After signing a four-year, $160-million contract extension in the spring of 2023, one that would indirectly result in the departure of Saquon Barkley just a year later, Daniel Jones was set to be the face of the New York Giants franchise for the foreseeable future.
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Fast forward to November of 2024, where Jones officially cleared waivers and became an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, and it’s safe to say that the ramifications of that deal are going to remain with the Giants for quite some time.
From there, the 27-year-old essentially saw zero interest from the market for the next three months, until the Indianapolis Colts finally decided to give him an opportunity. With nothing more than Anthony Richardson and a pair of incoming rookies to anchor their QB room, the Colts preemptively signed Daniels to a one-year, $14-million contract.
Considering that the ACC product netted $82 million for himself throughout those last two seasons in New York, the opportunity in Indianapolis, while potentially career-saving, is nothing short of a downgrade for Jones. Having thrown more interceptions (13) than touchdowns (10) en route to a 3-13 record throughout the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the former Blue Devil essentially played himself out of a $64-million payday.
At one point in time, Jones’ contract saw him share the honor of being the top-10 highest-paid quarterback with Matthew Stafford and Dak Prescott. With his most recent deal, he currently slots in at the 21st spot in terms of salary.
The likes of Justin Fields, Geno Smith, and Sam Darnold are all slotted to out-earn Jones moving forward. In terms of salaries, Jones is more in competition with the Tennessee Titans’ newfound quarterback, Cam Ward, than anybody else.
More concerning, however, is the presence of the aforementioned Florida signal caller, Anthony Richardson. Should the Colts decide to continue to invest in the development of their fourth overall pick in Richardson, it could also mean the end of Jones’ career as a starter.
In a league where nearly one-third of its signal callers are collecting earnings north of $50 million, a one-year, $14-million contract is about as noncommittal as a franchise can be. From the numbers on paper to his numbers on the field, there’s certainly not a lot of inspiring math behind the career of Jones right now.
In spite of his poor passing metrics and lack of wins, the former Giant has still managed to collect $114,256,856 in total career earnings, making him the 33rd highest paid quarterback in NFL history. Should these prove to be the final days of Jones starting in the NFL, he’ll certainly find himself in a better position than most.
Considering that there’s also the potential for him to net another couple million in as an unrestricted free agent in 2026, it’s safe to say that the veteran passer is likely content to continue collecting paychecks for as long as teams are willing to offer them.
