The Jacksonville Jaguars have a long-term answer behind center in Trevor Lawrence. However, critics of the former Clemson Tiger will often bring up Daniel Jones' numbers when trying to make the case that he isn't a franchise quarterback. But based on a recent development, an argument that didn't make sense to begin with looks even more puzzling.
Just one day after the New York Giants made Jones stand in front of reporters to discuss his benching and role on the team's 2-8 record in 2024, they announced they've moved on from him. Following his release, the G-Men posted this message on social media.
— New York Giants (@Giants) November 22, 2024
And just like that, the Daniel Jones era in the Big Apple has come to an abrupt halt. A first-round pick in the 2019 draft, the former Duke standout signed a four-year deal worth $160 million in 2023. However, he's regressed to the point where the Giants decided not only that he didn't deserve to start but rather that he wasn't part of their long-term plans.
During their BYE, the Giants benched Jones but they didn't make him the No. 2 behind Tommy DeVito. Instead, he was the fourth-stringer behind Drew Lock and the recently added Tim Boyle. To add insult to injury, the coaching staff had the North Carolina native play safety in the scouting team. That's how bad his fall was.
Jones will now be subject to waivers, but it's highly unlikely that a team will pick up his contract. He'll probably go unclaimed, and he'll then become a free agent who can go anywhere he wants. The Giants, for their part, will have to take on dead cap hits of $47.1 million and $22.2 million in 2024 and 2025, respectively. On the other hand, they no longer owe him any more money and will free up $19.4 million of extra cap next year.
The #Giants release of QB Daniel Jones leaves behind dead cap hits of:
— Spotrac (@spotrac) November 22, 2024
2024: $47.1M
2025: $22.2M
NYG frees up $19.4M of cap for the 2025 season.
The Trevor Lawrence vs. Daniel Jones debate was never close
Dating back to last year, several outlets compared Trevor Lawrence and Daniel Jones. At first sight, the debate appeared to be close. After all, they put up relatively similar numbers in their first 50 starts. That said, a close look showed that it wasn't even close.
For starters, Lawrence got Urban Meyer as his head coach in his rookie season, while Jones routinely had a talented supporting cast around him. Moreover, the Jaguars quarterback got onto a hot streak in 2022-2023 and was only held back when he dealt with a myriad of ailments last year.
Granted, Lawrence has been far from perfect but comparing him to Jones always felt like a slap in the face. More so after his release. Perhaps he will be able to latch onto a team in 2024, rebuild his stock, and once again get a chance to compete for a starting job next year.
On the other hand, Lawrence's place as the unquestioned starter with the Jaguars has never been in doubt. Even though he didn't play particularly great early in the season, he fared much better up until he suffered a shoulder sprain. Had he not gotten hurt, there's no scenario where Jacksonville would've benched him in favor of Mac Jones if it weren't for mop-up duty.
The bottom line is that the Trevor Lawrence-Daniel Jones comparison was always silly. One of them remains the long-term answer at quarterback in Duval while the latter is currently without a team.