New York Giants Owner Shares Expectation For Daniel Jones
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 02: Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants looks to pass in the first quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium on November 02, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
The New York Giants will enter the third season of the Daniel Jones era in 2021. With a fanbase growing more restless by the second, the NFC East organization will need to start expecting more from their young quarterback.
Giants owner John Mara implied exactly that in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. Due to the various upgrades made to the roster by the front office this offseason, Jones will likely be asked to contribute more to the team's success next year.
“He will have a better team around him this year than he has had in previous years, so we certainly expect him to improve... I think he does have what it takes to be a long-term winner in this league," Mara said of Jones on Wednesday,
John Mara on Daniel Jones: “he will have a better team around him this year than he has had in previous years, so we certainly expect him to improve... I think he does have what it takes to be a long-term winner in this league."
— Madelyn Burke (@MadelynBurke) March 31, 2021
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The Giants finally supplied Jones with additional pass-catching weapons this offseason which should help him meet the higher expectations next fall. Kenny Golladay, John Ross and Kyle Rudolph all signed with the team in free agency, as the front office showed a commitment to upgrading the players around their young quarterback.
Combined with a few defensive additions and the return of running back Saquon Barkley, Jones and the Giants are poised to make a run at the NFC East crown.
Jones will need to bounce back from his lackluster 2020 season if he hopes to prove himself as the Giants franchise quarterback moving forward. In 14 starts last year, he threw for 2,943 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, while adding an additional 423 yards and a score on the ground.
In fairness, Jones had little to work with and almost no running game to take the pressure off. It's difficult to say that he regressed from his rookie season, but another year like 2020 would definitely be a warning sign.
That's why Mara and the Giants hope to see Jones put together the strongest campaign of his young NFL career in 2021. If he can do that, he should find himself well set up in New York for the next few years.
