Evan and Tiki opened Thursday’s show by making predictions for how many games Daniel Jones will start for the Giants in the upcoming season.
The oft-injured quarterback’s season was cut short in 2023 due to ACL surgery, which came after neck issues sidelined him as well. The Giants have been hopeful that Jones will be ready to start the season, but Tiki isn’t sold.
“I’m still worried that Daniel ones might not be ready for the start of the regular season,” Tiki said. “Joe Schoen said it out loud [on Hard Knocks]. ‘What if our quarterback isn’t ready for the start of the season?’
“I saw Daniel a couple weeks ago…he looked great. Big, strong, strapping, running around, always working out. He looked good. But looking good in no pads is different than being on a football field and being aggressively pursued by defenders.”
Jones participated in 7-on-7 drills during spring practices, but going from that level of play to full contact in game situations is still a sizable jump. Can Jones make that between now and August, when preseason games start? Tiki is leaning towards Drew Lock being under center for Week 1, though he still predicts Jones will make roughly 14 starts this season.
“I hope he’s ready,” Tiki said. “But in my mind, I can’t help but think that he might not be.”