Giants’ Daniel Jones reportedly serves as practice squad safety after QB’s benching

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones was benched for Tommy DeVito earlier this week, but his demotion apparently goes far beyond that.

Jones was seen wearing a red scout team jersey as a safety during portions of team practice on Thursday, according to The Athletic. The veteran quarterback also spoke of his Giants tenure in the past tense when talking to reporters Thursday, saying it was “truly a dream come true.”

Giants bench Daniel Jones for Tommy DeVito

In the wake of benching Jones, the Giants signed veteran quarterback Tim Boyle, who’s expected to be the emergency quarterback for their Week 12 home matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Giants are 2-8, good for last place in the NFC East and the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Coming off a 2023 season that saw him suffer a neck injury and later tear his ACL, Jones has struggled this season. In 10 starts, he has totaled 2,070 passing yards, eight passing touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 79.4 passer rating, while completing 63.3% of his passes. He has also rushed for 265 yards and two touchdowns.

The Giants reached the NFC divisional round in 2022 and subsequently signed Jones — whose fifth-year option was declined the offseason prior — to a four-year, $160 million contract extension, which included $92 million guaranteed. If Jones gets injured down the stretch of the 2024 season, he would be ensured a $23 million injury guarantee in 2025.

As for the new starting quarterback, DeVito appeared in nine games for the Giants in his 2023 rookie season, with them going 3-3 in the six starts that he made. DeVito, who grew up near the Giants’ stadium in New Jersey, became a viral sensation and fan favorite last season. This time around, the second-year player got the nod over veteran Drew Lock, who has made 23 career NFL starts and signed a one-year, $5 million fully guaranteed deal with the Giants in the offseason ostensibly to challenge Jones for the starting job.

New York selected Jones with the No. 6 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Duke as the heir apparent to franchise icon Eli Manning at quarterback. The Giants went a combined 24-44-1 in the regular season and 1-1 in the postseason with Jones under center.

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