Giants’ Daniel Jones will not play Saturday, Jets’ Zach Wilson will be limited

The Giants and Jets will face one another in either team’s first preseason game this Saturday night at MetLife Stadium.

Joe Judge is treating this Saturday’s preseason matchup like the original fourth preseason game (of course, this year is different given there are now three exhibition matchups).

In years when there were four preseason meetings, the final one was mainly for rookies and roster bubble guys. Thus, it makes sense that Judge also revealed Daniel Jones will not partake in the upcoming matchup.

Daniel Jones won’t play for #Giants vs #Jets

— Ryan Dunleavy (@rydunleavy) August 12, 2021

Jones may see time in the second preseason game against the Cleveland Browns on Aug. 22.

Judge additionally notes the final preseason game (against the New England Patriots on Aug. 29) will be treated like the traditional third preseason game in previous years (what was mainly the dress rehearsal game for the regular season). Thus, Jones and the starters are expected to play approximately the whole first half that night.

#Giants #Judge – says he will treat preseason game 3 as the usual game 3 – regulars will go for a half

— GiantsWFAN (@giantswfan) August 12, 2021

The Giants likely don’t want to risk Jones succumbing to injury either. The third-year quarterback missed two games in each of his first two seasons.

On the other side of the stadium, the Jets employ a rookie quarterback who must develop ahead of his inaugural regular season and will play him for two series. Zach Wilson needs to build a rapport with his targets and garner experience going up against defenses not in green jerseys.

Zach Wilson will play two series on Saturday night in the first preseason game of his NFL career. #Jets

— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) August 12, 2021

The two teams kick off Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET. How the rookies (both drafted and undrafted) fare for either New York ballclub should be interesting to witness.