The build-up to the fall of Daniel Jones was a lengthy one, as fans trudged through 10 weeks of uninspiring New York Giants football before head coach Brian Daboll finally made a quarterback switch. Once fan favorite Tommy DeVito was named the starter, the official conclusion of the Jones-Giants saga came shockingly quick.

New York granted the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft his release on Friday, affording him the opportunity to play somewhere else in the 2024-25 campaign. An injury guarantee in Jones’ contract ensured that he would remain on the G-Men’s bench until the offseason, so a split is sensible for both parties. The 27-year-old and the Giants are both “at peace” with how the situation played out, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

Jones clears waivers on Monday, but he might be interested in dipping his toes in the free agency pool for a bit before signing with a new team. The desire to take snaps under center for a playoff contender could compel him to exercise some patience in the coming weeks. He does not have the luxury of being too fussy, however.

Daniel Jones will try to start over

Baker Mayfield quickly raised his stock with the Los Angeles Rams after being released by the Carolina Panthers in 2022, which resulted in him landing on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a few months later. Jones will want to impress executives before the offseason begins next year in the hopes of obtaining a short-term, prove-it contract. Multiple afterthoughts have reinvented themselves with different franchises, and the former Duke talent now looks to do the same.

Daniel Jones threw for 2,070 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games for the Giants this year while completing only 63.3 percent of his pass attempts and tossing seven interceptions. He accumulated a bevy of lowlights during the last couple of years in New York, making it increasingly difficult for fans to hold onto the memory of No. 8 thriving in a road playoff win against the Minnesota Vikings in 2023.

There will be at least one general manager out there who gambles on seeing that version of Jones pop up once again.

Alex House is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NBA, and MLB for ClutchPoints, providing a unique writing voice due to his in-depth knowledge of New York sports. Alex resides in Connecticut after receiving his journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island.