Daniel Jones makes bold claim about 2024 Giants

Arguably the biggest story of the New York Giants' offseason involved general manager Joe Schoen actively exploring a trade that would've resulted in the club landing an eventual replacement for starting quarterback Daniel Jones during the 2024 NFL Draft. 

Jones remains atop New York's depth chart heading into Labor Day weekend, and he told reporters on Wednesday he believes the Giants currently have "a better team" than they did at this point last summer. 

"I think we’ve improved in a number of areas," Jones explained, as shared by Robert Sanchez of SNY.  "I think across the board we’re better. We’ve had a good training camp and we’re ready to go. It’s always important to stay healthy and making sure we’re taking care of our bodies and doing everything we can to stay healthy. Yeah, I feel good about where we are."

Schoen let popular running back Saquon Barkley leave the club as a free agent in March, but the Giants also bolstered their offensive line, added pass-rusher Brian Burns and then acquired promising wide receiver Malik Nabers via the sixth overall pick of this year's draft. 

While Nabers may already be the best target Jones has ever had at the highest level, Gabriel Trevino of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com mentioned the Giants still have noticeable holes in their secondary. 

Much will continue to be made until further notice about the fact that the Giants can escape Jones' contract next offseason and could sit him at any point this fall to ensure money owed to him for 2025 doesn't become guaranteed against injury. 

New Jersey native and 2023 undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito, a fan favorite, could receive opportunities to serve as New York's QB1 by Week 18, but Jones is doing all he can to ignore such outside noise ahead of the club's regular-season opener versus the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 8. 

"I think this week’s important to focus on us and make sure we’re locked in and ready to go," Jones added during his comments. "Obviously, we understand who we’re playing the first game, but [head coach Brian Daboll] made a point of it being about us this week and focusing on ourselves. It’s another week of training camp and making sure we’re ready to go." 

As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the 2024 Giants at +400 odds to make the playoffs. Anything short of Jones guiding Big Blue to a second postseason appearance in three years could result in the end of his tenure with the organization that began when a previous regime made him the sixth choice of the 2019 draft.