Daniel Jones done for season; 2024 in question?
By Jared Smola |
Updated on Mon, 06 Nov 2023, 12:57 PM EST
An MRI has confirmed a torn right ACL for Giants QB Daniel Jones. That will obviously end his 2023 season. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero says to expect a nine-month recovery, which would put Jones potentially back on the field during 2024 training camp. His injury did occur about five weeks earlier than Cardinals QB Kyler Murray's 2022 ACL tear. We obviously can't assume the same return timeline for any player based only on a similar injury to another guy. But those timelines should give Jones a better chance of returning at least by sometime in the first half of next season. We'll certainly be watching for updates on his recovery in the meantime -- as well as watching how the Giants address the position in the offseason. Jones' contract still carries a $47 million cap hit for 2024 -- and a $69 million dead-cap number if the team were to move on from him. So you can at least bet on Jones staying central to the 2024 plays. Even beyond that, the dead-cap penalty would be $22.2 million for 2025 vs. a $41.6 million cap hit if Jones remains on the roster. Whether the Giants draft a QB early will likely tell us how much longer they hope to have Jones at the helm. The level of investment into the 2024 backup plan can give us hints on how optimistic they are for Jones' recovery. For this season, QB Tyrod Taylor (ribs) will be on IR for at least three more weeks, and HC Brian Daboll says it's not yet clear whether Taylor will make it back this season. So it could be Tommy Devito the rest of the way, which lowers the floor and ceiling for all Giants offensive players.