NEW YORK — In his fourth season under center for the New York Giants, quarterback Daniel Jones fully flashed the tantalizing skill set that made him the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
He led New York to a 9-6-1 record by completing a career-high 67.2% of his passes, leading the league with a miniscule 1.1% interception rate, and throwing for 15 touchdowns while adding seven more on the ground.
The big season came at a perfect time for the 25-year-old, who recently changed agents and made public his desire for a new contract, with an expected pay range in the $40-45 million dollar range annually.
Locked on Giants host Patricia Traina, speaking to Peter Bukowski of the Locked on Sports Today podcast, doesn't believe the Giants will match the asking price for Jones.
"I think the contract is probably going to fall somewhere between $32M and $35M," Traina said. "I don't think they push $40M. I think it's too much."
$40 million per year has become a barometer for top-tier quarterbacks, with some (Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen) clearly deserving of the payday, while others (Matthew Stafford and Kyler Murray) may be giving their team's buyers remorse.
Jones' 2022 season merits serious consideration for an extension from New York - who declined to offer a fifth-year option last offseason - but it is tough to imagine a contract gets inked where Jones makes $40M+ per year.
"Daniel Jones just isn't there yet," Traina continued. "We all want to get paid as much as we can...you gotta be realistic. There's a whole bunch of factors."
How New York approaches the contract situations for Jones and running back Saquon Barkley will have huge ramifications on this team for the foreseeable future.