The Giants had been engaged with Daniel Jones for more than three weeks before the two sides finally reached a deal Tuesday, including nine straight days of in-person meetings at the NFL Combine and the Giants’ facility.
And still, it came down to the last minute – or, quite literally, minutes, as GM Joe Schoen revealed Wednesday that there were less than 10 left on the clock when the deal got its final handshake.
“I said it would get worse before it got better, and we got closer over the days and weeks, but it came all the way down to the finish line – I think it was 3:54 p.m. when the deal got done,” Schoen said. “There were a lot of moving parts to it, and I thought at the end of the day we’d get a deal done, but it went to the wire.”
The Giants knew they had the franchise tag in their back pocket, and while Schoen said multiple times that using it wasn’t in the best interest of Jones or the team, it was an avenue they were willing to go down if necessary.
“I think quarterback deals are always going to be the difficult ones, but I learned a lot from how Brandon (Beane, the Bills’ GM) handled things with Josh (Allen),” Schoen said. “You have to be willing to be flexible but also do what’s best for the franchise. I was at peace with whatever happened, but I think where we landed was best for both parties.”
Ideally, Schoen wanted a slightly earlier deadline – noon was a target – so that the Giants didn’t have to rush in case any issues arose, but of course, that didn't happen.
“We tried to propose, like, a noon deadline so we didn’t have to scramble at the end, but that didn’t happen,” Schoen smiled. “It got a little dicey after about 3:30, and we had several emails prepared depending on which way everything went, but I think best case scenario came to fruition, and it was a big relief to everyone – and it gave us a few minutes to do the other things we had to do before 4 p.m.”
The GM knew he wouldn’t get everything he wanted for the team in the negotiations, nor would Jones – but the best deals are when both sides walk away happy, so that’s why it took so long, and he praised everyone involved in the process for the collaboration.
“There was give and take and people stood firm on what was most important on each side. That’s why it went down to the wire,” Schoen said.
“Both sides had to give a little, and we got it done. We have a very talented and experienced coaching staff and personnel staff, we’re convicted in what we do, and we’re happy with the decision we made and happy to move forward with Daniel.”
In the end, Jones was at the Giants’ facility late Tuesday to sign the deal, and now, the future is secure.
“I knew from doing work on Daniel in the draft what kind of person he was and the physical tools he had,” Schoen said, “and being around him the last 13 months and seeing him play, there’s a lot of positives that a 25-year-old young man displayed. I have a lot of belief in our staff and their relationship with Daniel, and know that he can get even better.”
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