay Jones what he’s worth in the open market.
“I’m a believer in Daniel Jones,” Simms told the folks at Big Blue View. “I was not a guy that loved him coming out in the draft, but the more and more I’ve seen of him as a player, seeing him in person, seeing how he handles himself, I am a total believer.”
The rumor mill has bandied about a figure of $45 million per year for Jones, which is too rich for most fans’ blood for a player like Jones but Simms reminds us that all salaries are scaling as the salary cap increases.
“Hey, $40 million, that’s a little much for me, too. But again [that’s] the going market for a good quarterback right now, and that’s what we’re putting him in,” Simms said. “We’re not saying he’s great, but he’s good right now and you can win like he showed this year. It’s going to be somewhere between $30 and $40 million dollars. Get used to it…I think it’s only going to go this way [up].
“The No. 2 receivers on teams are making $18 million a year, so of course the starting quarterback is going to make that kind of money.”
Simms was quick to point out that 2022 was the first year that Jones had a ‘fighting chance’ as he was finally on a decent team. His first three years were marred by injury and ineptitude. It was hard
“We know he had no weapons to help him [before 2022],” Simms said. “Saquon [Barkley] was hurt two years ago, dealing with that. People go, ‘oh he’s been behind a bad offensive line.’ I go no, no, no, not bad. It was the worst offensive line in football. It wasn’t even close the last two years.”
Simms believes that the Giants and Jones will come to an agreement one way or another.
“I think ultimately they’ll get it done the right way and find something that makes sense for both,” he said.
