The New York Giants entered the offseason with no viable starting quarterback. They’ll leave it with three.
Or - depending on how much you like the new guys - none.
Part of general manager Joe Schoen’s makeover came out of pre-NFL Draft uncertainty. The Giants didn’t know what passer would be available at No. 3, or if they were willing to take one there. They didn’t know if passing on a rookie passer early in Round 1 would leave them without options later on, either.
So ...
New York fished in the waters of veteran quarterbacks, of which there were a handful of candidates. First, they signed Jameis Winston to a two-year, $8 million deal, locking in a backup quarterback with several years of starting experience.
He was quickly supplanted by quarterback Russell Wilson, who put pen to paper on a one-year, $10.5 million contract that established him as the starter. Then, in Round 1, the team traded up to No. 25 to select Jaxson Dart, the future of the franchise.
With three quarterbacks on the roster (and Tommy DeVito likely headed to the practice squad), Winston has found himself in the middle. On paper, that makes him expendable, which means the Giants’ backup has landed on the proverbial trade block, at least as far as the media is concerned.
Pro Football and Sports Network recently tabbed the Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers as candidates to trade for Winston.
But wait.
We say that in addition to the Giants not publicly looking to deal their backup quarterback, there isn’t much reason to suggest that they should make a move.
For one, Dart is a project passer who is poised to get a redshirt season. Wilson was always going to start over him, but New York can ill afford to turn to DeVito if Wilson goes down or thrust Dart into battle before he’s ready. In the name of keeping everyone’s jobs, the Giants can’t be irresponsible with Dart’s playing time.
Winston solves that issue, further insulating the room and preventing catastrophe if Plan A doesn’t work out.
Moreover, Winston doesn’t just bring fringe-starter talent to the quarterback room. He also has a decade of experience to his name. He was a first-round pick (first overall in 2015) and has dealt with several different brands of adversity.
Winston is a valuable resource for Dart, providing far more values off the field than on Sundays.
And now comes word that the Giants see it our way.
Giants reporter Dan Duggan of The Athletic is explaining why it's likely Winston will enter September as the primary backup for starter Wilson. ... with no deal plans.
"He doesn’t figure to have much trade value," Duggan said about Winston. "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. Second, 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."
If some team’s starter goes down, the opportunity to deal Winston at an inflated price could earn New York’s attention. For any reasonable price, though, the Giants will likely (and should) hang up the phone. ...as there is a solid long-term plan in place.