Giants QB Jones’ ACL rehab ‘going well’
Daniel Jones is running again.
The Giants quarterback told the Daily News on Friday on Super Bowl Radio Row in Las Vegas that he has started running on an anti-gravity treadmill at the team’s facility as he rehabilitates his surgically repaired right ACL.
“My rehab is going well,” Jones, 26, said as he strolled. “I’m making progress. I’m three months into it, and I’ve started running on the anti-gravity treadmill. It’s going well.”
Jones said he has been working with head athletic trainer Ronnie Barnes, director of rehabilitation Leigh Weiss and assistant athletic trainer Phil Buzzerio.
Jones has said before that he intends to be ready for training camp. General manager Joe Schoen said at the Senior Bowl that “the expectation is for him to be the starter when he’s healthy going into camp.”
When Jones got hurt last season, the Giants started Tyrod Taylor. Then they put Tommy Devito in when Taylor got hurt, and even played Devito for two extra games when Taylor got healthy.
Fast-forward to 2024, and Jones faces pressure to perform in the second season of his four-year contract. The Giants can financially escape the deal after the season if they wish.
Schoen holds the No. 6 overall pick and two second-round picks in April’s NFL draft and admitted the quarterback position is under consideration. He could sign a veteran behind Jones
or draft a rookie to develop behind him as his successor or eventual replacement.
The GM also needs to improve the offensive line to give his quarterback the best chance to succeed while carrying a $47 million salary-cap hit this coming season.
Jets: Owner Woody Johnson speaks up
On Thursday night in Las Vegas, ahead of the annual NFL Honors awards show, Jets owner Woody Johnson spoke to reporters publicly for the first time since last March during the NFL annual meetings.
Johnson didn’t hide his emotions about his team finishing 7-10 for the second consecutive year.
“They’ve seen me about as mad as I could be with what was going on with the offense particularly,” Johnson said.
“We’ve got all this talent and we’ve got to deploy talent properly. I think they all got the message. We’ve got to produce this year. This is not a playoff mandate, but we have to do a lot better than seven wins.” — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News
Patriots: Familiar face joins coaching staff
Former Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower is returning to New England as the Patriots’ new linebackers coach, his agency announced Friday. Hightower follows in the footsteps of his former teammate and coach, Jerod Mayo, who returned to the organization five years ago as an assistant. As the Patriots’ new head coach, Mayo has completed his defensive staff by hiring Hightower to the last position-coach vacancy on that side of the ball.