Eli Manning Is Pushing for Giants to Keep Successor Daniel Jones

With the Super Bowl set to take place next weekend, the NFL offseason is just weeks away and the 30 teams that aren’t taking part in the big game are already weighing what to do in free agency.

The New York Giants, who lost to the division-rival Eagles three times this season, including in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, have a lot of tough decisions to make with the most difficult one being what to do with impending free agent Daniel Jones. The sixth overall pick in 2019, Jones had a winning record (9-6-1, sat out New York’s final game) for the first time in his career and helped the Giants notch their first win in the playoffs since Eli Manning led New York to a win over the Patriots in the Super Bowl for the second time.

Manning, who mentored Jones during his rookie season and has consistently backed the former Duke QB, told ESPN he wants New York to retain his successor and hopes he gets “rewarded” by the franchise. “I was proud of Daniel, the way he played, to learn another offense and pick it up,” Manning said. “Just the way he played in the fourth quarter of a number of games and leading the team back to victory, which was awesome; that’s what you want from your quarterback. To do it so quickly with the brand-new offense, the way they were able to compete, make it to the playoffs, win a playoff game, that is awesome. I hope he gets rewarded for that. I hope he is the quarterback for the Giants for a long time.”

For that to happen, the Giants could work out a long-term deal with Jones this offseason. The team also has the option of slapping the franchise tag on Jones to at least keep him with the team next season in order to put off the decision about signing the 25-year-old to a lengthy contract until after the 2023 season. With the salary cap set to increase from $208.2 million in 2022 to $224.8 million in 2023, quarterbacks who are tagged before the deadline on March 7 will be paid a guaranteed salary of $32,416,000 next season, according to ESPN.

That’s a hefty price to pay for a player who has really only had one solid season, but it may be worth it as tagging Jones to see if he can build on his improved play this season is probably preferable to handing him a long-term deal loaded with even more guaranteed cash. For what it’s worth, it sounds as if Jones is hoping to stay with Big Blue.

“I really enjoyed my time here, and I want to be here,” he said last week. “I think there’s a business side of it all, and a lot of that I can’t control. I have love and respect for this organization and ownership and the guys in this locker room. So I’d love to be here. I really enjoyed being here, and we’ll see how it all works out.”

Indeed we will.