Ever since taking over as the starter in 2019, people questioned whether Daniel Jones could be a franchise quarterback for the New York Giants.
More often than not, he looked like a poor man’s Eli Manning, showing just the negative traits of his predecessor.
Jones was turnover-prone and often collapsed under pressure, handing the ball over to the defense in some head-scratching ways.
The Giants didn’t even pick up his fifth-year option ahead of this season, putting plenty of pressure on his shoulders to make him prove he could be their go-to guy for years to come.
Notably, that’s exactly what he’s done under Brian Daboll’s tutelage.
He’s had the best season of his career thus far, and former NFL player-turned-analyst Dan Orlovsky believes he’s finally matured:
“Daniel Jones has gone from a legit problem for the Giants to a legit problem solver,” Orlovsky said on ESPN’s “Get Up”.
"Daniel Jones has gone from a legit problem for the Giants to a legit problem solver."
🗣️ @danorlovsky7 pic.twitter.com/kY25ud2mek
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) January 16, 2023
Orlovsky went on to laud Jones’ development and how he’s become much better at reading the defense.
He no longer panics and holds on to the football for way too long; he picks his spots, knows where the defense is and makes them play with his feet.
Analysts were on the fence about Jones and Daboll this season, with some predicting he could take a huge leap forward like Josh Allen in Buffalo and others thinking the Giants would pursue another QB mid-season.
Now, most insiders are discussing how much the Giants will have to pay to keep the Duke product in the Big Apple.
It took him a while, but Danny Dimes has finally arrived.
NEXT: NFL Analyst Explains How Coaching Saved The Giants