Insider predicts when Giants QB Daniel Jones could lose starting job

Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network believes that New York Giants backup quarterback Drew Lock could win the starting job from Daniel Jones before Week 1 of the 2024 season after the team missed out on grabbing North Carolina Tar Heels signal-caller Drake Maye during the draft last week. 

"If they (couldn’t) get Drake Maye, I think they’re going to be comfortable and it’s not just with Daniel Jones," Jeremiah said about the Giants during the post-draft edition of his "Move the Sticks" podcast, as shared by Jimmy Hascup of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. "I believe Drew Lock has got a really good shot at winning that job." 

Lock allegedly wasn't offered a chance to compete with Jones this summer before he signed a contract in March that reportedly included $3M in incentives related to playing time and performance. However, it's now quite clear that Giants general manager Joe Schoen was interested in moving up from draft pick No. 6 overall to No. 3 overall for Maye but unwilling to make a so-called "'Godfather' offer" to the New England Patriots for that asset. 

New England ultimately took Maye and could start the rookie this September. 

As for Jones, the former Duke quarterback is coming off a torn ACL he suffered in November. He has also dealt with a pair of worrisome neck injuries since the fall of 2021. It was suggested earlier this week that the Giants could shut Jones down if they have a losing record in the second half of the 2024 season so that they can move on from him next March, but Jeremiah teased that Lock is "going to be in the mix" for the QB1 gig through the upcoming preseason. 

"So they were comparing Daniel Jones and Drew Lock — and emphasis on Drew Lock — on the quarterbacks that were going to be there," Jeremiah said about the Giants' draft plans, "and I think the line for them was Drake Maye."

Jeremiah was correct about the Giants passing on Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy, as Big Blue instead drafted LSU Tigers wide receiver Malik Nabers via the sixth pick and let McCarthy go to the Minnesota Vikings at choice No. 10 overall. If Jones isn't cleared for contact by mid-August and Lock impresses during exhibition games, the former may never again take a meaningful snap for the club that made him the sixth overall selection of the 2019 draft.