When Brian Daboll was hired to be the New York Giants coach, there were hopes his offensive wizardry would rub off on Daniel Jones and make him a better quarterback.
In four seasons as the Buffalo Bills’ offensive coordinator, Daboll did a masterful job of transforming Josh Allen from a risky No. 7 overall pick from Wyoming into one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks.
Why not expect the same with Jones? The young man from Duke was the No. 6 overall pick in 2019.
“Daniel is his own person,” Daboll said Tuesday. “We’re doing the best job we can at trying to figure out the pieces we have around Daniel. What we can do well. We keep tinkering with that. That will be a constant until we get into the start of the season.”
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Daboll refuses to compare the two quarterbacks. He won’t even discuss Allen. His company line about Jones is that he is a good person who is smart and works hard.
Playing on three very bad teams, Jones has not done well. He has a 12-25 record as a starter with 45 touchdowns and 29 interceptions.
For all his smarts, Jones has been reckless running the ball and refusing to slide. He missed the final six games last season with a neck injury.
Allen’s numbers are off the charts for the same three-year period. He has thrown 93 touchdowns and 34 interceptions in getting the Bills to the AFC title game in 2021 and the conference semifinal last season. They lost to the Kansas City Chiefs both times.
Daboll noted Jones has not been helped by working with either a different system or coordinator in each of his three seasons. He said his goal is to get Jones to focus on what he can control, like his preparation and taking plays one at a time.
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“But you understand people are human,” Daboll cautioned. “They’re not much older than my older kids. You learn to deal with different people differently, and you have some empathy for guys when they’re going through a tough stretch — and I’m not saying he’s going through a tough stretch, I’m just saying in general with any player.”
Jones has been up and down since camp opened last week. He was picked off twice in practice on Tuesday by cornerback Adoree Jackson on throws that seemed aimed at the defender rather than the receiver. He also had a nice back-shoulder pass to Saquon Barkley in the corner of the end zone.
In Monday’s first practice in pads, he threw an out pattern to a receiver that landed 10 yards short of the target.
“What was that, Daniel?” a fan yelled from the stands.
Granted, it’s only a week-plus into camp, but it’s going to take time, maybe a lot of it. It might not be enough for Jones. The Giants did not pick up the fifth year option on his rookie contract.
Broncos WR Patrick tears ACL
The Denver Broncos have lost a top receiver to a torn ACL for a third consecutive season.
Wide receiver Tim Patrick was carted off after catching a pass from Russell Wilson at the Denver Broncos’ training camp practice Tuesday, and a person with knowledge of the diagnosis told The Associated Press that Patrick sustained a season-ending torn ACL.
Patrick’s injury continues a run of misfortune for Denver’s wide receivers. Last year, KJ Hamler blew out a knee in Week 3 and the year before that Courtland Sutton was lost for the season with a torn ACL in Week 2.
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Patrick made a leaping grab over cornerback Essang Bassey but his right knee buckled as he made his first move after the catch.
Patrick signed a three-year, $34 million contract last year in the midst of his best NFL season when he caught 53 passes for 734 yards and five touchdowns.
Falcons lose DT Taylor for season
The Falcons have lost defensive tackle Vincent Taylor to a season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon.
Following the retirement of Eddie Goldman before training camp, Taylor’s injury leaves the Falcons without two veterans who had been projected to play prominent roles on the defensive line.
Taylor, 28, spent most of the 2021 season on the Texans’ injured reserve list following an ankle injury while starting the season opener.
Taylor signed a one-year deal with Atlanta as a free agent. He was a sixth-round selection in 2017 by the Dolphins and also has played for Buffalo and Cleveland.
Jaguars’ Luton gets nod
Third-string quarterback Jake Luton will start Jacksonville’s preseason opener against the Raiders Thursday night in Canton, Ohio, with journeyman Kyle Sloter expected to play some off the bench. Coach Doug Pederson said Tuesday he gave Luton the nod over second-year pro Trevor Lawrence and backup C.J. Beathard, who has been dealing with a groin injury. A sixth-round draft pick in 2020, Luton started three games as a rookie and threw a 73-yard touchdown pass on his third NFL snap. He completed 60 of 110 passes for 624 yards for Jacksonville, with two TDs and six interceptions . . . Bills starting safety Jordan Poyer was in such pain after hurting his left elbow he needed to be carted away during training camp practice. The Bills were not able to provide any update on the severity of the injury because Poyer was getting additional tests. He was hurt when he was struck in the left arm by a teammate’s helmet . . . The Steelers re-signed veteran Chris Boswell to a five-year deal that carries a total value of just over $23 million. Boswell was entering the final season of a four-year extension he signed before the 2018 season . . . The Cardinals have signed starting left tackle D.J. Humphries to a contract that will keep him with the team through the 2025 season. The dependable veteran — who protects franchise quarterback Kyler Murray’s blind side — made his first Pro Bowl last season and has started 48 of 49 regular-season games over the past three seasons. Financial terms of the deal weren’t immediately disclosed.
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