The Daniel Jones era ended this past week in New York, but sources say the veteran quarterback likely won’t have to wait long to find his new home.
Jones, who requested and received his release from the Giants on Friday, is expected to clear waivers on Monday at 4 p.m. ET. At that point, when he’s a free agent and allowed to talk to other teams, Jones should sign relatively quickly.
Jones is slated to clear waivers because if another team grabs him, it'd owe him $11.83 million left on his contract, plus the $23 million injury guaranteed for next season.
Jones will be able to sign with a team immediately once he becomes a free agent. Perhaps he will do what so many veterans have done and sign with a practice squad -- meaning his new team would not have to cut a player on the 53-man roster to sign him.
The Giants will start Tommy DeVito against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Meanwhile, Jones, who finished 24-44-1 while making over $108 million from the Giants since he was drafted in the first round in 2019, will have options -- not all of them obvious ones.
Among Jones' possible options:
- The San Francisco 49ers are dealing with a shoulder injury to starter Brock Purdy, who will miss Sunday's game against the Packers. Head coach Kyle Shanahan left open the possibility that Purdy could miss more than Sunday, with Purdy to be re-evaluated on Monday. If Purdy is deemed in danger of missing more time, San Francisco would make a lot of sense and could be very real.
- A team like the Baltimore Ravens could also make sense, with Jones’ athleticism and speed fitting what Baltimore does on offense. Journeyman Josh Johnson currently is Lamar Jackson's backup. Jones could sign with the Ravens' practice squad and work his way up, and general manager Eric DeCosta is always looking to improve the roster.
- The Raiders are said to like Jones as an organization, and if he’s a free agent, they could emerge as an option. Why? Because Las Vegas expects to be a team in the market for a bridge starter in the 2025 offseason, while simultaneously also looking for its QB of the future. Jones could audition for his future role and maybe earn an even bigger one, while the Raiders get a look at a free agent-to-be. Las Vegas likely won’t make the playoffs, but that might be Jones' best choice for his future.
There will be others, especially if a significant QB injury happens on Sunday or Monday.