X teams who might actually be able to salvage Daniel Jones in 2025

The New York Giants officially pulled the plug on the Daniel Jones era on Monday, reportedly benching their former top-10 pick in favor of Tommy DeVito. At 2-8 and coming off an embarrassing loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 11, New York had nothing left to play for but draft positioning, and sitting Jones now ensures that injury guarantees won't get in the way of the team getting out from under his massive contract next offseason without too much salary cap strain.

It had become painfully clear that Jones was never going to be the guy for Big Blue, and New York was right to take this opportunity to move on and start fresh ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. But while the Giants look elsewhere at quarterback, what does Jones' future hold? Could New York's loss be another team's gain?

Stop laughing, we're serious. Sure, Jones has failed to develop as a passer over five-plus years in the league. And sure, some of his turnovers belong in a Keystone Kops routine. But Jones was taken No. 8 overall for a reason, and that reason isn't just Dave Gettleman's incompetence: The Duke product's physical tools have never been in question, and it's not out of the realm of possibility that a smarter organization might be able to find something that Brian Daboll and Co. never could. Here are four landing spots that might revitalize Jones' career.

4. Carolina Panthers would be a homecoming for Daniel Jones

Jones was born and raised in Charlotte, and heading home might be appealing after half a decade in the New York limelight. Dave Canales has worked wonders with lightly regarded passers before; Baker Mayfield was on the scrapheap in Tampa Bay before Canales helped transform him into a borderline MVP candidate. Why couldn't he do the same with Jones, a more physically gifted passer who has similar questions regarding his decision-making?

Carolina remains lukewarm on Bryce Young, but the team might not wind up picking high enough in the 2025 NFL Draft for another shot at a franchise QB. Whether Young or a rookie or someone else winds up the starter entering 2025, the Panthers will need to find a backup with Andy Dalton set to become a free agent, and Jones offers a modicum of upside without causiny any sort of quarterback controversy.

3. Denver Broncos, Sean Payton could turn Daniel Jones into the next Taysom Hill

Bo Nix continues to prove the doubters wrong in Denver, and Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham both figure to offer more as backups than Jones would. So why are the Broncos on the list?

Sean Payton knows a thing or two about limited passers with athletic gifts, having turned Taysom Hill into the league's foremost tight end/running back/fullback hybrid. Jones is even bigger and stronger than Hill is, and while he's not quite at the same level as an athlete, it's not hard to envision Payton finding unique ways to get him on the field with Bo Nix. It wasn't long ago that Jones was rushing for over 700 yards and seven TDs; if any coach would know what to do with that skill set, it's Payton.

2. Daniel Jones profiles as an ideal Jalen Hurts backup for the Eagles

Speaking of friendly homes for athletic quarterbacks. Jones isn't quite the athlete that Hurts is — very few quarterbacks are — but the profiles are broadly similar. He's certainly closer to Hurts as a player than thet Eagles' current backup, Kenny Pickett, who simply should not be a viable solution for any ostensible contender. Jones is big, mobile and throws a pretty good deep ball, and he has plenty of experience running an RPO-heavy scheme. If the Eagles find themselves looking to upgrade at backup QB next spring, they could do a lot worse than a guy who can at least keep drives moving with his legs and rely on a star-studded supporting cast. And besides, we know GM Howie Roseman loves to tweak a divisional rival when given the chance.

1. Vikings would the perfect spot for Daniel Jones to revive his career

Minnesota remains committed to J.J. McCarthy as its QB of the future, and Sam Darnold has almost certainly priced himself out of returning as the Vikings backup in 2025. So why not Jones? We've seen this Shanahan system repeatedly prop up quarterbacks we know to be flawed, and from Jones' perspective, there's no better place to wind up than under the tutelage of Kevin O'Connell. Maybe Minnesota wants a safer veteran option to support McCarthy, but it could also use someone who's viable in the event that McCarthy's knee injury drags on a bit longer than expected. Jones has physical tools that O'Connell would love to work with, and if this system can help mask Darnold's decision-making deficiencies, it can certainly do wonders for Jones.