When John Mara grew to become over his franchise on the finish of the 2021 season he believed he had already discovered his franchise quarterback. He additionally understood that few outdoor of his group in fact believed him.

Even the pristine regime of normal supervisor Joe Schoen and head mentor Brian Daboll wanted a yr to peer for themselves, to build certain Daniel Jones was once virtue the entire cash he was once about to get. And each and every era a pristine teammate arrived from elsewhere, they got here with questions concerning the quarterback that had to be replied, too.

“People definitely had a lot of questions, for sure,” mentioned receiver Isaiah Hodgins, who joined the Giants from the Buffalo Expenses terminating November. “I think he put a lot of the league on notice last year. I think those conversations (stop) when you have good performances like he did. A lot of people were probably talking bad (about him).

“Nearest he has the season that he had terminating yr.”

That season Jones had last year spoke volumes about the 26-year-old, and reinforced the faith the Giants organization has had in him since former general manager Dave Gettleman made him the sixth overall pick of the 2019 draft. In basically his fourth full season as a starter (he took over for Eli Manning in Week 3 of his rookie season), Jones completed 67.2 percent of his passes 3,205 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also cut down on his interceptions, throwing just five, and fumbled the ball away only three times. And on top of that, he was one of the NFL’s best running quarterbacks, rushing 120 times for 708 yards and seven touchdowns.

On a team with one of the worst receiving corps in the league, behind a mediocre-at-best offensive line, he carried the Giants to the playoffs, with the help of Saquon Barkley (1,312 yards rushing, 338 receiving). And in the playoffs, he even won a game on the road in Minnesota, completing 24 of 35 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns in the 31-24 win.

It was all enough to convince the Giants to give him an eye-popping, four-year, $160 million contract with $82 million in guaranteed money. Never mind that it was the going rate for a franchise quarterback, and that if the Giants hadn’t paid it they either would’ve had to give him a $32 million franchise tag — which almost certainly would’ve meant losing Barkley to free agency — or let him walk and start over with somebody else. It just raised more questions and more doubts from every corner of the NFL.

Can Daniel Jones really be worth $40 million per year?

The first thing Jones’ teammates noticed about their quarterback after he signed the richest deal in franchise history is that they really didn’t notice anything different at all.

“Nonetheless coming in each and every morning and staying past due at evening,” said defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. “Daniel is a grinder.”

“I all the time say this when any individual asks me: He doesn’t get plethora credit score for a way crispy he works and the era that he places in,” added new Giants receiver Parris Campbell. “Once I first were given right here, simply visual him within the weight room simply grinding and placing into paintings, staring at movie, no matter it’s — this dude, he’s grinding all hours of the future.”

It’s the way Jones has been since he arrived four years ago and began his short apprenticeship behind Giants legend Eli Manning. He has always been Manning-like in his approach to the game, from his work ethic, to his leadership behind the scenes to his unfrazzled demeanor on and off the field. And by all accounts he seemed to work even harder this offseason, putting on a little more muscle just to make sure his body could take whatever pounding it gets.

It remains an open question, though, whether Jones’ Manning-like work ethic will ever lead to a Manning-like performance. Last year was undoubtedly a big step, but his numbers — particularly in the passing game — weren’t exactly spectacular. They certainly couldn’t compare to Manning’s best years when he regularly threw for 4,000 yards and 25 touchdowns or more.

Of course, the comparison isn’t exactly fair. Jones is asked to run far more than Manning ever was. And Manning had receivers like Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer and Odell Beckham to work with. Jones spent last year with three receivers who weren’t projected to be in his top 5 when training camp began. His leading receiver was Richie James (57-569-4), whom they didn’t even bother resigning this offseason. The best weapon was probably Hodgins, who had just 33 for 351 yards in his eight games with the team.

It’s hard to argue that any of Jones’ receivers last season would’ve been in the top two on any other team in the league.

Yet he found a way to do the most important thing — win. He willed the Giants to nine wins and their first playoff berth in six seasons and only their second playoff berth in the last 11 years. And he did enough to convince them to open their vault, even upping their final offer literally in the last minute before the franchise tag deadline to get a deal done.

Now comes the hard part, though. He has to prove to the world he was worth the investment.

“I be expecting him to have the mentality of ‘I’m going to turn everyone why I deserve this cash,'” mentioned Giants receiver Sterling Shepard.

“I feel some society would possibly see it that approach,” Jones conceded. “To me, it doesn’t alternate anything else I’m doing. Doesn’t alternate my regimen or how I’m moving to journey about my paintings or my industry.”

Maybe not, but the money definitely changes the perception. Like it or not, Jones will now be judged by the financial company he keeps. He is now one of only 11 quarterbacks making $40 million or more per season. He makes a salary in the range of Aaron Rodgers ($37.5 million per year), Dak Prescott ($40 million), Josh Allen ($43 million) and even Patrick Mahomes ($45 million). 

Maybe nobody expects him to become Allen and Mahomes overnight. But Jones’ ranked 15th in passing yards last season, behind Russell Wilson and David Carr and more than 1,000 yards behind Geno Smith. And he ranked 21st in touchdown passes, tied with Marcus Mariota (who did it in three fewer games) and behind Andy Dalton, Davis Mills and Justin Fields.

Indubitably, for $40 million consistent with yr, the Giants can be expecting a modest greater than that.

And they have reason to hope they’ll get it. The Giants made sure to protect their investment by adding some weapons this offseason — particularly with a trade for tight end Darren Waller, who figures to be the centerpiece of their new offensive plan. They also strengthened their receiving corps by signing Campbell and drafting the speedy Jalin Hyatt. Receiver Darius Slayton compared the Giants’ arsenal to “a host of Ferraris”.

Maybe that’s a stretch, but there’s no doubt there’s better talent and depth in the passing game than the Giants have ever had in Jones’ career.

“I feel with Daniel he is aware of that we have got his again and that we imagine in him, and it was once our process to get him turbines,” said Giants assistant general manager Brandon Brown. “Dabs speaks about turbines and now not simply guys which are run-after-catch, however guys that may be quick-strike gamers, guys that may assemble viewable home windows for him.

“It all just lends itself to him being more confident and us gelling and finding our groove earlier.”

There’s negative query that the added guns have added to Jones’ self belief. He was once obviously feeling it all through coaching camp this summer season, taking a look sharper than he ever has ahead of. He undoubtedly gave the look to be throwing more difficult and with extra of a function. And everybody within the group swears there’s a clear too much in his self belief, too.

And it’s now not simply as a result of the circumstance ability. It’s additionally as a result of the overall sense of balance. He continued 3 head coaches and 4 offensive coordinators in his first 4 seasons. That feeling of upheaval is long gone as he heads into his 2d complete season beneath the offense introduced in through Daboll.

“Year 2 is always just a little bit easier for everybody,” mentioned offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. “Especially when you start brand new with a whole staff and you’re getting to understand everybody, and you’re looking to build trust and build relationships. Year 1 was kind of that first part of the process. Working into year two, there’s a lot more comfort, there’s a lot more familiarity.”

“Absolutely,” Jones added. “I think having run a lot of these plays now for a year and seeing a lot of the looks, gotten through the reads. I think the more you do anything, the more repetitions you have, the better you get at it.”

That’s what the Giants have been depending on, and that’s how it sort of feels to have performed out this summer season. Jones has all the time been customery amongst his teammates. However they’ve completely raved his swagger, management and the quiet command he has of the huddle and the reserve room this yr.

“He’s poised, he’s confident, and you can see it when he plays,” mentioned Giants protection Xavier McKinney. “You can see it in the locker room. You can see it really everywhere.”

“I just like his even-keeled nature,” Waller added. “First and foremost, he just has a calm spirit about him. It’s not too high or too low, it’s staying in the middle. You can tell by the way that he’s navigated so many adversities in the noise of his career, that’s something he’s focused on, and it’s paying dividends for him now.”

The actual dividends the sector needs to peer, despite the fact that, are those that come when the season begins on Sept. 10. What he did terminating yr was once great. The best way he’s carried out this summer season has been notable. However what comes after is what’s impressive. Can he top the Giants to the playoffs once more? Can he play games like a quarterback who merits to be paid within the $40 million-per-year territory?

His teammates are satisfied he’ll. They even imagine he’s enthusiastic to turn out it, although Jones insists the agreement doesn’t include any added force in any respect.

“I never really felt like I needed to show other people,” Jones mentioned. “I feel like I’m doing it because I want to do it, because I enjoy doing it and I’m trying to be as good as I can be. That doesn’t change regardless of what the contract situation is.”

Possibly to not him, nevertheless it does to everybody else. That’s his pristine truth. His efficiency goes to be deliberate towards his paycheck each and every unmarried recreation. Jones is now not only a quarterback — he’s a $40 million quarterback. And the sector is staring at to peer if he’s just right plethora to build that funding repay.

Ralph Vacchiano is the NFC East reporter for FOX Sports activities, protecting the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles and Fresh York Giants. He spent the former six years protecting the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in Fresh York, and ahead of that, 16 years protecting the Giants and the NFL for the Fresh York Day by day Information. Practice him Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.

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