Following the first three years of Daniel Jones’ career, the New York Giants decided to decline his fifth-year option last offseason and seemed unsure of his future.
But Jones silenced the critics in 2022 with a breakout season leading the Giants to the postseason.
As the season went along, questions about whether or not the Giants were going to re-sign him quickly shifted to how much he would cost.
With several difficult decisions facing GM Joe Schoen this offseason, the Giants have made it clear they want to keep DJ, avoiding the franchise tag if possible.
As crazy as it might have sounded prior to the season, it looks as though Jones will command around $35 million annually, two NFL executives told SNY.
The appropriate figure is believed to be somewhere between $35 and $37 million, two executives familiar with the quarterback market told SNY. Another, whose team is in need of a veteran quarterback and would “explore” Jones if he were available, said he’d have a “hard time” justifying a $40 million figure for him. In the $30 millions? “Sure,” the exec said, “but not above.”
With Saquon Barkley and Julian Love also set to hit the open market, the Giants may have to get creative with their deals. They can free up some cap room by extending Dexter Lawrence and reworking Leonard Williams’ contract.
While Jones is likely to occupy a big portion of the Giants’ salary cap, it will be comforting to know they have a reliable piece under center for years to come.