Featured Columnist IVAugust 6, 2024
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Daniel Jones wasn’t afraid to mix it up with the Detroit Lions during Monday’s joint practice, but his New York Giants teammates know the quarterback has to stay healthy this season.
“Oh, Lord. Daniel got jiggy with it. Daniel was out there with it?” Giants edge rusher Brian Burns said of Monday’s scuffle that involved the quarterback, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. “Yeah. I’m going to need him to back up. Let his O-line handle that.
“But Daniel, he’s a competitor, man. He’s a fighter. So, I don’t expect anything less from him. But I don’t need him in that. I don’t need him to get hit. Keep him healthy.”
Jones wasn’t happy that Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill shoved Giants center Greg Van Roten over after a play and responded accordingly:
Jordan Raanan @JordanRaanan
Daniel Jones getting in the middle of a scuffle!!! One play after Brian Daboll was ticked that Jones had his arm hit by a defender. #lions #giants pic.twitter.com/wVsCfZM2z8
“A situation happens like that, you try to stand up for your guys,” Jones said. “I thought it was good competitive practice all day [Monday] and we made some plays and did some good things. There are some things we need to shore up, for sure, but good intensity and competitive spirit.”
While there is something to be said about a quarterback having his teammates’ backs, Jones is coming off ACL surgery and was limited to just six games last season. His ability to bounce back after going 1-5 as a starter in those six contests will ultimately determine New York’s ceiling.
If he can resemble the version of himself who led the Giants to the playoffs in 2022, the NFC East team’s outlook will be much better.
Still, he will have to be healthy to return to that version, so limiting training camp fights would be ideal.
If nothing else, the latest scuffle will add an interesting backdrop to Thursday’s preseason game between the two teams.
