Former NFL MVP: Daniel Jones should stay Giants QB for 2023

One-time NFL Most Valuable Player Rich Gannon has campaigned for the New York Giants to keep Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback for at least another season. 

"I think he’s done a remarkable job this year, but not a ton of talent around him," Gannon recently said of Jones for football website The 33rd Team, as shared by Bridget Hyland of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. "He’s got a career-high rushing already, he’s made a lot of plays inside and outside the pocket. 

"And here are the most impressive numbers to me when you look at Daniel Jones. His first year in 2019, he led the National Football League in turnovers. He had 23. Cut that to 16 the following season. Last year he had just 10. This season he’s got just seven giveaways. He’s only thrown four picks so far this season. He’s taken care of the football behind an offensive line that’s mediocre at best."

Gannon credited Jones as a major reason the Giants are 8-5-1 and in control of their playoff destiny heading into this Saturday's game at the 11-3 Minnesota Vikings. Per ESPN, the first-round pick from the 2019 NFL Draft is 17th among qualified quarterbacks with a 90.5 passer rating, 12th with a 57.1 total QBR, and tied for 12th with a 66.0% completion percentage. Jones has 12 touchdown passes and four interceptions to go along with a career-best 583 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground across 14 games. 

First-year Giants general manager Joe Schoen didn't draft Jones and declined the fifth-year option attached to the signal-caller's rookie contract this past spring. As CBS Sports' Joel Corry and others have pointed out, the Giants can use a franchise or transition tag to retain Jones' rights.