His arrival was the first move in a complete overhaul of the quarterback position for the New York Giants, but Jameis Winston now looks surplus to requirements after Russell Wilson was signed in free agency and the team used a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft to select Jaxson Dart.
Winston’s presence has looked like a champagne problem for Big Blue, since he gives the Giants a viable trade asset. Yet, appearances can be deceptive, and one observer has warned the Giants about any plans to trade the former No. 1 overall pick who’s become a journeyman backup.
The warning comes from Dan Duggan of The Athletic, who believes Winston “doesn’t figure to have much trade value. All 32 teams were free to sign Winston this offseason, and he was only able to land a two-year, $8 million contract from the Giants.”
Not being able to secure solid draft capital or decent veteran help in exchange for Winston would surely make engineering a trade not worth the hassle for the Giants. While it’s debatable the Giants wouldn’t get a decent return for a proven NFL signal-caller who can still attack coverage vertically, Duggan offered another reason why a deal would make little sense.
Giants Still Need Jameis Winston
As Duggan put it, “the Giants signed Winston with a clear plan in mind for his role. He’ll be the insurance policy if Wilson gets injured early in the season before rookie Jaxson Dart is ready. And then, Winston will serve as Dart’s backup in 2026.”
This scenario makes 10-time Pro Bowler Wilson essentially a one-year rental. It also supposes Dart will be ready to take the reins this season.
Both of these possible outcomes involve Winston remaining a valuable member of the roster. It makes sense he would, since the 31-year-old is a proven starter after stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns.
Not many teams around the league can boast of a backup at football’s most important position with Winston’s ample experience and arm talent. He provided a demonstration of the latter with these throws of 20-plus air yards last season, highlighted by Jacob Gibbs.
Expanding the passing game is a priority for Giants head coach Brian Daboll, so having an established vertical thrower like Winston is one way to make sure it happens. Especially if Daboll’s hopes for Wilson and Dart don’t go to plan.
Giants Have QB Concerns
On the surface, the Giants have significantly upgraded their quarterback depth chart, but there are still underlying concerns. They include a core problem in Wilson’s game Daboll and his staff are already trying to fix.
Wilson is also 36 and there are doubts he should be keeping Dart on the bench to start the season. The rookie will need time to develop, but the Giants can’t afford to expose his core deficiencies to pro defenses too soon, especially traits Dart shares with former starter and draft flop Daniel Jones.
There are too many imponderables regarding Wilson and Dart for the Giants to give up on Winston ahead of schedule. His acquisition looks smarter as a safeguard against any setbacks in Daboll’s overall plan at quarterback.
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