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If the Giants are looking for the perfect spot to make the switch and give 22-year-old Daniel Jones his first NFL start, this isn't it.

But there are ideal windows coming soon.

Now, the Giants may decide that the situation doesn't matter or they may feel like they don't have a choice. They may decide to name Jones their starting quarterback for this Sunday's game in Tampa Bay, even if the situation isn't ideal. The reality is that teams can't always choose a perfect spot for a rookie quarterback to make his debut.

But ideally, they want the rookie to be placed in a situation where he has a good chance to succeed. For the sake of confidence and development, no one ever wants to see young quarterbacks step into the middle of a disaster.

And that's what the Giants have right now. Jones would be taking over a team in disarray. He'd be missing two of his top three receivers -- Golden Tate (suspension) and Cody Latimer (concussion) -- and that's assuming Sterling Shepard (concussion) can return this week. He'd be saddled with a defense that is a train wreck, meaning that being efficient at quarterback likely won't be enough.

And he'd be facing a Todd Bowles-coached Bucs defense that ranks seventh in the league after playing the 49ers and the Panthers -- two offensively potent teams.

That doesn't sound like a recipe for success.

So when is the perfect time for Jones to play?

Two games in the first half of the season come to mind:

Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 29 vs. the Washington Redskins

If the Giants are determined to do this sooner than later, this game makes much more sense than this Sunday's game against the Bucs. The Redskins are less of a mess than the Giants, but they are still 0-2 and are absolutely beatable. Case Keenum is their quarterback and their young, star running back, Derrius Guice, was just placed on injured reserve.

That's a soft spot in the Giants' schedule and Jones would be at home, which is much easier than making an NFL debut while dealing with crowd noise on the road.

The only downside of making his debut in this game is what comes next. Jones would get the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 6 and then have four days to prepare for a Thursday night game in New England. To say his head would be spinning at that point is an understatement. It would be great experience, but it's hard to imagine he wouldn't have to endure and early step back.

Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 20 vs. the Arizona Cardinals

This might be the only ideal spot for Jones on the schedule. He'd have 10 days to prepare for the game after a Thursday nighter in New England. And he'd be facing a team that currently has the second-worst defense in the NFL and is starting a rookie quarterback of its own (Kyler Murray).

And the best part about it is what comes next. His first road start would be the following week in Detroit, which is one of the least daunting road trips on the Giants' schedule. Then he'd be home for a tough game against the Dallas Cowboys, followed by a "road" game at home against the Jets. And then they'd have the bye week before things get tough down the stretch.

That is probably the softest extended stretch in the schedule. Jones would also have had nearly half a season to learn and watch and prepare before being thrown into the lineup. By then, Tate would be back and, barring more injuries, he'd have Shepard and Latimer too. That's still not an impressive receiving corps, but it's far better than what the Giants rolled out on Sunday afternoon.

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