Daniel Jones' Top NFL Landing Spots After Being Cut by Giants amid $160M Contract
The Daniel Jones era is officially over in New York.
The New York Giants officially granted the 27-year-old his release following the decision to bench him following the team's 2-8 start to the season.
"Daniel came to see me this morning and asked if we would release him," Giants president John Mara said in a statement released by the franchise. "We mutually agreed that would be best for him and for the team."
This officially closes the chapter for his time in New York and also means he is eligible to be picked up by any team in the league. That is unlikely to happen this week, as Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported that any team to pick him up would have to pay the remainder of his $11.8 million cap hit this season.
While he may not be picked up this season, Jones should have some suitors for 2025. Here are a few potential landing spots for the former first-round pick.
Las Vegas Raiders
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The Las Vegas Raiders looked to Gardner Minshew to lead the team in 2024. That gamble has not paid off thus far.
Minshew has thrown for 1,783 yards with eight touchdowns and nine interceptions and has led the team to a 2-6 record. Backup Aidan O'Connell has not been any better, throwing for 455 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions while guiding the team to an 0-2 record.
Collectively, the quarterbacks have led the team to a 2-8 start and they will likely be competing with the Giants for a high draft position in April. The Raiders should be a prime candidate to draft a top quarterback like Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders at the draft, but bringing in a veteran like Jones alongside a rookie could be intriguing.
Jones has shown more in his career than Minshew and should come at a reasonable price as he looks to revitalize his career.
Carolina Panthers
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The Panthers are another team that could be in the market for a quarterback at this year's draft but adding Jones could be a strong option as well
2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young has struggled to this point in his career but has shown some signs of improvement in recent weeks. He has led the team to two straight victories and could be making a case to get another shot next season.
If he remains but shows similar struggles in 2025, having a player like Jones could be huge to keep the team afloat. Andy Dalton has occupied that role this season but the 37-year-old does not have the same upside as Jones going forward.
Dallas Cowboys
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If Jones wants an immediate chance to get revenge on his former team, the Dallas Cowboys present a great opportunity.
The Cowboys are committed to Dak Prescott for the long-term future but he will not return in 2024 due to a hamstring injury. The quarterback room is currently headlined by Cooper Rush and Trey Lance and Jones has shown more at the NFL level than either of those two.
Dallas is set to play New York on Thanksgiving and while that could be a tough turnaround to get Jones ready to play, it could add a little juice to the matchup. Additionally, a potential path to the starting role this season could help Jones improve his stock for free agency.
While Prescott will re-assume the starting role in 2025, Lance and Rush are both set to hit unrestricted free agency following the season, so Jones could become a strong backup for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
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