Is Daniel Jones capable of being the Week 1 starter? New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Shula thinks so.
Ever since the offseason began, the New York Giants were in the hunt to find the successor to Eli Manning. Whether that was through the draft or getting a young quarterback through free agency. Either way, the organization knew it wasn’t long until they’d have another guy at that position.
Many suggested the “Kansas City model” which would have Eli start the 2019 season ahead of a young quarterback. That quarterback would then learn the position and be ready to go once the 2020 season began. However, when the Giants took quarterback Daniel Jones No. 6 overall, general manager Dave Gettleman pondered over the “Green Bay model.” This would have Jones sitting for multiple years behind Manning, possibly up to three before he would start.
Now, the talk of any model could be out the window, according to a very high-level coach in the Giants organization.
After a team workout on Wednesday, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Shula told the media that Jones has the ability to be the starter come Week 1.
“I think he’d be ready to go,” Shula said via Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. “That’s my personal opinion. I do.”
“I would say this: times have changed,” Shula stated. “In years past you would draft a guy — wherever you drafted him, even if it was that early — those guys would traditionally not have played until their second, third year.
“But really ever since probably six, seven years ago, you started seeing more guys playing early,” he added. “But I think he has that capability.”
Shula pointed out that just because he believes Jones has the ability to start, doesn’t mean he will. The team still believes that sitting him behind a guy like Manning will produce the best outcome for the future.
“The obvious reasons for him with Eli as our starter sitting, he’s gonna be learning from one of the best ever in regards to preparation,” Shula said. “And not just the normal stuff but the day-to-day operations, the routine, the schedule, and then all the details of the position.”
