The Danny Dimes era in the Big Apple could be over.
The New York Giants have decided to bench embattled starter Daniel Jones amid a 2-8 start to the season. The team is slated to replace him with fan favorite and backup quarterback Tommy DeVito, according to multiple reports.
The move coming out of a bye week arrives after Jones led the Giants to their fifth straight loss on Nov. 10, an overtime defeat to the Carolina Panthers. The Giants, who drafted Jones sixth overall in 2019, are also protecting themselves by making the switch. Jones has a clause in his contract that would guarantee him $23 million in 2025 if he was unable to pass a physical in the offseason due to an injury sustained this season.
It’s not uncommon for quarterbacks, usually among the team’s highest paid players, to have such injury stipulations in their agreements.
Giants general manager Joe Schoen said last week that the language in Jones’ contract would not factor in and that any benching would be a “football decision.”
Jones is the latest quarterback to experience this peculiar situation. Russell Wilson was benched by the Denver Broncos last year to prevent a potential $37 million payment, and former Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr was kept on the sidelines two years ago to avoid triggering a $33 million injury clause.
Jones, who has no guaranteed money after this season, is in the second year of a four-year, $160 million contract extension he signed last year. The Giants will absorb $22 million in dead money if they cut him this offseason and search for a new franchise quarterback. The upcoming draft features a talented QB class.
Meanwhile, the Giants are turning to DeVito, a third-string quarterback, instead of backup Drew Lock, who signed a one-year, $5 million deal back in March. Giants head coach Brian Daboll is also facing questions about his job security as tries to make the most of a disappointing season so far.
Giants fans are familiar with DeVito, a former Syracuse standout and New Jersey native who lived at his parents’ Cedar Grove home during his rookie season last year. The Italian-American undrafted quarterback, who was nicknamed “Tommy Cutlets,” captured the attention of the fan base when he led an underachieving Giants team to three straight wins last year. It allowed him to earn appearance fees at local mom-and-pop restaurants.
The Giants host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
