New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is entering a crucial second year after putting together a very promising rookie campaign.
This past year, Daniel Jones raised the eyebrows of those who criticized the New York Giants for drafting him at No. 6 overall. The former Duke Blue Devil threw for 3,027 yards and 24 touchdowns and could’ve broken the record for single-season touchdown passes by a rookie (27) had he not sat two games late in the year.
There was a glaring issue though: his ball security. The young quarterback not only threw 12 picks but additionally coughed up the ball a total of 18 times (11 lost).
The aforementioned statistics make the carelessness with the ball one of his most significant on-field setbacks, and that was surely a thought in Jones’ mind while he spent time with college coach David Cutcliffe in January.
“I made it down to Duke, and a couple of our receivers came down,” Jones told Alex Marvez and Gil Brandt of SiriusXM NFL Radio on Monday night. “We watched film, and were on the field for a good portion of that, talking through things and working together.
“One of the things I’ve tried to focus on this offseason is my ball security and my ball carriage in the pocket. So that was a topic of conversation for us, and you know, just being more mindful of that, being more intentional on how you hold the ball and how you secure the ball.”
Ball security issues can have plenty to do with coaching, and Giants fans are certainly aware of the coaching-related blunders this organization dealt with during Jones’ inaugural pro season. Pat Shurmur struggled through the latter half of his two-year tenure with Big Blue, as the veteran coach notched just four victories en route to his firing after the regular season. Offensive coordinator Mike Shula also parted ways with the team after New York finished 23rd in total offense and 19th in scoring.
A new offensive coordinator and play-caller in Jason Garrett should provide Jones noteworthy assistance in his development, and as long as he can protect the football, he should be able to put together an even more impressive performance in year No. 2.
