There are plenty of bad contracts these days in the NFL as revenues and the salary cap have risen exponentially over the past decade.
One of those contracts, says David Kenyon of Bleacher Report, is the one the New York Giants signed quarterback Daniel Jones to in March of 2023 — a four-year, $160 million deal of which $92 million is guaranteed.
Kenyon listed his 10 worst contracts of the upcoming season in a recent article. Jones’ deal came in at No. 10.
At the time, it seemed like an unnecessary risk for a player who’d never been anything above a league-average quarterback. Then, he struggled badly in six games before a knee injury last year.
In 2024, Jones’ cap number is just short of $47.9 million. Perhaps he puts together a resurgent season after the Giants drafted wide receiver Malik Nabers and bolstered the offensive line.
If not, however, releasing Jones next offseason would mean he still counts $19.4 million against the 2025 cap. That’s a real possibility, yet it’ll sting anyway.
The reality is that the contract isn’t as restrictive as one might think. The Giants can shred themselves of Jones after this season, as Kenyon mentioned, with a palatable dead cap charge.
$19.4 million isn’t a cap-killer any longer. With the salary cap increasing nearly 10 percent every season, it’s a hit the Giants can easily absorb.
As many know, the team was angling for a successor in this year’s draft but the right situation did not present itself. Should Jones falter or be injured again this season, you can be certain the Giants will be moving on.
