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NY Giants QB ready for first game after ACL injury

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EAST RUTHERFORD – Perhaps the aura surrounding Daniel Jones this summer stems from his ability to empathize with his surgically repaired right knee. That newfound strength could be the result of the New York Giants' very public push to replace him as the quarterback of their future, if not their present, thanks to the docuseries “Hard Knocks.”

Or maybe it's the new beard.

Whatever the case, Jones is still the Giants' quarterback, still a player with something to prove despite the $40 million the organization will deposit into his bank account for the 2024 season. He is expected to make his first appearance in Saturday's preseason game against the Texans in Houston since tearing his ACL on the final play of the first quarter against the Raiders in Las Vegas nine months ago.

Teammates and coaches have admired how Jones has tackled each day throughout his rehabilitation journey to recovery: in practice, on the field, in the meeting rooms, how he goes about his business, and no matter how much fuss there is about his place on the team and what's next, he stays true to his approach.

New running back Devin Singletary said of Jones: “You know a dog when you see a dog.”

Whether Jones can match what was the high point of his six-year career – the playoff victory over the 13-win Vikings in Minnesota two seasons ago – remains to be seen. The Giants are certainly counting on Jones to enter this year in better shape, and in reality the hope is that that will come in conjunction with an improved offensive line and a group of young playmakers who drafted electrifying rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers with the No. 6 pick in the draft.

Jones has taken every first-team snap in practice since training camp began, all in 11-on-11 team drills, aside from a couple of 7-on-7 periods against the Detroit Lions in their two joint practices last week. He's worked through his ups and downs, getting used to the speed of sessions again, moving through the pocket despite pressure, albeit without physical contact, and working on timing with his receivers, which has seen him make dramatic improvements in three weeks.

The Giants did not draft a quarterback, despite trying to sign a new one in exchange for North Carolina's Drake Maye, who was selected No. 3 by the Patriots. Instead, Big Blue drafted Nabers, whose presence gives the offense another reason to believe it can drastically improve from last year, especially in the passing game.

Jones is constantly being told he's already given us his best. He's a tough player and he's as tough as steel, and the Giants respect Jones for who he is and how hard he works. Team management saw room for improvement in his game after a stellar 2022 season, but last year's struggles and injuries have called that into question.

There have been criticisms about his development and whether Jones is progressing quickly enough to truly maximize an offense that has been treading water for much of 2023. His ability as a runner and his willingness to absorb physical contact further down the field, sometimes to the point of exhaustion, suggest whether he can return to form until another team comes after him.

What impact will this have on him physically and mentally? So far, Jones is playing as if he never got injured.

The biggest uncertainty concerns his state of health and the question of what impact a further injury would have on the reliability of his status if he has to take off the red jersey again without physical contact.

He got the team rallying with his fighting spirit in the game against the Lions when a player on Detroit's defensive line refused to let his teammate Greg Van Roten leave the field and Jones charged toward the pile, seemingly ready to fight.

“I'll say this: I would want Daniel Jones on my team anytime,” said Shea Tierney, Giants passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. “He sticks up for his man — yeah, we don't want him getting into fights and stuff — but him sticking up for his man and being there to cover his teammates' backs is definitely something we want, and I'd take Daniel Jones anytime.”

There was talk about what will happen if Jones fails and where the Giants will go at that position next year.

One may also wonder how good the Giants can be if Jones improves his performance once again and makes everyone forget how poorly he played last season.

When host Kay Adams asked Jones about his lack of shave on her show “Up and Adams,” he joked with a laugh: “I think it's some kind of boot camp thing. Let's see how long it lasts.”

That feeling applies to everything Daniel Jones does right now, as the Giants head into another season where their quarterback will have to prove what he can do.

The beard. The optimism. The huge chip sitting on his shoulder pads.

Saturday's preseason game against the Texans is the next step for Jones on his way back to where he was before the start of last season – before so much went terribly wrong for him and around him.

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