Making The Sophomore Leap
A quarterback’s second season is usually the year they show whether they’ll develop into a Pro Bowl-caliber player in the NFL. The last two NFL MVP’s, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, were both in their second year.
Daniel Jones isn’t Mahomes or Jackson, but he does have the attributes that can lead to a breakout sophomore season. He has the size and a big arm; he had five completions of more than 50 yards last season, more than all quarterbacks except Kyler Murray and Kirk Cousins. His three
touchdowns of 50-plus yards were more than everyone except Cousins.
He can pull off big games. His five 300-yard games in 2019 were tied with Murray for most among rookie quarterbacks. He had three games with four or more touchdowns, behind only Jackson. He also can escape from the pocket and run, something the Giants did not have with Manning. Jones rushed for 279 yards as a rookie; Manning never gained more than 80 yards
rushing in a season.
But, most importantly, he has the intangibles that go into making a great quarterback. The Duke alum is smart, works hard, studies the playbook, and is determined to get better. Jason Garrett, entering his first season as Giants offensive coordinator after 10 years as head coach of the Cowboys, hasn’t had the chance to work with Jones much this offseason but is already impressed with the quarterback he’s charged with turning into a franchise player.
“Playing as a rookie in the NFL is a challenge. Playing quarterback as a rookie in the NFL is a real challenge. Daniel handled himself really, really well. Since I’ve been here he’s been a real joy to work with,” Garrett said this week at Giants training camp.
“There’s no question he’s a football guy. He loves football. He’s always so prepared. He’s always studying his stuff. He always has great questions and wants to get better. My experience has been when you have that kind of approach and that kind of attitude, if you have some ability, you’re going to keep getting better every day. And he certainly has done that.”
