Sources: Daniel Jones expected to opt for playoff contender

Former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is expected to clear waivers Monday and have a new home on a one-year deal sooner rather than later, league sources told ESPN.

No team is expected to claim the balance of Jones’ contract — $11,833,333 for this season in addition to the $23 million in injury guarantees for after this season — making him officially free to sign with another team after 4 p.m. ET on Monday.

Jones, who was officially waived Saturday by the Giants, is expected to have multiple options but likely will prefer to finish this season on a playoff contending team, where he will be involved in big games, rather than going to a meandering quarterback-needy team not remotely in playoff contention, according to sources.

Multiple playoff contending teams are likely to inquire about Jones and his level of interest, but it will not be long before Jones is finishing the season somewhere other than New York.

The Ravens and Vikings are two of the likeliest teams to land Jones, according sources, but they are hardly the only ones. Jones wants to sign with a playoff contender, and what happens Sunday and Monday is expected to influence his decision, sources said.

New York announced its intention to part ways with Jones on Friday, ending the former first-round draft pick’s stint with the Giants after five-plus seasons. Giants owner John Mara said in a statement that the organization and Jones “mutually agreed” that the move “would be best for him and for the team.”

Once the Giants informed Jones earlier this week that they were benching him, events surrounding the quarterback happened quickly.

Jones effectively was no longer on the depth chart because the Giants would not take any risk of an injury, with Tommy DeVito as their starter, Drew Lock as the backup and the newly signed Tim Boyle at third string.

Jones took individual reps and even helped the squad when he played scout team safety in practice Thursday during a walk-through, before asking for and being granted his release Friday.

None of this should have been overly surprising; similar scenarios unfolded four times in the NFL over the past two seasons before the Giants’ turn with Jones this week.

Last season in Denver, the Broncos benched Russell Wilson before he could potentially suffer an injury and trigger a $37 million guarantee for 2024.

Also last season, the Raiders benched Jimmy Garoppolo rather than risking an injury to the quarterback, which could have guaranteed an additional $11.25 million that would have been due this season.

In 2022, the Colts benched Matt Ryan in October, decreasing the risk of having to pay the veteran quarterback a $7.5 million roster bonus in March 2023.

Later that year, the Raiders benched Derek Carr to avoid his $32.9 million salary for the 2023 season and $7.5 million of his 2024 salary becoming guaranteed if he suffered a significant injury.

Now Jones and the Giants have expedited their divorce, freeing the quarterback to find a new home next week. One team unlikely to pursue Jones right now is the Eagles, who already signed former Giants running back Saquon Barkley.

Barkley was selected second overall by the Giants in the 2018 draft — one year before New York used the No. 6 pick on Jones. The two-time Pro Bowler said he has been in contact with his former teammate and knows there are bright days ahead for Jones.

“Our friendship has stayed close throughout the whole process of me being here,” Barkley told reporters Friday. “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.”