Giants Coach Brian Daboll Says Tyrod Taylor May Receive First-Team Reps

Giants coach Brian Daboll turned some heads Tuesday when he told reporters that quarterback Tyrod Taylor might take some of the first-team reps during the rest of the summer. 

Still, the first-year head coach maintained that the veteran is the clear backup to 2019 No. 6 pick Daniel Jones.

“Yeah, he’ll get, as we get going here in terms of preseason games, we’ll talk about whatever we think is best,” Daboll said before Monday’s practice. “But I have full confidence in Daniel. And I have full confidence in Tyrod in what his role is. Each day we sit there and evaluate the guys, but will he get a few reps here or there? He might.”

While Daboll’s comments could be interpreted as the beginnings of a quarterback competition, Jones has reportedly been the obvious starter throughout training camp thus far. According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, Jones has taken all but one first-team rep this summer, which he only missed because he was talking with Daboll about the previous play.

Jones also started and worked with the rest of the first team in New York’s preseason opener against the Patriots last Thursday. He went 6-of-10 for 69 yards, while Taylor went 13-of-21 passing for 129 yards and a touchdown pass. Both quarterbacks played one quarter. 

When asked to clarify his decision to potentially put Taylor with the first-team offense, Daboll insisted that it was not a reflection on how Jones had performed in the preseason up until this point.

“Absolutely not,” Daboll said. “I learned from a pretty good coach a while ago. Usually, he doesn’t tell those guys when he throws them in, because that is what the backup job’s role is. You have to go in in a split second and prepare as if you’re the starter. Fourth play of the game something happens, you’re in and you have to be ready to go. I don’t think we’ll necessarily tell those guys when it will happen.”

Jones, 25, had the fifth-year option in rookie contract declined by the franchise earlier this year, meaning he’s entering the final year of his deal. Through three seasons in the NFL, he’s completed 62.8% of his passes for 8,398 yards, 45 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. 

Jones is 12–25 in 37 starts for the Giants during that span.