Daniel Jones Contemplates Leaving Giants After Being Benched amid Contract Clause

Following his benching and demotion to third-string quarterback this week, New York Giants signal-caller Daniel Jones suggested Thursday that he is considering all options.

Jones acknowledged his situation while speaking to reporters, noting that the $23 million injury guarantee in his contract likely means he won't see the field again this season. If Jones suffered an injury, it would leave the Giants on the hook for significant money and take away some of their offseason flexibility.

"Well, I've got the injury guarantee," Jones said. "So, that's that. I understand it. They don't want to take any risks. At that point, it's just do as you're told."

Jones has remained with the team and continues to practice with them, but when asked if he has thought about leaving the team for the remainder of the season or asking for his release, he seemed to indicate that he hasn't ruled anything out.

"Like I said, I'm still processing and trying to think through what the best thing is for this team, what the best thing is for me," Jones said.

Jones, who was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft out of Duke, has spent his entire six-year NFL career with the Giants.

In 69 career starts, he is just 24-44-1, which includes a 2-8 record so far this season. Jones has also struggled statistically this year, completing 63.3 percent of his passes for 2,070 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions.

After Jones had a career year and led the Giants to the playoffs in 2022, he signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension with the organization. The move didn't pay dividends for the Giants, as Jones missed 11 games last season due to injury and was unable to regain his 2022 form this season.

With Jones removed from the starting role, Tommy DeVito will get the start for the Giants' home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, with veteran Drew Lock serving as the backup.