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To paraphrase Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight, let’s wind the clocks back to March 2023. The New York Giants, following their first season under rookie head coach Brian Daboll, had just made the playoffs and reached the Divisional Round. Not only that, but for the first time in his career, Daniel Jones looked like he had the makings of a franchise quarterback.
That offseason, however, the Giants faced the prospect of having to re-sign both Daniel Jones and star running back Saquon Barkley, and the decision they ultimately made would come to shape the franchise for the next few years.
Giants general manager Joe Schoen signed Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract and placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Barkley, an approach that prioritized securing Jones with a long-term deal while temporarily retaining Barkley under the franchise tag. The rest, as they say, is history.
Jones failed to live up to the expectations of his contract to such an extent that the Giants cut him last week, dead in the middle of the 2024 season. Barkley, on the other hand, would sign with the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this year and is now putting together an MVP-worthy campaign for Big Blue’s NFC East rivals. Through 11 games this season, Barkley has 223 carries for 1,392 yards and 10 touchdowns, in addition to 27 catches for 257 yards and 2 touchdowns. Jones is a free agent.
While it’s unfair to pin the current state of the Giants entirely on Jones, the decision to commit to him long term over Barkley was undeniably the start of the domino effect that led them here. Hypothetically, had the Giants signed Saquon and moved on from Jones, they could’ve pursued veteran QBs such as Derek Carr or even Aaron Rodgers, who was clearly intent on playing in New York City at the time.
Currently sitting at 2-9, it’s likely the Giants fire head coach Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen, adding to a list of key open job opportunities within the franchise alongside starting quarterback.
As of Week 12, the Giants have the 2nd overall pick in the 2025 NLF Draft, which surely puts them in the position to select a quarterback. Finding a general manager, head coach, and quarterback that can lead them back to the playoffs is a process that could take years, which is exactly what choosing Jones over Barkley has cost them.