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New York Giants shouldn’t start Daniel Jones at all in 2019 season

By William Ricks

CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 22: Daniel Jones #8 and Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants talk during the preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on August 22, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 22: Daniel Jones #8 and Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants talk during the preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on August 22, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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New York Giants
FOXBOROUGH, MA – AUGUST 29: Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants throws the football during a preseason game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on August 29, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /

He’s just not ready

To put it in the simplest way possible: Daniel Jones is just not ready yet to become a starting quarterback in the NFL. There is still much more he can learn that doesn’t involve him playing in the regular season.

Yes, he has shown that he has the potential to be a good quarterback in the NFL during the preseason, making accurate throws and making smart decisions. However, it is just the preseason. The defensive units he has played against are second and third-string players. That is nothing compared to the first-string defenses he would be up against if he was to start.

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If the Giants were to throw him in there as QB1 during the regular season, he would get eaten up by opposing defenses. This isn’t a shot against Jones in any way, but the intensity of a regular-season defense is on another level when it comes to a preseason defense. The Giants would be doing him a disservice putting them out there now.

Let’s say, hypothetically, that the Giants are 0-4 and they make the change at quarterback for week 5. That would mean Jones’ first real game experience would be against the Minnesota Vikings and their great defensive unit. That is setting him up for failure.

Then, many fans and experts will say that it is best of he learns by being in the game and getting used to the speed and all of that. With a player like Jones, that is not the way. He confidence will be shot if he performs badly when he is thrown in there, and for a quarterback, confidence is key.

It is okay if a first-round quarterback isn’t ready to immediately start. Some players take longer to develop and grow than others. In Jones’ case, he needs his inaugural season to learn behind Manning and soak up all the info he is given, so when it is time to get out there and be the guy, he is prepared and ready to handle anything that is thrown at him.

Many teams have found out the hard way that putting a rookie quarterback out there before he is ready can backfire. If the Giants let that scenario happen with Jones, Lord help Gettleman and the Giants front office. Fans and even some experts will be very quick to tell them how wrong they were about their sixth overall pick.

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