There is an update on the Daniel Jones and the Giants brouhaha. Apparently, he had requested to be released from the team after they asked him to stay home with pay.
But get this, when Jones decided not to stay home, the Giants messed with his workout program! They made him take on a scout safety role during practice, stopped him from throwing, and limited his lifting. And you know why? It was all to lower the risk of triggering his $23 million injury guarantee.
For starters, the Giants initially wanted Jones to stay home, with pay. That’s what happened in Las Vegas two years ago, after Derek Carr was benched. (Carr, we’re told, asked to go home, and the Raiders decided it was the best approach.)
The player has to be willing to stay home; he can’t be locked out. The rule dates back to Steve McNair’s grievance against the Titans in 2006. After they drafted Vince Young, the Titans didn’t want McNair to get injured while on the premises, triggering his otherwise non-guaranteed salary. McNair and the NFL Players Association fought it, they won, and they set a precedent that teams cannot keep a player from showing up for work for non-disciplinary reasons.
His first choice, we’re told, was to remain active — and to help the other quarterbacks prepare to win games. When he decided not to stay home, the Giants altered his workout program, in order to minimize if not eliminate the possibility of injury. He wasn’t going to be throwing at practice, and his lifting program was significantly restricted. All in the name of keeping him healthy.
Business considerations prevented Jones from doing anything to help the team. No real practice (other than scout-team, walk-through safety), no throwing, limited lifting. He wasn’t getting ready to play, because he wouldn’t have played. He wasn’t permitted to participate in practice, because they didn’t want to risk triggering his $23 million injury guarantee for 2023.
Again, there’s nothing wrong with the Giants wanting to avoid the injury guarantee. But that helps explain Jones’s eventual decision to ask to be released.
I mean, it’s understandable that the team wants to protect their investment, but come on! Restricting him like that is just not fair. I can only imagine what Jones felt.
