Daniel Jones ‘HAS to play better’ says Giants legend Carl Banks, as two-time Super Bowl winner concedes the QB was affected by ‘awful’ offensive line play: ‘It does impair your decision making’

Giants legend Carl Banks has warned quarterback Daniel Jones that the team will move on from him if he can’t get back to his best after a lackluster (and shortened) 2023 season.

Jones was rewarded with a four-year, $160 million contract last year after the 2022 season, during which he led the Giants to the divisional round of the playoffs. But he regressed the following season — throwing just two touchdowns to six interceptions — before suffering a season-ending ACL tear in Week 9 (he also missed Weeks 6-8 with a neck injury).

Now, after a miserable 6-11 season, Banks said Jones “needs to play better,” though he offered a major caveat due to his poor play last season.

‘I am a big fan of Daniel Jones because of the transparency. But I’ll be the first to say he’s taken a step back in the last year,” he told Mail Sport exclusively on Thursday.

“But I’ll also add context to that and say, I understand why. His offensive line was terrible. He got a lot of hits early. And people don’t want to understand that quarterbacks under duress – and I would challenge any individual who continues to criticize the effectiveness of a quarterback who keeps getting hit – I would challenge you to stand anywhere and get hit by a 2×4, about five times in a row and see if you can make good decisions.’

Carl Banks wants to see him perform better and said the Giants would “move on” if he didn’t

In parts of the six games before his injury, Jones looked uncomfortable as injuries ravaged the Giants’ offensive line, with top tackle Andrew Thomas being sidelined in Weeks 2–8.

Pro Football Focus also ranked the Giants as the third-worst offensive line unit after the regular season.

“It hurts your decision-making because I was one of those guys who did that with quarterbacks, so I know the impact it has on them,” Banks continued during a Starter x GIII sports media dinner. “But he’s got to play better when he gets healthy. He’s going to have to pick up where he started rising, and if he doesn’t, they’ll move on.”

Giants GM Joe Schoen told reporters Tuesday at the Senior Bowl that he expected Jones to remain the starting quarterback, although the team would consider selecting a quarterback in the draft.

The Giants will currently pick sixth overall.

Banks also probed the recent departure of Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, with the assistant’s contentious relationship with head coach Brian Daboll reportedly leading to the split.

Wink Martindale and head coach Brian Daboll reportedly had a contentious relationship

The New York Daily Newsciting unnamed coaches, characterized Daboll’s sideline behavior as “destructive,” writing that the coach criticized the defense so often during the Week 10 game with the Cowboys that it interfered with Martindale’s play-calling.

Daboll then fired two of Martindale’s top assistants, Kevin and Drew Wilkins, after the season, prompting the coordinator to curse his boss afterward, according to the New York Post.

But Banks, a two-time Super Bowl champion under the legendary Bill Parcells, is undeterred by reports of Daboll’s irritability.

‘I don’t think the average fan understands it. That’s a controversial room, especially when you lose,” he said, adding that he is a “huge fan” of Martindale. “Your head coach is your CEO, everyone reports to him.

Banks (right) celebrates with Lawrence Taylor and Bill Parcells after Super Bowl XXV

“Whether your feelings are hurt or not, and head coaches hurt assistant coaches’ feelings all the time. And people don’t understand that and are super sensitive to what is published.’

Of course, there is likely less internal strife within the Chiefs and 49ers as they prepare to face off in Super Bowl LVII.

Banks said he’s supportive of the 49ers and their quarterback Brody Purdy, who “does exactly what they ask him to do,” but admitted that beating Patrick Mahomes would be a tall order for San Francisco — even with an elite defense.

“When you’re on a team with Patrick Mahomes, you’re never out of the game,” he said.

“Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, they make everything right. If you have a headache, that’s the aspirin. They just find out. Those two have such a connection. And it’s not a scripted game. They just know where to find each other and make plays.