Daniel Jones’ reported contract demands have come as a major surprise to some, but the New York Giants quarterback is apparently thinking of one particular factor in making them.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on Friday’s “NFL Live” that he believes Jones’ reported $45 million annual demand is accurate. Fowler added that Jones realizes he would be unlikely to rank in the top ten highest-paid quarterbacks even on that salary after several offseason contract extensions get done elsewhere around the league.
Update: NFL teams now do believe that #Giants QB Daniel Jones genuinely wants $45 million a year, according to @JFowlerESPN
It's "real."https://t.co/je8trHce4F pic.twitter.com/vBgiOLW5WO
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 24, 2023
“You have a player who figures, hey, if I get 45, you got Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert, all these guys are going to well surpass me. He’s barely going to be top ten in pay by the end of the summer.”
In other words, Jones is trying to get ahead of a market that does not exist yet, but inevitably will. Few would argue that Burrow, Hurts, and Herbert are not in line for $50 million annually. Jones is just anticipating that.
Based on reports, Jones probably would not get what he wants on the open market. The Giants, however, might have to pay him something close to that to keep him, so he is aiming high to open talks.
