Latest free agency buzz on Daniel Jones: Did Giants QB switch agents hoping to snag bigger payday?

Daniel Jones did not have his fifth-year option picked up by the Giants prior to the 2022 season and is set to become a free agent when the new league year begins on March 15.

Here is the latest buzz surrounding Jones…

Feb. 20, 4:20 p.m.

Daniel Jones has changed his representation from CAA to Athletes First, according to multiple reports.

According to ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio, a player must wait five days before signing with a new agency, however, CAA waived the five-day period for Jones. Florio added that Jones switched agents either because he was willing to sign a deal less than CAA would have accepted, or because he is asking for more money than CAA has been able to negotiate.

Jones reportedly wants more than what the Giants have offered and could ask for as much as $45 million per year, according to Florio.

Although, the Giants could use the franchise tag on Jones as the non-exclusive tag for a quarterback is $32.4 million. The window for applying the franchise tag begins on Feb. 21 and ends on March 7.

Two NFL executives familiar with the quarterback market told SNY’s Connor Hughes that the appropriate figure for Jones is believed to be somewhere between $35 and $37 million.

“Another, whose team is in need of a veteran quarterback and would ‘explore’ Jones if he were available, said he’d have a ‘hard time’ justifying a $40 million figure for him. In the $30 millions? ‘Sure,’ the exec said, ‘but not above,’ Hughes reported.

If the Giants had picked up Jones’ fifth-year option, they’d owe him just $22.38 million for the 2023 season. Now, if the team were to use the exclusive franchise tag then Jones would be set up for a 20 percent raise for the 2024 season at $38.89 million.