The 2022 NFL season is a make-or-break year for New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones. The team didn’t pick up the 2019 first-round pick’s fifth-year option, so unless he has an outstanding season under center, he will likely be a free agent in 2023. With all this pressure, reports out of Giants training camp aren’t great. However, Giants beat reporter Art Stapleton says there is one big reason Brian Daboll and Giants fans should “pump the breaks” on burying Daniel Jones just yet.

Daniel Jones’ poor training camp performance may not be quite what it seems

The news on Daniel Jones from Giants training camp in New Jersey isn’t good.

On Monday, after a long day of the defense dominating the Giants offense, head coach Brian Daboll very publically pulled Jones from his spot with the starting offense and subbed-in backup Tyrod Taylor.

The narrative of the Giants D beating up on the offense — and Jones specifically — has been pervasive throughout Giants training camp. And while the defensive unit is improved this year, it is still largely the same group that ranked 23rd in the NFL last season in points allowed.

All this makes it easy for Giants fans to dismiss Jones, say he’s done, and start scouting the 2023 NFL Draft quarterback crop.

At least one Giants beat reporter, though, is urging fans to slow down on burying Daniel Jones.

Art Stapleton from NorthJersey.com and USA Today appeared on the Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday and explained why Jones’ poor performance so far in Giants training camp might not be as bad as it seems.

McAfee asked Stapleton if the reports and clips on Twitter of Daniel Jones’ ineptitude are as bad as they seem.

“You guys tell me. If the defense knows all your signals and they’re reading the plays, and they know where the ball’s going, how’s that going to work out for the quarterback?” Stapleton replied. “I’d say not too well, I think I’d pump the brakes a little bit.”

The reporter went on to say that everyone knows Jones’ situation, but fans and media shouldn’t “overreact” until Jones starts playing in real games in September and October. He thinks that Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka need more time to get Jones up to speed and everyone needs to take a pause before they “ship Daniel to the sideline for good.”

This makes complete sense and is the type of measured and reasonable take that is sometimes few and far between in the New York City media.

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JR Malabanan ·

There are some positive signs overall with Jones, too. The former Duke QB has raised his completion percentage (61.9%, 62.5%, 64.3%) in each of his first three seasons. At the same time, he’s also dropped his interceptions from 12 to 10 to seven last season (albeit in just 11 games).

Plus, Brian Daboll is the same coach who, as the Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator, took a talented but raw Josh Allen and made him into a superstar.

Now, most fans will agree Daniel Jones is not Josh Allen. Still, if anyone can make Jones into a legit NFL quarterback, Daboll is one of the most likely candidates.

As Giants training camp rolls on and preseason games begin against teams that don’t know exactly what’s coming, Jones could start to look better. Even if it takes some time, Stapleton is right. Fans should take a wait-and-see approach and “pump the breaks” until at least a few weeks into the season.

If Daniel Jones is still bad at that point, then Giants fans can start turning their attention to Saturday football and dreaming of the new QB in blue next season.