Before benching Daniel Jones, the Giants had three quarterbacks on the depth chart. Now, they have four.
The addition of Tim Boyle to the practice squad invites fair speculation regarding the plans for Jones over the balance of the season. If he won’t be playing in order to avoid $23 million in injury guarantees for 2025, why should the Giants let him practice?
Why let him do anything on the team’s premises?
Boyle’s arrival could be a hint of a potential push-and-pull to come with Jones. They might invite him to basically stay home with pay, collecting the balance of his $35.5 million salary — in the form of $1.97 million weekly paychecks. Alternatively, he can show up but do nothing that could get himself injured.
If he’s willing to do it, no problem. If he isn’t, big problem. Potentially.
When the Titans decided to trade Steve McNair after drafting Vince Young in 2006, they locked McNair out of the facility so that his non-guaranteed salary for the upcoming year wouldn’t become fully guaranteed if he had a mishap as simple as dropping a dumbbell on his foot. The end result was a grievance and a ruling that teams can’t keep a player away from work. That their only option if they don’t want him around is to trade or release him.
With the trade deadline come and gone, the Giants would have to release Jones, if they want to fully ensure that he won’t get injured in the building and unlock $23 million in additional pay next year.
If Jones would be released, he’d go through waivers. No one would claim his contract. He’d then become a free agent, able to sign with any team at any time.
And it would be hilarious if he ended up with the Eagles.
Which might be the main reason for the Giants to try to find a way to keep Jones on ice without having to put him on waivers.
