Every player should aspire to be a teammate like veteran Giants receiver Darius Slayton. Although this is likely his final year with Big Blue — as general manager Joe Schoen has not offered him a contract extension — Slayton remains a staunch supporter of his quarterback, who is fresh off a torn ACL and has had inconsistent performances over the past few seasons.

Slayton stands by Jones despite criticism

Ironically, the thing standing between Slayton and a long-term deal is Daniel Jones’s own contract. Slayton has always been a great teammate and once again saved Jones from negative media attention after a tough Week 2 game against the Houston Texans in the preseason.

During joint practices last week, Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner gave vague and direct answers when asked what he thought of Jones as a quarterback. Gardner’s response was initially positive, but then he took a long pause and seemed to lose his train of thought.

Jones is coming off a rough season that ended with a serious knee injury. He threw for 909 yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions. Jones has only thrown 15 or more touchdowns twice in his career, the first time in 2019, the only time he has thrown over 17 touchdowns.

“I don’t know what his intention was,” Slayton said of Gardner, via Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. “I think I saw a tweet where he said maybe he got distracted or something and that’s why he paused. But whatever it was, regardless … it’s easy to say negative things when there’s a negative story about a person. But that doesn’t always make it true — well, in this case, it doesn’t make it true. And he doesn’t see him day in and day out, either.”

The future of Jones and Slayton at the Giants

Ultimately, the Giants have the option to cut ties with Jones after the 2024 season, saving over $19 million. This could be their best path to success, as it allows them to rejig the quarterback position and reduce long-term salary cap pressure. This move could also allow Slayton to stay with the team and potentially get a new contract, but it would mean Jones would hit free agency to try his luck.

While another team views Jones as a stopgap option, his time as a starter could be coming to an end if he doesn’t have a stellar new season. To truly prove himself, Jones would need to throw 30+ touchdowns and add a few rushing scores, which is highly unlikely given his injury history and inconsistent performance over the years.

Slayton defends Jones’ contract

Slayton continued to defend Jones and his contract, pointing out that high salaries for quarterbacks are the norm these days. When the Giants signed Jones’ new contract – one of the best contracts of his era – they included a clause that allowed them to opt out after the second season to secure themselves long-term. The Giants have every reason to consider that option. Even if Jones performs well, he will count $41.6 million against the salary cap in 2025 and a staggering $58.6 million in 2026. Those numbers are unsustainable if the Giants want to continue building their roster and investing in key positions.

“The thing about the money is that it’s paid to quarterbacks,” Slayton said. “You don’t hear anyone talking about Derek Carr. And I actually think Derek Carr is a good quarterback. But I’m just saying, what did the Saints do?

A decisive season for Jones

While Slayton’s defense of his quarterback is commendable, the stats paint a different picture. Jones, fresh off a torn ACL, faces significant challenges. With a solid offensive line and a WR1 in Malik Nabers, the 27-year-old quarterback has no excuses. It’s now or never for Jones to prove his worth.