Where is Daniel Jones? Why former Giants QB was released after ...

As the Giants prepare to play the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, New York's offense will look much different than the team expected entering the season.

Veteran quarterback Daniel Jones is no longer on the team, and last year's surprise Tommy DeVito will once again take the reigns for New York. Drew Lock remains the backup, like he was at the beginning of the year.

The past two weeks have been especially chaotic for the Giants, as Jones went from starting quarterback to off the team entirely. The Sporting News examines what happened with Jones and the Giants since the team's bye week just 10 days ago.

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Where is Daniel Jones?

After the Giants bye week in Week 11, with New York sitting at 2-8 on the season, the Giants chose to bench Daniel Jones. The veteran quarterback had a record of 3-13 over the past two years, which directly followed going 9-6-1 in 2022 which resulted in Jones receiving a new contract. Jones also had a $23 million injury guarantee in his contract for next season, so the Giants didn't want to risk being on the hook for that much money in 2025.

However, Jones' fall didn't end there. The Giants initially demoted Jones all the way to the bottom of the depth chart, with third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito ascending to the starting role.

After searching for the right team, Jones signed with the Vikings on Wednesday to eventually serve as Sam Darnold's backup. Because he signed to the practice squad, Jones could still sign with another team over the next three weeks.

If he remains with the Vikings, he'll get a chance to work with "QB guru" Kevin O'Connell, which should help Jones' reputation around the league. While the Vikings hope they don't have to play him this year, his work in practice and the subsequent positive word-of-mouth from O'Connell it could generate will help Jones as he searches for a starting job next offseason. 

If he stays with the Vikings and gets a chance to play in the event of a Darnold injury, Jones could really help himself with a solid performance for the playoff-bound team. Having Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson to throw to will go a long way, as it would easily be the receiving corps Jones has ever worked with.

Ultimately, signing with Minnesota was a low-risk, potentially high-reward move, even if it lasts just a couple of months.

Why did the Giants release Daniel Jones?

After Jones was demoted, the quarterback reportedly asked the team for his release, which the Giants granted. In the announcement, New York said the team and Jones "mutually agreed" to part ways, while thanking him for his five and a half years with the team.

Statement from the Giants on the release of QB Daniel Jones: pic.twitter.com/llrTepPF38

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 22, 2024

By demoting Jones all the way down the depth chart, the Giants were clearly done with him this year. Given Jones would have been guaranteed $23 million next season if he got injured, the Giants were going to do everything possible to make sure he did not get into another game. Therefore, Jones wanted the opportunity to either play elsewhere or backup for a team with a chance to make a run in the playoffs, unlike the Giants.

Daniel Jones statsYearGamesCompletion PercentagePassing YardsTouchdownsInterceptions20191361.9%3,027241220201462.5%2,943111020211164.3%2,42810720221667.2%3,2051552023667.5%9092620241063.3%2,07087

Jones's career started off promising, as he threw for over 3,000 yards and 24 touchdowns in his rookie season. However, the quarterback was never quite able to reclaim his explosive play from that year.

The Giants best year with Jones as a starter was in 2022, when New York won nine games and made the playoffs as a wild card team. However, Jones was primarily a game manager that season, as he only threw for 15 touchdowns despite playing in a career-high 16 games. Since 2023, Jones struggled, which also included him tearing his ACL in 2023, cutting his season short.

Giants QB depth chartRankPlayerNo. 1Tommy DeVitoNo. 2Drew LockNo. 3Tim Boyle

DeVito will get the start for the second straight week, with Lock maintaining his spot as the backup quarterback. Boyle was signed after the Giants demoted Jones, giving New York a veteran third-string quarterback.

Vikings QB depth chartRankPlayerNo. 1Sam DarnoldNo. 2Nick MullensNo. 3Daniel JonesNo. 4J.J. McCarthy (injured)

Darnold has been in control of Minnesota's offense all season, and he'll continue to lead the team through the playoffs. Jones will give Minnesota an experienced No. 2 with playoff experience, and he could come in handy if Darnold gets hurt later in the year.

It would be a surprise if either are on the team next season when McCarthy (knee) is healthy, but if Darnold keeps playing well, he could be brought back on a short contract. Jones could also be brought back as a backup if the starting QB market has dried up for him.