Lions’ Derrick Barnes: 2024 Return Possible
Derrick Barnes remains out of the lineup for Week 12 as he continues to recover from the knee injury he suffered in September. The fourth-year linebacker is in danger of missing the remainder of the campaign, but he has left the door open to a return in 2024. 
When speaking to the media, Barnes noted his knee suffered MCL and PCL damage, but added his ACL is intact. In the wake of that encouraging detail, the chance remains that his rehab could see him available to Detroit late in the regular season or in the playoffs. The 25-year-old is thus in a similar situation to teammate Aidan Hutchinson in terms of a return late in the campaign being an outside possibility.
“ACL was fine, so recovery obviously is shorter now than it would’ve been,” Barnes said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “Thank God I woke up and he said he didn’t have to do anything with the ACL.”
Regardless of if Barnes manages to suit up again in 2024, his missed time will hurt his market value. That is especially notable since the former fourth-rounder is a pending free agent. Barnes acknowledged that shortly after the injury, he gave thought to the fact his rookie deal is set to expire this offseason. His attention for the time nonetheless being remains on his rehab process. Returning to the field would allow him to play at least a depth role at the second level of Detroit’s defense and help his case for a re-up in the spring.
Barnes saw a notable uptick in usage during the 2023 season, and after starting each of his three appearances this year he was expected to remain a key linebacking figure for the Lions. The team enters Sunday with a 9-1 record (good for top spot in the NFC), but that position has been hit with injuries. Alex Anzalone is currently sidelined with a broken forearm, an injury which prompted the addition of David Long. Getting Barnes back would provide another option at the LB spot, but Anzalone managing to return would help compensate if that turns out to be untenable.
Mike McDaniel Vetoed Dolphins-Ravens Calais Campbell Trade
The Ravens made a pair of moves leading up to the trade deadline. Wideout Diontae Johnson was added in a deal with the Panthers, one which was followed up by the acquisition of cornerback Tre’Davious White from the Rams. Baltimore’s efforts also included the pursuit of a familiar face along the D-line. 
The Ravens and Dolphins discussed a Calais Campbell trade, but it ultimately did not go through. The reason why has now become clear: Miami head coach Mike McDaniel stepped in to keep the veteran in place. It was McDaniel’s actions (which included a face-to-face conversation with Campbell himself) that prevented the trade from taking place, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Remaining was Campbell’s preference, Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald adds.
At one point, many – including the former Walter Payton Man of the Year winner – believed a deal would be consummated. If that had been the case, Campbell would have returned to Baltimore after he spent three seasons there from 2020-22. During that time, the 38-year-old was a mainstay along the D-line in addition to providing leadership qualities; replicating that in 2024 would have provided a boost along the defensive front to the Ravens down the stretch. Rapoport notes the trade would have seen a 2026 fifth-round pick head the other way.
Instead, Campbell remained in Miami (where he played in college) past the deadline. He has helped lead the Dolphins to two straight wins entering Sunday’s action, giving the team a 4-6 record. Continuing that momentum will be key if a postseason push is to be possible over the coming weeks. Miami ranks 10th against the run, a sign of Campbell’s continued effectiveness during the waning stages of his career.
As a pending free agent, he would have represented a valuable rental addition on the part of the Ravens as part of their own aim to make a deep postseason run. Campbell would have factored into a defensive line rotation including Nnamdi Madubuike, Michael Pierce, Travis Jones, Broderick Washington and Brent Urban. Especially considering the injuries that unit has dealt with in 2024, having Campbell available as at least a depth option would have been welcomed. Baltimore’s secondary has been a sore spot this year, but the team has exceled against the run even without him.
Campbell has started all 10 of his appearances in 2024, his first season as a Dolphin. With a 58% defensive snap share, he has handled a notable workload in Miami, and that should be expected to continue down the stretch (although Kelly notes the team has given thought to waiving him later in the campaign if the playoffs become out of reach). Retirement could again receive consideration after the season, but if he elects to continue playing Campbell could elect to re-sign with Miami in part due to McDaniel’s commitment to keeping him in place beyond the deadline.
Lions, Dolphins, 49ers, Ravens Expected To Join Mix For Daniel Jones; Bills, Others On Radar?
Daniel Jones saw his Giants tenure end due to poor performance on a four-year, $160MM contract — a deal that included a $23MM 2025 injury guarantee. The latter number led the Giants to bench their longtime starter, and Jones’ remaining base salary will allow him to clear waivers. A lengthy free agency stay is not expected.
While Jones is leaving New York after enduring a wave of scrutiny in the years following Eli Manning‘s retirement, other teams are on track to pursue him. This market could be crowded. In addition to rumored Vikings and Raiders landing spots, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter names the Ravens as an interested party. Teams’ Week 12 results are expected to influence Jones’ decision, Schefter adds.
Jones is believed to be interested in joining a contender, and Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz points to several teams outside the NFL’s purple bastions as potential destinations. The Lions, 49ers and Dolphins are also expected to pursue Jones once he hits the open market at 3pm CT Monday. Schultz also mentions Minnesota and Baltimore as teams who will be in the mix for a player who would check in as a high-end backup at the very least this season.
Further adding to what looks like a hot market (in terms of team volume, not price), CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones first mentions the Bills as a team many around the league point to as a landing spot. Other sources, however, have viewed teams like the Chargers, Broncos and Browns as being in this equation. We are now at nearly a third of the NFL, showing the value a high-quality backup could bring to a team at this juncture.
A landing with a contender makes sense, but Jones will also have a true market should be hit free agency in 2025. With Jonathan Jones noting a deal for the sixth-year vet now will be for the prorated $1.1MM veteran minimum — with the Giants still owing Daniel Jones $13.81MM in guaranteed 2024 salary — a team could get a jump on the QB’s 2025 market by landing him now. On that note, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds the Raiders are believed to like Jones as a player. With Las Vegas set to shop for a quarterback again in 2025, an early audition now would be a way to conduct a more thorough evaluation. That said, Jones having many potential options and seeking a contender now would stand to impede the Raiders here.
The Lions have seen Jared Goff display durability since missing three games in 2021, but the team is carrying only developmental second-year player Hendon Hooker on its active roster behind its recently extended starter. No quarterback resides on Detroit’s practice squad. Staying in the NFC North, Minnesota does carry two active-roster backups (Nick Mullens, Brett Rypien); Jones would mark an insurance upgrade — though, joining a system in late November will be a challenge, Joe Flacco‘s 2023 Cleveland surge notwithstanding — by comparison.
Jones will count toward the 2025 compensatory formula, as ESPN.com’s Field Yates adds, helping to explain the Ravens’ interest. Not only has Baltimore dealt with several Lamar Jackson absences in recent years, the team has long benefited from its interest in comp picks. Jones would be in position, depending on a team’s 2025 free agency activity, to net a club a Day 3 choice if he again switches cities come March. With the Dolphins having added Tyler Huntley off the Ravens’ practice squad earlier this season, 38-year-old Josh Johnson stands as Jackson’s top backup.
Miami has obviously dealt with more concerning health issues with its starter, with Tua Tagovailoa‘s concussion trouble set to be a central storyline in Miami for the foreseeable future. Huntley is on IR, leaving Skylar Thompson — who proved overmatched when given the keys earlier this season — as the team’s only backup on its 53-man roster. The Bills have Mitch Trubisky as Josh Allen insurance, though the MVP frontrunner has not needed such protection due to a durable run. Allen’s run-game usage, however, invites risk, and many within the league view Buffalo — thanks to Brian Daboll having brought the Bills’ system to the Big Apple — as a live option here.
While Jones would upgrade the Broncos’ QB room, Sean Payton tampering with what has become a promising Bo Nix setup would be an interesting dice roll. The Chargers also obtained Taylor Heinicke via trade to bolster their depth chart behind Justin Herbert. The AFC West clubs are contending teams, however, presenting a draw the Raiders currently do not. Las Vegas does bring a wild card as a team that could use an immediate starter, thanks to Antonio Pierce‘s Gardner Minshew benching habit.
Lastly, the 49ers would offer considerable intrigue due to Brock Purdy‘s shoulder injury. The team ruled out Purdy for Week 12, though the blossoming starter is in play to return in Week 13. Jones, 27, would still stand to be interested in joining Kyle Shanahan‘s team due to the coach’s play-calling acumen. Following the likes of Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold as a late-season addition who parlayed a West Coast Offense stopover into a future starting role would naturally appeal, and Jones would in turn give San Francisco more cover than Brandon Allen and Josh Dobbs.
The Giants would pick up a small offset based on Jones’ vet-minimum salary this year, but they will still be on the hook to see all $22.2MM of his through-2026 contract hit the books next year. As Tommy DeVito prepares to return to New York’s starting lineup, the Jones market has become an interesting storyline. One team will receive an unexpected upgrade soon, with another Jones free agency trip likely come March.
Aaron Rodgers Benching Or IR Stint ‘Appears Increasingly Likely’
The Jets are expected to move on from Aaron Rodgers ahead of the 2025 campaign. However, there’s a chance the quarterback doesn’t even stick on the active roster through the end of the 2024 season.
[RELATED: Jets Likely To Move On From Aaron Rodgers In 2025]
Dianna Russini of The Athletic writes that the team is considering multiple options regarding Rodgers’ roster status. While no decision has been made, Russini says it “appears increasingly likely” that the quarterback could be benched for the stretch run of the season. The Jets could also help Rodgers save face by placing the veteran on injured reserve. After suffering his season-ending Achilles tear in 2023, the 40-year-old has dealt with hamstring, knee, and ankle injuries this season, so an IR stint wouldn’t be completely unfounded.
There are even some around the NFL who wouldn’t be surprised if the Jets simply cut Rodgers before the end of the 2024 season. The financial implications of such a move would make this route unlikely. In addition to his untenable (albeit prorated) $66MM dead cap hit for 2024, the Jets would also be hit with a $25.5MM charge for the 2025 campaign. If the Jets were to designate Rodgers as a post-June 1 cut, then the front office could actually realize some savings (around $9.5MM of cap relief). While a divorce seems inevitable, there’s really no benefit to the Jets being hasty and moving on now.
The Jets’ disappointing 2024 campaign has naturally led to both sides seeking fresh starts. It also sounds like the broken relationship between Rodgers and owner Woody Johnson may also be playing a role. We heard earlier this week that Johnson suggested benching the franchise star earlier this season, and Russini says the owner has “lost confidence” in Rodgers’ ability to guide the franchise to the postseason. On the other side, Rodgers’ relationship with Johnson has been “strained for months,” and while the quarterback intends to play in 2025, he isn’t enthusiastic about returning to the Jets.
If the Jets do bench Rodgers for the final chunk of games in 2024, then Tyrod Taylor would be the logical fill-in for the organization. What isn’t so clear is who would replace Rodgers in 2025. Russini points to Russell Wilson or a reunion with Sam Darnold, although the reporter is skeptical that either QB will leave their current situation. Russini also notes that Justin Fields, Daniel Jones, and previous target Derek Carr will likely be available, but none of those options provide much hope for contention.
Daniel Jones Notes: 2024 Draft, Giants Departure, Potential Landing Spots
Daniel Jones and the Giants have mutually parted ways. He is currently on waivers, but the nature of his contract ensures he will go unclaimed and thus have the opportunity to join his next team as a free agent. In the wake of this week’s news, a number of updates have emerged regarding the nature of his situation in New York and his potential market. 
As has been well documented (in no small part by the Giants’ status as the subject of this summer’s Hard Knocks series), the team showed considerable interest in a move up the board for a rookie passer. Efforts to acquire the No. 3 pick – and thus the chance to draft Drake Maye – fell short, but Jones made clear his feelings on the subject of nearly being replaced on at least a post-2024 basis. To little surprise, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reports the Giants’ desire to draft a successor added extra pressure for Jones ahead of the 2024 campaign.
This season also, of course, represented Jones’ return from the ACL tear which shut him down the year prior. He struggled leading up to his Week 12 benching, throwing nearly as many interceptions (seven) as touchdowns (eight) and taking 29 sacks. The 27-year-old was in position to occupy the fourth spot on New York’s QB depth chart once Tim Boyle was added, insurance against him seeing the field and thus being unable to pass a physical this offseason. Jones spoke with head coach Brian Daboll about his future before taking time to contemplate his next steps.
Part of that brief period included time on the scout team defense (something NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes Jones volunteered for) at practice and what has turned out to be a public goodbye to the franchise. The sixth-year passer faced the issue of needing to initiate an arrangement with the organization regardless of what form it took. Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reports simply leaving the team while remaining on the books – like Derek Carr did after his 2022 Raiders benching – was not an option in this case without an agreement in place between team and player.
Instead, Jones requested the Giants move on before no doubt doing so this offseason anyway, something Daboll noted was a surprising development in the wake of the decision to bench him (video link). Indeed, Dan Duggan of The Athletic adds New York would have been willing to carry Jones as a fourth-string quarterback for the balance of the season, but the former No. 6 pick’s request to be let go made that a moot point. Jones will begin the process of seeking out a new team shortly as the Giants prepare to start Tommy DeVito for the time being and (in all likelihood) select a new franchise passer in the 2025 draft.
Jones will be on waivers until Monday afternoon, after which point he will be eligible to join an interested suitor. His base salary for the rest of the year is already locked in, so a league minimum pact is expected once his next deal is in place (along the same lines as Russell Wilson‘s Steelers pact checking in at a low cost since the Broncos are still on the hook for most of his 2024 compensation). New York will receive a small degree of cap relief via an offset once Jones has a new deal in place, as noted by CBS Sports’ Joel Corry.
The fact a prorated league minimum investment is all that will likely be required could make Jones an attractive option to teams seeking experienced depth under center down the stretch. A market could be generated quickly, but The Athletic’s Dianna Russini writes the Duke product could instead prefer to remain unsigned for a period and take advantage of a starting gig opening up through injury or other circumstances (subscription required). In any case, the opportunity to join an organization interested in exploring a deal for 2025 should present itself.
Any number of teams have been floated as logical suitors for at least a short-term run to close out the year. That includes the Cowboys, but veteran insider Josina Anderson reports they are not currently looking into adding Jones. Cooper Rush is in place atop the depth chart now that Dak Prescott is out for the year, and Trey Lance could see time if Rush were to suffer an injury or be demoted in the coming weeks. Dallas owner Jerry Jones does not (at least publicly) view the end of the 2024 season as a lost cause best spent as an evaluation period, making it likely the team’s incumbent passers will continue to be leaned on in Prescott’s absence. 
Even without the Cowboys in the running, executives around the league informed both ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Jori Epstein of Yahoo! Sports that multiple teams will likely pursue Jones as a high floor backup and/or a potential bridge quarterback for next year. Teams with young passers in need of development now – or those which will add one this spring – could stand to let Jones at least compete for a short-term gig atop the depth chart. As a result, Fowler names the Raiders (whose staff includes Fred Walker, Jones’ former college offensive coordinator) as a “sensible option.” Vegas could look to move on from one or both of Gardner Minshew or Aidan O’Connell in the offseason, given their respective 2024 struggles.
Epstein, meanwhile, notes that multiple league personnel pointed to the Vikings as a logical landing spot. Provided Sam Darnold were to depart in free agency, Minnesota could look to insulate first-rounder J.J. McCarthy (whose meniscus tear has left him sidelined for his entire rookie campaign) for 2025. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has drawn praise for his work with Darnold, who could be the top veteran passer on the market this offseason. Duplicating that success with Jones could help put him on a similar path while giving McCarthy more time to develop.
Regardless of how things play out on the Jones front, his situation will be interesting to monitor over the coming days. The Giants’ next steps at the QB spot will dominate their offseason plans, while it remains to be seen how the end of the current season and the setup of the next one will fit into Jones’ NFL future.
Buccaneers Activate CB Jamel Dean
Jamel Dean returned to practice this week, giving him the chance to suit up for Week 12. The veteran corner has indeed been activated from injured reserve, per a team announcement. 
A hamstring injury kept Dean out of the fold for each of the past four games. It was an encouraging sign when he resumed practicing at the first point at which he was eligible to do so, something which opened his 21-day activation window. With Dean back in place, Tampa Bay now has four IR return spots remaining.
“I’m ready now,” the 28-year-old said (via ESPN’s Jenna Laine). “I spent the whole bye week getting back into football shape… It was a whole circuit of different things. Shoutout to our trainers for running me to failure.”
Dean was a full participant in practice every day this week, so he should reprise his role as a full-time corner starter upon return. That will especially be true if fellow starter Zyon McCollum is unable to suit up; he is dealing with his own hamstring injury, and it cost him practice time this week. Third-round rookie Tykee Smith – the team’s starting slot corner – remains out of the lineup as he deals with a knee injury.
Tampa Bay traded away Carlton Davis this offseason, but the team retained Dean on a four-year, $52MM deal the previous spring. That led to continued expectations in the latter’s case for him to remain a staple of the Buccaneers’ secondary, and when healthy he has done so. With the team sitting at 4-6 on the year, Dean’s return to the lineup will certainly be welcomed.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/23/24
Saturday’s minor moves, including gameday elevations for Week 12:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: S Andre Chachere
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: DB Adrian Colbert
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: LB Zach Cunningham, OL Nick Gargiulo
Houston Texans
- Elevated: DL Tommy Togiai
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: LB Cole Christiansen
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: CB Kyu Blu Kelly, RB Sincere McCormick
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: DB Cam Lampkin, DE Jonah Williams
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: LS Tucker Addington, T Jackson Carman
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from IR: TE Nick Muse
- Elevated: LS Jake McQuaide
New England Patriots
- Elevated: LB Keshawn Banks, TE Jack Westover
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to active roster: S Tashaun Gipson
- Placed on IR: LB Tatum Bethune
- Elevated: LB Jalen Graham, CB Nick McCloud
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: TE Tyler Mabry, LB Patrick O’Connell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: LB Vi Jones
- Waived: LB Antonio Grier
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on IR: CB L’Jarius Sneed (story)
- Elevated: S Daryl Worley
Washington Commanders
- Activated from IR: DE Javontae Jean-Baptiste
- Waived: RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.
Lions Activate Emmanuel Moseley, Place Ennis Rakestraw On IR
The Lions’ cornerback depth chart will look different for Week 12. Veteran Emmanuel Moseley was activated from injured reserve on Saturday, while second-round rookie Ennis Rakestraw was moved to IR. 
Moseley’s Lions debut in 2023 did not last long. An ACL tear – the second one he suffered in quick succession – shut him down for the remainder of that campaign. The 28-year-old nevertheless re-signed with Detroit this offseason, allowing him the chance to put together a healthy season. A torn pec suffered in August prevented that from happening, though.
That latest injury left Moseley on the sidelines for months, but two weeks ago he was designated for return. That move allowed him to resume practicing and opened his 21-day activation window. The timing of today’s move will allow the former UDFA to suit up as early as tomorrow’s game against the Colts. Moseley could occupy a depth corner role upon return, and expectations will be tempered given his missed time in recent years. A healthy finish to the season would be welcomed by team and player and it would allow Moseley to boost his free agent stock for 2025.
Rakestraw was the second consecutive corner selected by the Lions in April. The draft’s hosts added Terrion Arnold on Day 1, and he has served as a full-time starter during his rookie season. Trade acquisition Carlton Davis and free agent pickup Amik Robertson have been regular presences in the secondary as well, limiting Rakestraw’s workload. The 22-year-old has only handled 42 defensive snaps to date, and his absence (which will last at least four games) will be softened by Moseley’s return to the fold.
Detroit ranks fifth in the NFL in defensive scoring, but the team has plenty of room for improvement against the pass (233 passing yards allowed per game, 27th in the league). Getting Moseley back will provide secondary depth for the second half of the campaign; his activation leaves the Lions with five on the year. One will be needed to bring Alex Anzalone back, but for now the linebacker added in the wake of his injury is set to make his Lions debut.
David Long has been elevated from the practice squad. Long joined Detroit’s taxi squad earlier this week, paving the way for the team to use him as a gameday elevation up to three times. The 28-year-old went unclaimed after being let go by the Dolphins, but the Anzalone injury gave him a path to playing time with the Lions. It will be interesting to see how large of a workload Long handles over the coming weeks on his new team.
Giants Activate OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux, Promote QB Tim Boyle
To no surprise, Kayvon Thibodeaux will be back in action for the Giants in Week 12. The third-year edge rusher was activated from injured reserve on Saturday, per a team announcement. 
Thibodeaux returned to practice earlier this week, opening his 21-day activation window. The team expected to have him back in time for tomorrow’s game against the Buccaneers, and that will indeed be the case given today’s move. Having recovered in full from wrist surgery, Thibodeaux will reprise his role as a starter along the edge for the Giants.
The former No. 5 pick has been out since Week 5, and in his absence Brian Burns and Azeez Ojulari have handled heavy workloads at the OLB spot. The latter was the subject of trade talk leading up to the deadline earlier this month, but New York elected to retain him. That move came as something of a surprise given Ojulari’s status as a pending free agent and the lack of contract talks which have taken place in his case. Nevertheless, it allowed him to continue adding to his sack total (which now sits at six) ahead of a potential trip to the open market.
Ojulari will return to rotational duties with Thibodeaux back in the fold, though. The Oregon product has started each of his 36 games with the Giants, including the entirety of the 2022 campaign during which Thibodeaux took a major step forward in production. He posted 11.5 sacks, raising expectations for this season (the first with Burns in the fold). Thibodeaux only managed a pair of sacks before landing on IR, but now that he is healthy he will look to deliver a strong finish to the year. Doing so could help his chances of landing an extension this offseason, the first during which he will be eligible for a new deal.
The Giants also promoted Tim Boyle from the practice squad. The journeyman quarterback was added to the taxi squad this week, suggesting he could replace Daniel Jones as New York’s emergency third quarterback for the rest of the season. With Jones now out of the organization, Boyle is set to handle QB3 duties behind Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock.
In a corresponding move, outside linebacker Tomon Fox was waived. The former UDFA has made 24 combined regular and postseason appearances, all with the Giants. A regular presence on special teams, Fox could remain with New York on a practice squad deal provided he clears waivers.
Giants Waive QB Daniel Jones
NOVEMBER 23: The Giants officially waived Jones on Saturday, per a team announcement. Teams have until 3pm CT on Monday to claim him, though that is considered highly unlikely.
NOVEMBER 22: No ambiguity about Daniel Jones‘ status remains. The Giants are moving on early. Days after benching him, the Giants have agreed to cut their six-year starting quarterback.
Jones requested the release, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. While Jones’ contract will hit waivers, it is highly unlikely he is claimed. As such, a path to free agency exists early. Jones met with John Mara on Friday morning, and the sides reached an agreement to part ways.
“Daniel came to see me this morning and asked if we would release him,” Mara said. “We mutually agreed that would be best for him and the team. Daniel has been a great representative of our organization, first class in every way. His handling of this situation yesterday exemplifies just that.
“We are all disappointed in how things have worked out. We hold Daniel in high regard and have a great appreciation for him. We wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
[RELATED: GM Joe Schoen Expects To Be Back In 2025]
The Giants had demoted Jones from the starter to the third-string level, but Brian Daboll said Wednesday it was uncertain if Jones would even be the QB3. Practice squad addition Tim Boyle took reps ahead of Jones in practice, telegraphing the franchise’s plans for the longtime starter. Jones said Thursday he was processing whether he would stay with the Giants through season’s end.
This sets up an interesting situation, as Jones will be in play to catch on with a team early. This reminds somewhat of the Baker Mayfield path two years ago, with the Rams claiming the QB after his Panthers exit. Mayfield used that Los Angeles stay as a springboard to a Buccaneers opportunity in free agency. Jones, 27, being a near-certainty to not be claimed — as no contract adjustment will reduce his $35.5MM base salary (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero) — so he will head to free agency soon after. Jones is due $13.81MM in remaining guarantees. A claim would offset that for the Giants, but they are all but certain to take on that number in dead money this year.
As the Giants are slated to eat this additional $13MM-plus in dead money this year, their offseason equation will not change. Due to signing bonus proration, the Giants will eat $22.2MM in dead cap. Because no post-June 1 cut will occur, the team will see that figure hit its 2025 payroll. That marks an interesting facet from this early departure, with the prospect of Jones playing for another team this season obviously the other key prong here.
An emotional Jones addressed Giants media Thursday, reading a prepared statement about his impending exit. The team would have risked being on the hook for an additional $23MM in dead money had Jones suffered a significant injury. The QB being unable to pass a physical by the start of the 2025 league year (March 12) would have triggered that guarantee. Thus, the Giants benched their most talented passer in favor of Tommy DeVito, who is rising from the third-string level to the starter. Drew Lock will back up the 2023 UDFA.
Friday’s news concludes the Jones saga in New York, a story that featured a 2023 re-signing as a pivot point. The Giants had prioritized Jones over Saquon Barkley before free agency last year, agreeing to a four-year, $160MM extension minutes before the franchise tag application deadline. The team then tagged Barkley, setting in motion the six-year running back starter’s exit to Philadelphia. Jones, who received $81MM guaranteed at signing, did not come close to living up to the contract. The Eli Manning successor suffered an ACL tear midway through last season and did not play well before that injury, as another neck injury hampered him prior to that knee malady. While he made it back in time for Week 1 this year, no substantial improvement transpired.
Declining Jones’ fifth-year option shortly after arriving in New York, GM Joe Schoen signed off on the Giants becoming the first team in the option era (2011-present) to pass on a QB’s option and then later re-sign him. In securing that $40MM-per-year payday, Jones then became the first primary starter in that span to average fewer than seven yards per attempt in each of his first five seasons as a starter and then stay with that team for a sixth. The Giants are still showing respect to a player that did not pan out, but they will certainly have a glaring void at the game’s premier position entering 2025.
Schoen attempted to engineer a trade-up to No. 3, offering the Patriots this year’s Giants first- and second-round picks and their first-rounder in 2025. The Pats, who also received an offer from the Vikings, passed and selected Drake Maye — a player both New York and Minnesota coveted. While the Vikings ended up with a quarterback in this class (J.J. McCarthy), Schoen passed. The Giants had the chance to draft McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr. or Bo Nix at No. 6; Schoen chose Malik Nabers. The 2025 QB class is not regarded on the same level as this year’s, making the Giants’ Jones replacement effort more challenging.
Understandably coming out against the Giants’ plan to draft his replacement, Jones submitted sub-average numbers in his sixth season. He finished a 10-game run with eight TD passes, seven INTs while averaging a paltry 6.1 yards per attempt. The Giants slumped to a 2-8 record, with Schoen admitting the team’s 2022 playoff appearance prompted some moves that set the team back in the long term. No 2023 decision proved worse than the Jones re-signing, as a player who drew significant criticism during his rookie contract received a lucrative second chance. While Barkley has displayed All-Pro form with the Eagles, the player the Giants chose — due to positional value, as Barkley’s status as a superior player was never in question — burned them and has both Schoen and Daboll on hot seats, Mara’s October vote of confidence notwithstanding.
Jones threw more than 15 TD passes in a season just once (2019), and the Giants went 24-44-1 with him at the helm. Struggling mightily during Jason Garrett‘s time as OC, Jones did battle back from a season-ending neck injury to lead a rebuilding Giants team to the 2022 divisional round. The dual-threat QB played well to upset the No. 3-seeded Vikings in those playoffs, helping a team devoid of much receiving talent to its first divisional-round cameo since 2011. The Giants did not see Jones build on that form in 2023, prompting the search for a successor this year.
The Duke alum’s struggles aside, there will be interest both next week in free agency and in 2025 — assuming the team that signs Jones inks him to a one-year deal now. A few clubs are playing without their starters, the Cowboys among them. A role as a backup also would offer intrigue, as Jones would be a QB2 upgrade for most teams.
While Sam Darnold looks to have surpassed Jones as a free agent option in 2025, the latter can adjust his standing on the market by showing decent form late this season. Darnold also upped his stock by backing up Brock Purdy last year; Jones will have a chance to choose his next destination soon, potentially allowing him to craft a similar path to the true free agent market come March. A team that signs Jones will hold exclusive negotiating rights with him until the legal tampering period begins March 10.
As for the Giants, they will be able to retain DeVito as an ERFA in March. Lock is playing out a one-year, $5MM deal. With Big Blue choosing DeVito to replace Jones, there appears little chance Lock will be back in 2025.
Losses down the stretch would improve the Giants’ prospects of landing a viable Jones successor, but that mission is incongruent with the Daboll-Schoen regime attempting to convince Mara it should stay on for a fourth year. As Jones will prepare to head elsewhere, these warring agendas will make for a fascinating finish to another disappointing Giants season.