Freddie Kitchens: Giants have Daniel Jones in 'best situation' he's had in years

Former Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens wasn't with the New York Giants when they drafted quarterback Daniel Jones in the spring of 2019, but Kitchens spent the last two NFL seasons with the organization and, specifically, worked with Jones as interim play-caller and offensive coordinator last fall after Big Blue parted ways with Jason Garrett. 

Kitchens and the Giants went in different directions this past winter. The Giants hired former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll to be their next head coach, and Kitchens is now a senior analyst with South Carolina. 

New York declined the fifth-year option attached to Jones' rookie contract earlier this spring, but Kitchens explained during a recent appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio why he believes the 25-year-old signal-caller could have a career year working under a new coaching staff and in a new offensive scheme. 

"I know the new management there has done a tremendous job," Kitchens remarked, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. "Brian’s going to do a helluva job coaching ’em, so I think they’ve got the best situation that Daniel’s had in quite some time to get the best out of him. If the best that he can give them is what they want to see then of course they’ll give him the contract. If not, they’ll move on. It’s as simple as that."

This will be Jones' first season playing in a contract year as a pro, and how he responds to that pressure and also to Daboll's guidance will determine if he's retained either via a new deal or the franchise-tag designation, or allowed to hit free agency next March.