Jon Feliciano has seen rather a lot over seven NFL seasons as an offensive lineman for the Raiders and Payments — together with the event of Derek Carr and one of many sport’s largest stars, Josh Allen. In order the Giants’ first-string heart, and as a number one scholar in coach Brian Daboll’s dogma, Feliciano appeared like a very good place to begin to weigh the 2022 upside of Daniel Jones.
Assuming there may be an upside.
As Feliciano stood in the course of the Giants’ locker room Tuesday, 5 days away from the season opener at Tennessee, he was requested if he thinks his fourth-year quarterback can nonetheless be a star on this league.
“Yeah, one hundred pc,” Feliciano informed The Put up. “It’s his work ethic, and he’s tremendous correct with the ball. Clearly he’s not as athletic as Josh. I feel Josh might be probably the most athletic quarterback within the league. However Daniel can undoubtedly run, and he undoubtedly has a terrific arm. So I’m excited to see what he can do that yr.”
Everybody who cares about professional soccer on this market is aware of the e book on Jones. He’s misplaced 25 of 37 begins, he’s coming off a critical neck harm, and he’s already run by way of extra coaches and employees members than anybody can rely.
Oh, and Feliciano’s former co-workers in Buffalo — Daboll and basic supervisor Joe Schoen — determined in opposition to selecting up Jones’s fifth-year choice.
Sure, it’s true that the rookie head coach and rookie GM have raved concerning the quarterback’s professionalism and want.
“He’s at it extraordinarily laborious,” Daboll stated Tuesday. “He’s right here on a regular basis. He’s extra on the quiet facet, however he's extremely, ultra-competitive. … I feel he’s a very good chief.”
Better of luck discovering anybody contained in the Giants’ facility to say one thing unfavourable about Jones. Earlier than final season, co-owner John Mara maintained he noticed the sixth-overall decide within the 2019 draft as a quarterback who will finally win a Tremendous Bowl.
“I can say that with none hesitation,” Mara informed The Put up. Requested if he thought Jones was adequate to win a number of Tremendous Bowls, Eli Manning model, Mara responded, “I don’t see why not, if we put the appropriate items round him.”
After the Giants failed once more to place these items in place in 2021, Mara famously blamed the group for doing “every little thing potential to screw this child up since he’s been right here.”
However that was a beneficiant evaluation of the scenario in favor of Jones, who deserves his fair proportion of the blame, too. Although Mara, Schoen, and Daboll can say all of the optimistic and protecting issues they need concerning the quarterback, the actions taken by public figures are at all times extra telling than the phrases spoken by public figures.
Mara, Schoen, and Daboll had an opportunity to ensure Jones’s employment for the 2023 season, they usually took a move. You don’t must know any greater than that.
That is the underside line with Jones, and with each starter at his place: In the event you can’t moderately image your quarterback holding the Lombardi Trophy excessive earlier than his prime expires, you want to discover one other one.
Manning went 11-5 and gained a division title for the Giants in his first full yr as a starter, and although issues obtained tough for him, it wasn’t terribly tough to think about him being adequate sooner or later to win a championship. Allen in Buffalo? It’s fairly straightforward now to image him profitable a pair.
That’s the place Jones must be on the finish of this yr, if he desires to steer his employers that they don’t must draft a top-gun faculty quarterback to take his place. He has to remain on the sector and play successfully sufficient for Schoen and Daboll to image him as a future Tremendous Bowl winner as clearly as Mara did within the spring of 2021.
Is that a doable proposition?
“He works his tail off, I’ll let you know that,” Feliciano stated. “He’s at all times within the weight room or getting additional conferences in and grabbing guys and selecting their minds and telling them how he desires issues run. He’s only a actually good chief. I didn’t know a lot about him earlier than coming right here, however I’ve been actually impressed with who he's.
“After I first obtained to Buffalo, Josh wasn’t the Josh that he's now. I’d say that Josh and Daniel had been in all probability in comparable positions. … The yr earlier than, Josh was operating round for his life and taking a variety of pictures. After I obtained there with a bunch of different guys, we gave him the arrogance to remain in and do what he does.
“So I feel with Daniel, it’s the identical factor. He’s needed to cope with a variety of various things, a variety of totally different coaches, totally different line coaches, totally different guys enjoying the road. However I feel as soon as he will get some consistency, he’s going to indicate everybody what he can do.”
Tuesday, Jones referred to as Daboll’s system “very quarterback pleasant for any quarterback.” This season, in opposition to the percentages, it must be pleasant sufficient to make Jones look like a future champ.
Nothing wanting that can make the minimize.
Post a Comment