It is true that Daniel Jones was watching the first round of last month’s NFL draft.
“I wasn’t sure what was going to happen or how it was going to play out,’’ he said Thursday after he and the Giants were on the field for organized team activity practice No. 3.
This is the part of the ride where Jones veers into a different lane.
“I was just watching and waiting to see like everybody else,’’ Jones said.
Like everybody else?
How about like no one else?
Sure, there were legions of Giants fans and interested insiders around the league eager to find out who the Giants would take with the No. 6 overall pick.
Or, more precisely, what position they would target.
Unlike anyone else, though, no one had more riding on who the Giants selected than Jones.
No one.
It was no secret the Giants were interested in quarterbacks this year in the draft, and they did try to trade with the Patriots to get up to No. 3 to get Drake Maye, offering their 2025 first-round pick.
The Patriots wouldn’t budge and took Maye for themselves.
Still, when the Giants were on the clock, quarterback prospects J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix were on the board.
Jones was not privy to what the Giants’ front office and coaching staff was thinking, but he is a sharp guy, and he knew that his team going with a quarterback in the first round was definitely a possibility.
If the Giants went in that direction, the plan for the newcomer would be to take Jones’ job.
Maybe not in 2024, but at some point, and not too far down the road.
Jones, coming off reconstructive knee surgery, knew what was at stake in his career if the Giants went quarterback.
“I mean, I wasn’t fired up about it,’’ Jones said, offering a rare glimpse into his true feelings. “But I think it’s part of it at this level.’’
The Giants selected LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers.
Instead of adding a player to replace Jones, they added a player with a skill set to help him.
“I’m fired up to get Malik,’’ Jones said. “I watched some of his tape in college. He’s a dynamic, dynamic player. I was fired up to see that we got him. It’s been fun getting to work with him.’’
Yes, Jones this spring has been able to work with Nabers.
For now, Jones is cleared for individual drills and throwing to receivers with no defense on the field.
That he also is allowed to participate in seven-on-seven drills is a big step for him.
“He looks good,’’ coach Brian Daboll said. “We’re not putting him in some team stuff, but he’s making progress so that’s why we got him in seven-on-seven.
“We’ll take it day by day, and when he can do more we’ll put him in more.’’
Drew Lock, signed to serve as the backup quarterback, took the reps in the 11-on-11 portion of the practice.
That is the next step for Jones, and it will likely come at the start of training camp in late July.
Lock is learning an entirely new playbook, so it is unlikely he will look better running the offense than Jones — who is entering year No. 3 in Daboll’s system, and his third year working with offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney.
Lock did connect deep down the field with Nabers in an 11-on-11 team period.
“He’s done a good job of picking up the information,’’ Daboll said of Lock.
Jones looked fine in the seven-on-seven drill — shuffling his feet, stepping up and into his throws, not asked to roll out much. He did not wear any sort of brace on his right knee, which underwent surgery Nov. 22 to repair a torn ACL.
“It feels good,’’ Jones said. “Feels really good. The rehab process has been smooth to this point. Feels good doing all of that kind of stuff.’’
The plan is to set Jones free in training camp, getting him into full-team work.
He is set to make $36 million in salary in 2024, but the guaranteed portion ($82 million) of his four-year, $160 million contract is done after this season.
There is no escaping that the Giants attempted to trade up in this year’s draft to replace him in 2025.
“I don’t think you can take anything personally at this level,’’ Jones said. “How exactly it happened and what happened, I’m not sure I know and I’m not sure you know. At the end of the day, I’m focused on playing good football.’’
And, perhaps, focused on showing the Giants they did not need to be as interested in adding a quarterback as they were.
“I’m always motivated,’’ Jones said. “I consider myself a really driven guy. It’s part of it, but I’m fired up we got Malik and looking forward to getting to work.’’
