Before the 2023 season began, the New York Giants signed quarterback Daniel Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract extension with $82 million guaranteed. This happened while backup Tyrod Taylor was entering the second year of his two-year, $11 million contract signed in 2022, with $8.2 million.
As the 2023 season began, there were few negative thoughts about the Jones transaction. But in Jones’ second year in Brian Daboll’s offense, he’s regressed pretty significantly — this season, he ranks dead last among all quarterbacks in DYAR (-483), and only Las Vegas Raiders fourth-round rookie Aidan O’Connell has a lower DVOA (-54.8%) than Jones’ 54.4%. Jones has missed the Giants’ last two games with a neck injury, and Taylor, the veteran journeyman who’s currently with his fifth NFL team since the Baltimore Ravens selected him in the sixth round of the 2011 draft, has been the starter.
With that, we now have enough of a sample size to make a somewhat definitive statement:
The Giants’ passing game is just better with Tyrod Taylor than it is with Daniel Jones. Let’s start with the metrics.
Taylor ranks 15th in DYAR among quarterbacks (129), and ninth in DVOA (12.9%). He’s ahead of Justin Herbert, Kirk Cousins, Trevor Lawrence, Dak Prescott, and Matthew Stafford in DVOA.
The head-to-head comparisons between Taylor and Jones are pretty definitive in Taylor’s favor no matter how you chop them up.
On throws of 0-9 air yards:
Jones — 65 of 82 for 482 yards, one touchdown, four interceptions, two turnover-worthy throws, and a passer rating of 74.9.
Taylor — 32 of 42 for 302 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, no turnover-worthy throws, and a passer rating of 103.5.
On throws of 10-19 air yards:
Jones — 12 of 24 for 225 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, three turnover-worthy throws, and a passer rating of 62.0.
Taylor — 5 of 8 for 77 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, no turnover-worthy throws, and a passer rating of 133.9.
On throws of 20+ air yards:
Jones — 2 of 9 for 89 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions, no turnover-worthy throws, and a passer rating of 68.3.
Taylor — 5 of 10 for 160 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions, no turnover-worthy throws, and a passer rating of 95.8.
Right now, there’s no absolute statement from the team regarding Jones’ status for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets and their impressive defense, but based on the metrics and the tape, were I Brian Daboll, I might start Taylor regardless of Jones’ health. Because there’s no question whatsoever that he’s been the better quarterback than the guy with 10 times his guaranteed money.
Let’s go to the tape and dive into why Taylor has been so impressive — and why the Giants have an interesting quarterback story all of a sudden.
(All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus, FTN, and Sports Info Solutions unless otherwise indicated).