EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — There have been concerns about the status of New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones from the moment he tore the ACL in his right knee in early November against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The surgery wasn’t performed until just before Thanksgiving, cutting his time to rehabilitate the injury and get back on the field to eight months. But Jones seemingly has beaten the odds. The 2019 first-round draft pick took part in 11-on-11 drills Wednesday and showed good movement rolling out as the Giants opened training camp.

“I’m confident I’ll be the same. I think every knee injury is different,” Jones said after practice. “Every position is different. Every case is a little bit different. So, you take input, hear about other people’s experiences, and try to use that to help you guide your own rehab. But in terms of my process and how it’s been for me, it’s been smooth, and I feel like I’ll be back to where I was, if not better.”

Jones had a horrible 2023 season during which he was limited to six games, first because of a neck injury, then the knee injury. He threw for 909 yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions.

In leading the Giants to a playoff berth in 2022, Jones had a career year, throwing for 3,205 yards, 15 touchdown and five interceptions. He also ran for 708 yards – a team record for a quarterback – and seven TDs.

There are a lot of people who still doubt Jones’ ability as a starting quarterback, however. Many fans wanted New York to selected a quarterback in the opening round of the draft when the Giants had the sixth-overall pick. Jones admits the criticism does serve to motivate him, but it’s not the reason he works so hard.

“I’ve always been motivated and driven to work harder than or as hard as I possibly can, and that’s always been my mindset and my approach,” he said. “So, I’m going to continue to do that. I’m going to continue to work hard and play for my teammates, play for myself, play for everyone. I’m excited to do that.”

General Manager Joe Schoen, who signed Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract after his breakout season in 2022, said his quarterback is good at shutting out the noise.

“He’s been busting his tail and doing everything he can do to get back on the football field,” Schoen said. “He’s a great teammate. He’s a leader. And, I’m excited to see how things go this year if he can stay healthy.”

The Giants signed veteran Drew Lock as a free agent to take over the backup role. Tommy DeVito is also back for a second season.

n Veteran offensive lineman and projected starter Jermaine Eluemunor left practice after apparently taking a blow to his midsection.

Eluemunor, who signed a two-year, $14 million contract with the Giants as a free agent in March, was injured playing right tackle during an 11-on-11 drill.

BROWNS: Star running back Nick Chubb was placed on the physically-unable-to-perform list as he continues to recover from a left knee injury and two surgeries.

While Chubb was the biggest name on the PUP list, he wasn’t alone. Starting offensive tackles Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills Jr. were also placed there, along with defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, because of knee injuries.

Tomlinson’s addition was a surprise. He was on the field for practices during the team’s mandatory minicamp in June. The severity of his injury was not immediately known.

Chubb’s 2023 season ended because of a grotesque injury on a carry near the goal line against Pittsburgh. The 28-year-old sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament and other damage to the same knee he hurt while playing at Georgia.

It’s not known when Chubb will be ready to play. He has rushed for 6,511 yards and scored 48 touchdowns in his five-plus seasons with Cleveland.

49ERS: When San Francisco opened training camp on Wednesday, there was much more intrigue about the players not on the field than the ones taking part in practice.

All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams is holding out as he seeks a more lucrative contract, and star receiver Brandon Aiyuk is conducting a “hold in” as he waits for a contract extension.

Aiyuk watched the first few minutes of practice in street clothes before walking off the field early in the session. He is currently under the fifth-year option worth about $14.1 million this season but is looking to become the latest receiver to cash in on a big multi-year deal.

“It’s what we expected and I understand the situation fully,” Shanahan said.

COWBOYS: CeeDee Lamb is not reporting to training camp while he waits for a new contract, a person familiar with the All-Pro wide receiver’s decision told The Associated Press.

Lamb had career highs with an NFL-leading 135 catches for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.

RAVENS: Quarterback Lamar Jackson practiced after he missed the first three sessions of training camp because he was sick.