Daniel Jones has played his last snap this season, but he believes his puzzling neck injury may not have been season ending if it occurred just a few weeks earlier.
“I do think it was something that was gonna take some time,” Jones told reporters on Wednesday. “If it was earlier in the season or if there was more time, I think I would have had a good chance of coming back. It's disappointing and frustrating to miss games, to miss any game, and certainly this many.”
Jones told reporters that he has had no issues throwing the football or lifting weights as he has continued practicing with the team and doing side work, but was never cleared for contact. He said the range of motion in his strained neck was “fine” and that the issue came down to experiencing “symptoms in certain positions.”
“I think there’s some swelling there,” Jones said. “I think with most injuries, you’re gonna have some swelling around there. It’s that, and still having symptoms in certain positions.”
Jones initially played through the injury after suffering it early in New York’s Week 12 win against the Eagles, and has since been left to watch the offense struggle badly with backup Mike Glennon, while questions about Jones’ long term future with the franchise continue to swirl.
“These last few weeks have been tough,” Jones said. “Obviously you want to be out there and be playing. I was doing everything I could to give myself a chance to be out there.”
Jones’ third season in the NFL ends with 10 touchdowns against seven interceptions, and his completion percentage was a career best 64.3 percent. The offense around him was battered all season, so once again, it was a tough campaign to use in making decisions for the future. But Jones believes he showed signs of improvement.
“We didn’t win enough games and I think that’s the most important thing,” Jones said. “As I evaluate myself going forward, I think I improved as a player and made progress. I think I played well at times and obviously not well enough plenty too, because we didn’t play well enough. We didn’t win games. That’s the most important things as I evaluate myself heading into the offseason.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch
