Jaxson Dart is officially out for the remainder of the season, and the New York Giants are staring down a massive quarterback problem they need to solve *now*. Their “once-promising 2025 season” is on the line, and the scramble for a new signal-caller has begun with Jameis Winston currently stepping up to the plate.
Winston’s Early Struggles Have the Giants Eyeing Veterans
Jameis Winston is in line to start, but his last outing was rough, to put it mildly. He had a dreadful performance against the Rams on Monday, going 11-for-27 for just 111 yards, zero touchdowns, one interception, and taking two sacks. Yikes. That’s not the kind of play that keeps you in the driver’s seat. The hope in New York, obviously, is that getting full-time practice reps with the starters will turn things around. But if Winston falters, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says veteran free agent Jimmy Garoppolo is the “top option” among unsigned players. A move for the 34-year-old Garoppolo is a “possibility if [Winston] does not play well.” Garoppolo spent the 2024-25 seasons backing up Matt Stafford in Los Angeles, making just one start in 2024, a Week 18 loss where he threw for 334 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. He is a known quantity, and that might be exactly what the Giants need to stabilize things if Winston can’t get it done.
The Trade Market Is Heating Up With Intriguing Names
Free agency isn’t the only path, though. Rapoport also dropped a few names to “keep an eye on” in the trade market: Gardner Minshew II from Arizona, Mason Rudolph out of Pittsburgh, and Kansas City’s Justin Fields. Fields is the name that should grab attention because stylistically, he is probably the closest fit to the dual-threat quarterback Jaxson Dart was when healthy. Imagine that dynamic back in the Giants’ offense! The catch, of course, is whether the Chiefs would even consider moving their backup, especially just one season removed from Patrick Mahomes suffering a torn ACL. That makes it seem “not terribly likely,” even though they have an unproven rookie, Garrett Nussmeier, on their roster. Still, Rapoport pointed out that if the Chiefs brought in a different backup, a Fields trade could become feasible. Arizona, with rookie Carson Beck, and Pittsburgh, who kept four quarterbacks including Will Howard and Drew Allar, might be more open to dealing. These teams could be more inclined to give their rookies a long evaluation period than the Super Bowl-aspiring Chiefs.
The Giants have to carefully consider their options here. Winston’s performance is crucial, but they are already scouting potential replacements. The most likely scenario, if Winston struggles, still leans towards a Garoppolo signing, but those trade possibilities, especially for a talent like Justin Fields, could be the unexpected jolt this team needs to salvage their 2025 season. This is just getting started, folks.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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