After announcing that Daniel Jones would be benched for the remainder of the season, the Giants granted the QB’s request and released him on Friday.
Upon hearing the news, former Giants RB Saquon Barkley told reporters after practice that he’s kept in touch with Jones and wishes him the same amount of success once he finds a new team.
“I’ve been in contact with him. Our friendship has stayed close throughout the whole process of me being here,” Barkley said. “It sucks to see how everything went down for him over there. I’ve got nothing but great things to say about him. You’re not going to really find anybody that can say negative things about him.
“It’s the NFL. Hopefully, wherever he ends up next, they’re going to get a guy who come in and work. It didn’t work for me over there, and I’m doing well over here. Hopefully, he can find the same fresh start and success.”
Barkley took a subtle shot at his time in New York, where he played the first six seasons of his career until leaving in free agency during the 2024 offseason for the Philadelphia Eagles. Barkley is now having his best season in the NFL with Big Blue’s NFC East rival, averaging a career-high 113.7 rushing yards per game with eight touchdowns already over 10 games.
Jones, who was drafted with No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft a year after NY drafted Barkley No. 2 overall, also spent six seasons with the Giants. He went 24-44-1 over 70 games (69 starts) with 70 touchdown passes and 47 interceptions. Jones was 2-8 as the starter this season, throwing for only eight TDs with seven interceptions.
The 27-year-old will now go through waivers, but it’s unlikely a team claims him by the 4:00 p.m. deadline on Monday. If Jones goes unclaimed, he’ll become a free agent and can sign with any team for the rest of the 2024 NFL season.