Daniel Jones showing steady improvement at Giants training camp

New York Giants rookie QB Daniel Jones is off to a fast start at the team’s training camp.

The anger and frustration of New York Giants fans after GM Dave Gettleman selected Daniel Jones with the sixth overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft is slowly changing to optimism and hope that the team actually got the pick right.

Jones is off to a good start in training camp, highlighted by a pretty spectacular performance Friday when he was nearly perfect.

Jones completed 11 of 13 passes on the afternoon and is proving to be a quick learner, according to coach Pat Shurmur.

“Within the practice, in terms of getting us in the right plays and making sure we were in the right protections, for the first time out in a training camp setting, I thought he made progress,” Shurmur said.

Jones’ performance through minicamps and now training camp would seem to be fuel for Gettleman to bark back at his critics, but the veteran general manager is taking a more conservative approach. He told reporters Friday that a player shouldn’t be assessed because of one good performance; instead, a body of work is required before a complete opinion of his play can be made.

Quite the mature approach, Dave.

But let’s be honest: if Jones continues to silence his critics and plays like a quality NFL starting quarterback in the preseason, the Giants will go from the league’s laughing stock to a franchise set up for long-term success. The combination of Jones and RB Saquon Barkley has a chance to be a strong foundation to build from, and if the culture in the locker room slowly shifts to a positive one, then there’s no reason to think a quick turnaround isn’t possible.

Just don’t expect that turnaround to be in 2019. Eli Manning will be this team’s starting quarterback until his play drops off a cliff (some would argue it already has). The former Super Bowl champ still has enough juice in his arm to keep Jones on the bench for most, if not all of this season.

You can’t help but cheer for Jones to succeed. He was unfairly scrutinized after the Giants’ pick was made. What should’ve been the happiest day of his life turned into what can only be described as an absolute nightmare.

Giants fans may soon have to pinch themselves to make sure Jones’ rise to stardom isn’t a dream.