NFL execs, coaches put Giants Daniel Jones in bottom tier of NFL quarterbacks

What Daniel Jones is — and is not — will be a topic of vitriolic argument among fans until Jones is no longer a member of the New York Giants. Maybe longer. NFL coaches and executives, asked by The Athletic’s Mike Sando what Jones is right now, have placed him in the bottom tier of NFL starting quarterbacks.

In Sando’s annual survey, coaches and executives voted Jones 23rd out of 30 quarterbacks (excluding rookies). That made Jones the top quarterback in the fourth and final tier. Sando’s survey had five tiers, but no quarterbacks landed in the fifth tier.

Sando classifies Tier 4 quarterbacks this way:

A Tier 4 quarterback could be an unproven player (not enough information for voters to classify) or a veteran who ideally would not start all 17 games.

Here is what voters told Sando about Jones:

“I’ve actually watched a lot of him,” a former head coach said. “I would give him a 3. He’s not bad. I don’t know how much he is going to run after knee and neck injuries, but it’s his ability to run that gives him some life. The throwing is just average.”

Another voter pointed to $23 million in injury guarantees for Jones in 2025 when suggesting the Giants could have incentive to play backup Drew Lock.

“The words ’Daniel Jones’ and ’injury guarantee’ are going to come up so much this year,” this voter said. “I don’t think the Giants are selling tickets around Daniel Jones. I do think Malik Nabers is going to be Offensive Rookie of the Year, at least among non-quarterbacks. Drew Lock is not a long-term starter, but I saw him do a really good job getting the ball to DK Metcalf, getting the ball to (Jaxon) Smith-Njigba.”

Would you rather have Jones on a $40 million annual salary or, say, Jacoby Brissett at one-fifth the cost? Those were the sorts of questions voters considered as Jones returns from a torn ACL in what could be a make-or-break season for him and for Giants leadership.

“You go out to the gun range, you shoot a gun, you feel real comfortable hitting the target,” a defensive coach said. “But when people are shooting back, he is not as accurate. When the s— gets moving and it’s live football, I think that is what gets him — missing throws, making more mistakes.”

Jones was a Tier 3 quarterback a year ago, when he was coming off a 2022 season during which he helped the Giants win a playoff game.

Other quarterback in Tier 4:

No. 24 — Justin Fields, Pittsburgh Steelers
No. 25 — Gardner Minshew, Las Vegas Raiders
No. 26 (tie) — Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
No. 26 (tie) — Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
No. 28 — Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
No. 29 — Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings
No. 30 — Jacoby Brissett, New England Patriots