“Yes, I will be clean and ready to leave,” Jones said Monday during a teleconference on the first day of the off-season training program. The team and the general were adamant that Jones’s neck injury at the end of last year would not be a long-term problem. A source said Jones was really close to returning before the end of the season in early January. But the Giants have time now and new manager Brian Daboll said last week that Jones should be “ready to go” for the off-season program. Jones was there Monday for the first day after spending the weekend cheering on Bates’s brother, who was on the Duke men’s basketball team that reached the Final Four. Phase I of the off-season program is mainly strength and preparation. Jones will not have to deal with any contact until pre-season in August, so there is no real need to leave him for contact now or soon. He trains locally and on the team’s facilities without any restrictions for much of the off-season. 2 About Jones is preparing to be the team’s main general again this season, even with a new general manager and coach in his place. New York also signed veteran Tyrod Taylor on a two-year deal last month. The Giants continued to rely on Jones throughout the off-season. He was named a clear key player by the team last week at the NFL Annual Meetings. This came shortly after owner John Mara said the organization had “done everything it could to fool this kid since he was here” earlier this season. It’s something that even caught Jones’ attention. “I’m excited. I’m excited to be here. I appreciate the support,” he said. “But it is my job to do my part, to prepare this team, to prepare myself to play as best I can and to put this team in a position to win games. So I take this responsibility very seriously in this as well. I’m focused on. “ The Giants have not won many games since Jones was No. 6 overall in the NFL 2019 draft. They are 12-25 on the starting line-up and have 49 caps in 38 career games. Jones, 24, is entering the final year of his contract as a rookie. The Giants have to decide whether to exercise a fifth-year right worth $ 22.4 million for 2023. CEO Joe Schoen said last week that it’s still a debate. Jones does not seem overly concerned. “There will be time and place for these talks,” he said. “We will see it and take care of it. We will do it when it comes. But I am focused on what we are doing here and I am preparing and taking advantage of every day we have here together.” Monday marked an important day as it is the first time players can pick up a new book. Jones and the rest of his teammates can dig into what new coach Brian Dumbol has amassed. There is a lot to do. “For me, as I said, my focus is on preparing myself,” Jones said. “I take full responsibility for how I played. We have not won enough games. We have not scored enough points. We have not done things well enough. “I take responsibility for that as a fourth back. You play a big role in these things. That’s what I’m focused on. I work to improve and make sure that I, as well as the attack and the team, are ready to go every day.”
