Perhaps Justin Tuck can be of service to Daniel Jones one day.
One day fairly soon.
“I’m really good at what I do,’’ Tuck said. “If he ever needed help in the financial side of the world, I know a guy.’’
Yeah, he knows a guy.
The former Giants defensive end now deals with significantly well-heeled individuals in his job as a vice president in the private wealth management division at Goldman Sachs. Yes, this is correct — he went from sacks to Sachs.
Jones is finishing up the four-year contract he signed after the Giants made him the No. 6-overall pick in the 2019 draft, a deal that paid him $25.6 million. Not bad. What comes next, though, will dwarf that financial payout.
Jones has the Giants still alive in the playoffs, and when quarterbacks can make that claim they get paid the big bucks. Whenever the Giants are done playing — it could be down the road, it could be after Saturday night’s showdown against the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field — the business of getting Jones signed to a multiyear deal will commence. Figure Jones’ per-year average will easily surpass his four-year total earnings.
“I think he’s done exactly what he’s needed to do to prove to people he is a viable choice to have a long-term stay at quarterback of the New York Giants,’’ Tuck recently told The Post. “And what could he be if you got him that consistent offensive coordinator, which it looks like he has now, the consistent O-line talent, which Eli Manning was afforded for the dominant part of his career, and go out and get him talent on the edges where he can get them the ball, I think he’s definitely in the running for that job.”
This sentiment was expressed before Jones went out and dominated the Vikings, a first-round playoff victory that catapulted Jones into a higher quarterback bracket in the hearts and minds of Giants fans, and perhaps general manager Joe Schoen and team ownership. Jones heading into the final year of his contract faced an uphill battle, needing to stay healthy — something he did not do on a consistent basis his first three seasons — learn yet another new offense, acclimate to new head coach Brian Daboll, continue his improvement in limiting turnovers and enhance his ability to get the ball in the end zone.
Jones finished the season with a career-high passer rating of 92.5, became an even greater threat with his legs, owned the lowest interception percentage in the league and did his best to enliven a passing attack that endured most of the season without the four wide receivers projected to carry the load.
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Along the way, he made believers out of proud former players who knew only one starting quarterback — Manning — in their time with the Giants.
“I like him,’’ said Osi Umenyiora, who sacked opposing quarterbacks 85 times in an 11-year career, with 75 of the sacks in his nine seasons with the Giants. “If you’re the Giants, you’re not going to find a better quarterback than that guy in the draft, you’re not going to find one in free agency. He’s a very good, tough player. Takes care of the football a lot better. Can make all the throws. Good athlete. Very smart. He’s a leader. I like him. I do.’’
Umenyiora took a look at the way Jones dominated the Vikings in last week’s 31-24 first-round playoff victory and declared, “The much-maligned Daniel Jones had the best day of his career out of any quarterback that played that weekend. He was the best quarterback, the most dangerous quarterback last weekend.’’
Comparisons between Jones and Manning sprouted in the lead-up to the 2019 draft based on demeanor, physical resemblance, height and weight, ability to deal with all that a high-profile athlete in the New York area has to encounter. Manning proved he was a big-game quarterback. Jones is 1-0 in the playoffs, and he was sensational in that one game.
“If you look at Eli, and I hate doing this, they’re very similar in that it doesn’t seem like Daniel ever gets too excited, one way or another,’’ Tuck said. “He had a bad throw or a bad possession, he comes back and still has that same look on his face. He never gets out of sorts, and that’s important, playing in New York City, because we all know how this place can kind of lift you up when you’re playing well and beat you up when you’re not playing well.’’
This resonates with Jones. He tunes out outside noise but he embraces praise from within the Giants’ family.
“It definitely does mean something and I certainly appreciate it,’’ Jones told The Post on Thursday. “But I think any of those guys would tell you and I’ve learned it’s about what you do with the next opportunity, and it’s very much a week-to-week league.
“That’s a cool part of this organization, those guys are constantly coming back and you get to meet ’em, you get to have those conversations. They set the example in a lot of ways for what this organization is, they’re the guys I watched win Super Bowls when I was growing up.’’
Jones, against the odds, has grown into the role he figures to maintain for the near future. This is fine with those who came before him.
“He’s easy to root for,’’ Tuck said, “that’s for sure.’’
