TAMPA — It was always a factor: The Giants wanted Daniel Jones to watch every move made by Eli Manning and, like a sponge, absorb all the tips and lessons a 16-year veteran can bestow on a rookie, simply by observing his work-habits.
This dynamic was viewed through the prism of Jones as the backup watching Manning, the starter. In the background was a different sort of relationship the Giants were counting on as the torch was passed: Once the roles were reversed, the Giants wanted Manning around, in a non-playing capacity, to guide Jones where the coaching staff could not.
“Listen, Eli’s role has changed with our team,’’ coach Pat Shurmur said.
Once the shock-value wears off on both sides — there is no way Jones anticipated he would get the ball so soon — the new normal could turn out to be greatly beneficial to Jones. He might look back on his one and only season calling Manning a teammate as crucial to his development into a franchise quarterback.
“I just honestly don’t believe that anybody could have walked into a better situation than Daniel walked into with Eli in the quarterback room,’’ Steve Jones, Daniel’s father, said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I mean the guy, I don’t know him that well. I’ve met him and his wife and his family. He’s a super guy and a terrific pro in all senses and all respects.
“So I think that’s just a real blessing Daniel received to have Eli involved. I just think that’s one of the ways that Daniel really lucked out. I think I’ve heard Daniel say that I don’t think there’s a better guy, I don’t think there’s a better pro, than Eli Manning. That’s a great thing. I think it’ll remain that way through this whole process kind of both ways.”
Jones’ upbringing in football is starkly different than Manning’s, even though they both were taught quarterback skills by David Cutcliffe — Manning at Mississippi, Jones at Duke — and even though Jones as a 10-year old owned and wore a blue Eli Manning No. 10 jersey. The two are almost identical in size, but Jones as a high school sophomore was a skinny 148-pounder insisting he was going to play quarterback in college. Jones could have played for Princeton but instead opted to enter Duke as a walk-on.
Almost immediately around the Giants, Jones rose to the top of the rookie pecking order, not because he was the No. 6-overall pick in the draft, but based on his demeanor and sense of purpose.
“He’s very poised,’’ said Darius Slayton, a rookie receiver out of Auburn taken in the fifth round. “Even amongst other rookies, he kind of, I think he stands out that way. He’s very poised.’’
The first practice with Jones as the starter was Wednesday.
“He did a great job in and out of the huddle, being commanding, sounding sure of himself,’’ Slayton said. “I definitely think he’s ready. Since the day he came in, he’s had a great approach, even as the backup I think he’s always had the mindset of bettering himself so when it was his time he’d be ready.’’
None of this was lost on the veterans, either.
“Just the way he approaches himself coming into this building,’’ center Jon Halapio said. “He’s just a professional in the way he carries himself, how he prepares, how he goes out and executes in practice. I think that has a lot to do with it.
“The way he prepares there’s no slack, there’s no drop-off knowledge-wise. His knowledge, the way he sees the defense, his preparation is up there. I’m excited about that.’’