Factoid

September 18, 2019

Daniel Jones

Rookie QB shined in the preseason

I’m not arguing that you should make a waiver claim on Daniel Jones, but I think the Giants offense might actually be better with him at quarterback. There are some things he does better than Eli Manning.

He’s got a stronger arm for sure. He also has a lot more mobility. These are both traits that might help open up the offense some.

I also like his accuracy, especially around the end zone. If you watch his highlights at Duke, you’ll see him showing an ability to drop the ball in on tight throws around the end zone, and he made a couple of really nice touchdown passes in the preseason.

Jones’ preseason production (outside of 3 fumbles) was about as good as you’ll see from a quarterback.

Admittedly, these are just practice games (and teams take them even less seriously now than they did in the past) but Jones in August went 29 of 34 for 416 yards, with 2 TDs and no interceptions. He completed 85 percent of his passes and finished with a passer rating of 137.3.

Since 2008, 33 other quarterbacks have been selected with first-round picks. None put up numbers anywhere near that good in the preseason. (On the downside, the next four highest passer ratings were compiled by quarterbacks who haven’t had much success in the real games.)

FIRST-ROUND QUARTERBACKS IN THE PRESEASON
Year	Player	Att	Com	Yds	Pct	TD	Int	Rating
2019	Daniel Jones, NYG	34	29	416	85%	2	0	137.3
2013	EJ Manuel, Buff.	33	26	199	79%	2	0	112.0
2014	Teddy Bridgewater, Min.	49	30	283	61%	5	0	111.2
2009	Mark Sanchez, NYJ	37	24	347	65%	3	1	111.0
2014	Blake Bortles, Jac.	51	32	521	63%	2	0	110.0
2017	Patrick Mahomes, K.C.	54	34	390	63%	4	0	109.3
2017	Mitchell Trubisky, Chi.	53	36	364	68%	3	0	106.2
2012	Robert Griffin III, Was.	31	20	193	65%	2	0	103.3
2015	Marcus Mariota, Ten.	30	21	326	70%	1	1	102.9
2010	Sam Bradford, St.L.	55	33	338	60%	3	0	95.9
2012	Andrew Luck, Ind.	66	41	522	62%	3	2	89.3
2011	Jake Locker, Ten.	49	32	316	65%	2	1	88.5
2018	Baker Mayfield, Cle.	61	35	501	57%	2	1	88.2
2016	Paxton Lynch, Den.	68	40	458	59%	4	2	86.5
2018	Sam Darnold, NYJ	45	29	244	64%	2	1	83.9
2018	Josh Allen, Buff.	44	24	210	55%	2	0	82.6
2018	Josh Rosen, Ariz.	29	16	148	55%	1	0	80.8
2011	Christian Ponder, Min.	49	27	290	55%	1	0	79.5
2019	Kyler Murray, Ariz.	36	23	193	64%	0	0	77.7
2018	Lamar Jackson, Balt.	68	34	408	50%	3	1	77.3
2014	Johnny Manziel, Cle.	59	30	296	51%	2	0	76.7
2008	Matt Ryan, Atl.	59	34	294	58%	2	1	75.1
2019	Dwayne Haskins, Was.	58	32	409	55%	2	2	74.6
2008	Joe Flacco, Balt.	67	35	284	52%	1	0	68.3
2017	Deshaun Watson, Hou.	56	29	397	52%	0	1	67.3
2012	Ryan Tannehill, Mia.	78	41	414	53%	1	1	66.9
2011	Cam Newton, Car.	57	24	300	42%	1	0	64.9
2011	Blaine Gabbert, Jac.	70	35	365	50%	1	1	64.3
2012	Brandon Weeden, Cle.	49	24	297	49%	0	1	59.7
2016	Jared Goff, LAR	49	22	232	45%	2	2	55.8
2009	Matthew Stafford, Det.	55	30	389	55%	1	4	52.8
2015	Jameis Winston, T.B.	47	23	311	49%	0	2	52.7
2016	Carson Wentz, Phil.	24	12	89	50%	0	1	41.8
2009	Josh Freeman, T.B.	49	22	238	45%	1	3	41.0

It is tough, of course, for a rookie quarterback to put up notable numbers in his first season. Almost impossible. Since 2008, only three rookie quarterbacks (among those chosen in the first round) have put up top-10 numbers in their first season. That’s per-start numbers. Those three are all players who were helped along by excellent rushing production: Cam Newton, Robert Griffin and Andrew Luck.

FIRST-ROUND QUARTERBACKS, PER-START STATS
Year	Player	St	Pass	Run	TTD	Pts	Rnk
2008	Matt Ryan, Atl.	16	215	7	1.06	15.9	21
2008	Joe Flacco, Balt.	16	186	11	1.00	14.8	26
2009	Mark Sanchez, NYJ	15	163	7	1.00	13.5	28
2009	Matthew Stafford, Det.	10	227	11	1.50	19.0	14
2009	Josh Freeman, T.B.	9	204	17	1.11	16.8	23
2010	Sam Bradford, St.L.	16	220	4	1.19	16.2	24
2011	Jake Locker, Ten.	0	0	0	.00	.0	--
2011	Christian Ponder, Min.	10	175	21	1.30	16.1	24
2011	Cam Newton, Car.	16	253	44	2.19	27.8	4
2011	Blaine Gabbert, Jac.	14	154	7	.86	11.8	33
2012	Robert Griffin III, Was.	15	213	54	1.80	24.2	5
2012	Andrew Luck, Ind.	16	273	16	1.75	22.9	10
2012	Ryan Tannehill, Mia.	16	206	13	.88	15.6	28
2012	Brandon Weeden, Cle.	15	226	7	.93	15.8	27
2013	EJ Manuel, Buff.	10	197	19	1.30	17.7	25
2014	Teddy Bridgewater, Min.	12	231	15	1.25	18.6	21
2014	Blake Bortles, Jac.	13	207	30	.69	16.2	27
2014	Johnny Manziel, Cle.	2	56	8	.00	3.6	--
2015	Marcus Mariota, Ten.	12	235	21	1.83	22.2	16
2015	Jameis Winston, T.B.	16	253	13	1.75	21.8	17
2016	Paxton Lynch, Den.	2	164	15	.50	11.6	--
2016	Jared Goff, LAR	7	156	2	.86	11.7	--
2016	Carson Wentz, Phil.	16	236	9	1.13	17.8	27
2017	Patrick Mahomes, K.C.	1	284	10	.00	15.2	--
2017	Mitchell Trubisky, Chi.	12	183	21	.75	14.7	29
2017	Deshaun Watson, Hou.	6	266	42	3.33	32.2	--
2018	Baker Mayfield, Cle.	13	271	10	2.08	23.0	11
2018	Sam Darnold, NYJ	13	220	11	1.38	17.8	27
2018	Josh Allen, Buff.	11	182	55	1.64	22.8	13
2018	Josh Rosen, Ariz.	13	172	10	.85	13.1	32
2018	Lamar Jackson, Balt.	7	161	79	1.29	22.3	--
2019	Daniel Jones, NYG	?	?	?	?	?	?
2019	Kyler Murray, Ariz.	2	329	9	1.00	22.3	--
2019	Dwayne Haskins, Was.	?	?	?	?	?	?

—Ian Allan

Eli Manning Daniel Jones

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