It's time for the Giants to extend Daniel Jones

The Giants will do themselves a huge disservice if they don't extend Daniel Jones. He embodies everything you want in a franchise quarterback: toughness, reliability, and massive improvement. Consider that Jones, despite a dearth of receiving talent at his disposal, ranks 15th in passing yards and 16th in passer rating.

He's also drastically cut down on his turnovers, which was a focal point of criticism after he tossed 29 picks his first three seasons. Jones has thrown a mere five in 2022.

Additionally, the 25-year-old has already set a G-Men record with 617 rushing yards this season. He’s an excellent two-way threat.

Moreover, Jones has the respect of his teammates in the locker room. I spent some time with Jones and a number of Giants earlier this season, and their rapport is obvious. While not a prerequisite for success, it helps, especially when a team is building through a young quarterback.

Bottom line: There's not a single person within the organization who doesn't value or respect Jones, and that's why I believe he's on the verge of a sizable extension with Big Blue.

No limit for Lawrence

Trevor Lawrence has so much natural ability. When you watch him throw, it's effortless. His arm talent is off the charts. We're all seeing why he was so coveted at Elite 11, why he was so dominant at Clemson, and why he was the No. 1 pick.

That package of size, confidence, and athleticism is generational. The early returns with Doug Pederson, a former NFL quarterback who obviously knows how to develop the position, have been clear.

Lawrence has led the Jaguars to a three-game win streak, only their second over the past 15 years. Let's also not forget this was a three-win football team just last season under Urban Meyer. Lawrence has increased his passer rating to 96 - up from 71.9 as a rookie - and improved his TD/INT ratio to 24/7 from 12/17.

His ability to manipulate the pocket has been an area of significant improvement. Lawrence has gone from the bottom third in expected points added per dropback on throws after three seconds or more to the top third since Week 9.

"How he's playing right now is only the start," an NFL scout told me. "He's putting himself in a position where you can see him as an MVP candidate for the next decade."

Corner's corner

I love highlighting rookies in this column, and one guy who needs more attention is Titans corner Roger McCreary. Physical, tough, nasty - he's the perfect embodiment of the position in today's game.

We saw these traits during his impressive tenure as an Auburn Tiger, where he faced the SEC's very best. He can cover and tackle, and I have no qualms saying McCreary's well on his way to becoming a bona fide top cover man.

"He's a corner's corner," the same executive told me. "Does all the little things to help you win games. His mentality is, 'I don't care: I'm locking you up.'"

Following his Week 15 performance against the Chargers, McCreary finished as the NFL's third-highest-graded cornerback, notching three tackles and two pass breakups.

Perhaps most important: He's tremendously smart. McCreary made the kind of play Sunday that I hadn't seen since I was at Seahawks-49ers for the 2013 NFC Championship Game. Remember Richard Sherman?

McCreary, facing Justin Herbert's Los Angeles Chargers, made a perfect read on what was actually a pretty good end-zone shot. Tracking it the whole way, he tipped it to teammate Joshua Kalu at the last second for a crucial interception:

Tee time

The more I watch the Bengals, the more I appreciate wideout Tee Higgins, who just went over 1,000 yards for the second straight season. Ja'Marr Chase is a juggernaut, but Higgins is a phenomenal Robin to Chase's Batman.

I love his route running - it's crisp and precise, like former Bengals legend A.J. Green. If you're a football nerd like me, Higgins - who checks in at 6-4, 220 pounds - is really fun to watch on All-22 as well. You truly get a sense of his dogged preparation and robust talent when you see how well he works the entire field.

"He's a beast," the executive told me. "He's getting better and better at using his size. Because he can already run. But technically, he's really good, too."

A bright spot ...

It's been a rough year for the Broncos, but one guy who's stood out is second-year corner Patrick Surtain.

"He's one of the best defensive players in the league, period," the same executive told me. "There's nothing he can't do."

With Nathaniel Hackett finally shown the door - we told you this would happen - the Broncos turn their sights to a new head coach. While we should expect them to interview multiple candidates, I also expect them to go with more experience and a sterner style.

Not only was Hackett green, but he was also unable to control his locker room. As it's been explained to me, Russell Wilson had free reign on the offense. Without consequences for his poor play, nothing changed.

Wilson, for better or worse, is the face of the organization moving forward. The Broncos are now tasked with finding a head coach who can not only stand up to Wilson, but also has the creative chops to help design an offense around his skill set. They also need to find an offensive coordinator who understands how to maximize No. 3.

"They're stuck with (Wilson)," the scout told me. "They made their bed, and now they have to deal with it. I'm not sure how many guys will actually want to coach in Denver. Nobody knows what to expect with the Waltons. How it's gonna be every day, the environment, the quarterback. Lots of unknowns."

Jordan Schultz is theScore's NFL insider and senior NBA reporter. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok