The Giants remain as desperate as ever in their search for a quarterback.
And now, they’re going to host free agent Jameis Winston on a visit Monday and Tuesday, according to NFL Network.
First, the Giants' failed fourth-year general manager, Joe Schoen, wanted to trade for Matthew Stafford this offseason. But Stafford wisely decided to stay with the Rams.
Then Schoen’s free agency Plan B became Aaron Rodgers, who reportedly wants to play for the Vikings (though it remains unclear if they want him). The Steelers and Giants are pursuing Rodgers, but he might decide to retire instead of playing for either team, if Minnesota says no to him.
(Pittsburgh and Minnesota are both better options for Rodgers than the Giants. He’d be foolish to sign with the Giants, presuming he wants a win-now situation at this late stage of his career.)
How much longer can the Giants afford to wait on Rodgers (and the Vikings) before moving on to someone else, like Russell Wilson?
Schoen’s third option surely is Wilson — who, along with Joe Flacco, paid a free agent visit last week to East Rutherford. And now, you can add Winston to the mix of Rodgers fallback options. Flacco and Winston figure to be Schoen’s fourth and fifth choices, in some order.
During Super Bowl week, former Giants running back Saquon Barkley (remember him?) suggested the Giants as a landing spot for Winston.
And in the wake of that suggestion, Winston said he definitely would be willing to play for the Giants in 2025. (Then again, at this point in his career, he’s not in any position to be picky about his next team.)
“Would I really sign with the Giants? Absolutely!” Winston told NJ Advance Media. “I want to keep playing and do what I do best.”
All of this is happening during an offseason in which the Giants aren’t a lock to land either of the top two quarterbacks in the draft (Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders) because they pick third, behind two quarterback-needy teams (Titans and Browns).
The Giants blew their chance at landing the No. 1 pick by beating the Colts in Week 17 last season — an absolutely disastrous win amid a 3-14 season.
At this point, it seems unlikely the Titans will trade down from No. 1. Expect them to stay there and take Ward. If Wilson signs with the Browns — and he did visit them last week — they might pass on Sanders. That could bode well for the Giants, especially if they have to settle for Flacco or Winston as their veteran bridge quarterback in 2025.
As for Winston, the Buccaneers drafted him first overall in 2015. He has made one Pro Bowl, as a rookie. He just turned 31 and has started 87 career games (36-51 record), while never starting in the playoffs.
His most recent season as a regular starter was 2019, when he started all 16 games for the Bucs (during his final season with them). The next four years, with the Saints, he started zero, seven, three and zero games. With the Browns last year, he started seven games (2-5 record).
Winston finished 2024 with decidedly average numbers — 13 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and an 80.6 quarterback rating.
NJ Advance Media’s Ryan Novozinsky contributed to this story.
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Darryl Slater may be reached atdslater@njadvancemedia.com.