Daniel Jones Cut by Giants After Requesting Release amid Benching for Tommy DeVito

Posted by Admin November 22, 2024 NFL

Mario Hommes/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

Daniel Jones’ tenure with the New York Giants surprisingly ended a few months before most people expected it would.

The Giants announced Friday that they granted Jones’ release after he requested to be let go in a meeting with team president John Mara.

Head coach Brian Daboll told reporters he informed the team of Jones’ release prior to Friday’s walkthrough practice.

Giants Videos @SNYGiants

Brian Daboll says he addressed the team before their walkthrough to tell them about Daniel Jones’ release: pic.twitter.com/MrHp2EgycM

Daboll went on to say Jones was a consummate professional during their time together and they had a “really good talk” prior to him being released.

Giants Videos @SNYGiants

Brian Daboll says he had a “really good talk” with Daniel Jones before his release:
“He’s been nothing but a pro since I’ve been here with him. He’s a great young man.” pic.twitter.com/4VeMlIKAXZ

ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted Jones will go on waivers, but he is “fully expected” to go unclaimed because of his contract. If he does, he will then become a free agent.

Schefter went on to say the Giants will have a dead-cap charge of more than $20 million by releasing Jones.

Spotrac @spotrac

The #Giants release of QB Daniel Jones leaves behind dead cap hits of:
2024: $47.1M
2025: $22.2M
NYG frees up $19.4M of cap for the 2025 season.

Coming out of the team’s bye last week, Daboll announced Monday that Jones was being replaced by Tommy DeVito as the starter going forward, and Drew Lock would be the No. 2 quarterback.

Video from the portion of Giants practice open to the media on Wednesday showed Jones was also taking reps behind practice squad quarterback Tim Boyle.

Charlotte Carroll @charlottecrrll

Daniel Jones was QB4 today in individuals. Behind practice squad QB Tim Boyle in first open practice to media since he was benched pic.twitter.com/iTnlsRvSFq

Jones was also being used on the scout team as a safety on defense during Thursday’s practice.

Daboll said Wednesday the Giants hadn’t yet decided if Jones or Boyle would be the No. 3 quarterback for this week’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Once Jones was benched, it signaled his time in New York was coming to an end. There were clear performance-based reasons to justify the move, but it was also protection for the organization, because his contract included a $23 million injury guarantee for 2025.

The Giants signed Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract in March 2023 after they made the playoffs during the 2022 season.

In 16 starts over the past two seasons after signing the new deal, Jones threw for 2,979 yards, 10 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. His 76.6 passer rating is the sixth-worst among all quarterbacks since the start of the 2023 campaign.

The Giants went 3-13 in Jones’ last 16 starts. They are 8-19 overall over the past two seasons, with their most recent game being a 20-17 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers in Germany on Nov. 10.