Daboll: Daniel Jones is Giants' QB1 Upon Return from Injury amid NFL Draft Rumors

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll expects Daniel Jones to resume starting duties once he's fully recovered from his torn ACL.

"We're excited to have Drew [Lock], and he knows what his role is going to be," Daboll told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. "He's going to get a lot of reps this spring, he needs to learn our system, but again excited to get Daniel back, when he gets back he'll be the guy."

The Giants signed Lock this offseason to back up Jones and presumably be the Week 1 starter if Jones is unable to go. That hasn't stopped speculation about whether they'll also target a QB in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

Selecting Michigan's J.J. McCarthy or going for another QB on Day 1 would significantly undercut Daboll's show of faith in Jones. A franchise doesn't invest that kind of capital in a permanent backup quarterback.

Targeting a different position in the top 10—Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze was the pick in Bleacher Report's mock draft—would, on the other hand, present the impression the coaching staff and front office see Jones as the starter for now.

Whether it's so cut-and-dried when the 26-year-old is back to 100 percent remains to be seen.

Lock's only full season as a starter isn't encouraging. He threw for 2,933 yards, 16 touchdowns and a league-high 15 across 13 games in 2020.

What happens, however, if Lock plays unexpectedly well and the Giants get off to a strong start in 2024? Daboll might have too much on the line to not ride the hot hand.

The Athletic's Dan Duggan reported on March 2 that "Daboll's overhaul of half of his staff amid strained relationships has league sources viewing him as being under real pressure to get things turned around next season."

Daboll may need to deliver results on the field and because of that, he could face a major dilemma if Lock, rather than Jones, is the QB helping to make that happen.