Former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is a hot topic during the NFL offseason, because he’s one of the few veteran quarterbacks who will likely be available in free agency, and there are more than a few teams in need of a signal-caller with experience. Following his time with the Giants, Jones signed to the Minnesota Vikings‘ practice squad last season, but he didn’t get any playing time, and it was a strange pairing with all the quarterbacks already on their roster.
The latest team Jones is drawing interest from is an AFC contender that hardly anybody saw coming.
Daniel Jones Could Be Back in the Northeast: Report
The Pittsburgh Steelers juggled both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields last season, but their quarterback situation is up in the air for next season. They’re not a team that’s readily been linked to Jones, until now.
A report from 93.7 The Fan’s Andrew Fillipponi states that the Steelers are interested in the former Giants quarterback and think he could be a good fit with Arthur Smith’s offense.
In a post on X on February 18, Fillipponi stated that a source says there’s “interest in former Giants QB Daniel Jones inside the Steelers organization.” The quote from the source is that the Steelers “could do a lot worse than Jones,” and he added that there’s a belief that Jones “actually is a good fit for Arthur Smith’s offense. And Mike Tomlin’s preference for a mobile quarterback.”
In a reaction piece from Sports Illustrated, NFL analyst and expert Noah Strackbein makes the case that the current Vikings quarterback’s mobility is a good look for him with the Steelers. Strackbein explains that what really “stands out about Jones and his connection to the Steelers is his mobility.” Also, Tomlin “has made it known for years now that he values quarterback mobility, and Jones has always had that card in his deck.”
As for stats, during his six seasons in the NFL, the quarterback has clocked 2,179 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns.
Plenty of Options for Daniel Jones
Jones has popped up as a franchise or backup quarterback option for pretty much every NFL team in need at this point. In a February 18 piece for Niners Nation, Kyle Posey suggests Jones as a backup to 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.
In the piece that evaluates Jones as quarterback No. 2, Posey states that if he were to take the gig, the quarterback would have to be totally cool with being Q2 and not the branded quarterback for San Francisco.
“Jones would need to be comfortable taking a backseat to Purdy and understand that the 49ers are Brock’s team,” he stated. “We don’t know Jones’s headspace, but he could very well feel like he’s still a starting quarterback in this league.”
Posey added that, “Whether that attitude could impact the former New York Giants quarterback’s wallet is up for debate, but it would rule out Jones as a potential free agent.”
Time will tell where Jones ends up for the 2025 season, and while Giants fans will likely be curious to see what happens, there’s also the issue of who will serve as the franchise quarterback in New York next season, which matters more to the Big Blue.
