Giants Sign Daniel Jones to Rookie Contract

The entire New York Giants’ 2019 draft class is now officially under contract.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Giants reached an agreement with quarterback and sixth overall pick Daniel Jones on his rookie contract on Monday. Instead of waiting for Tuesday, the day rookies report for training camp, Jones put pen to paper after his agreement.

Ready to work.@Daniel_Jones10 has signed on the dotted line.☑️

Details➡️ https://t.co/iOTMWv5Ke9 pic.twitter.com/YVF7tZ6zIP

— New York Giants (@Giants) July 23, 2019

Jones’ rookie deal is for four-years, worth $25.6 million. In addition, Jones’ contract includes a fifth-year option and a $16.7 million signing bonus, which will be paid in full in 2019.

The Giants have long been criticized for not drafting a future quarterback in recent years. New York bypassed the opportunity of selecting Sam Darnold last year in favor of star running back Saquon Barkley. This year, the Giants had a glaring need for a pass rusher, and Kentucky linebacker Josh Allen fell to their laps with the No. 6 pick.

Instead, general manager Dave Gettleman took the Duke University product. While many continue to deride the Jones pick and whether he’d be on the board at pick No. 17, the quarterback position makes or breaks an NFL team. It’s a common belief of teams during the NFL Draft; if you like a quarterback and have the chance to draft him, you do it. And as everyone knows, that’s the final decision Gettleman made, officially ushering in the Daniel Jones era in New York/New Jersey.

Jone’s Impact in 2019

Jones got plenty of people talking during OTA’s this spring, from his accuracy on deep passes to his mobility. Granted, it all came during unpadded practice sessions, but nevertheless, Jones stood out. Once OTA’s ended in June, head coach Pat Shurmur teased that Jones has a chance to earn the starting job over veteran Eli Manning.

On Monday, however, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that after talking with a few members of the Giants organization, there’s no open competition for the starting quarterback job. Eli Manning, barring a serious injury, will be the Giants’ quarterback entering their Week 1 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Jones, on the other hand, will spend the season opener on the bench.

When Jones will actually see the field is an important storyline entering the Giants’ 2019 season. Make no mistake about it, the Giants are intent on Manning starting in, likely, his final season in New York. However, if the Giants have a disastrous first half of the season and are nowhere near playoff contention, Jones will see his first NFL action.

Speculation on the rookie’s playing status will continue to run rampant, but that’s for a later time. As of Monday, Daniel Jones is officially a New York Giant.