The New York Giants overhauled their quarterback room this offseason, adding experienced veterans in Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, while also adding a potential future franchise quarterback in first-round rookie Jaxson Dart.
Winston signed a two-year deal with the Giants to be a backup quarterback for Wilson this season and, presumably, for Dart next season.
However, after being passed on the depth chart by Dart coming out of the preseason, Winston could be viewed as an expendable piece of the Giants’ roster this season.
Giants name Jaxson Dart their QB2
On their first unofficial depth chart of the regular season, the Giants listed Jaxson Dart as their second-string quarterback behind Russell Wilson and ahead of Jameis Winston.
Winston began the summer listed as the second-string quarterback. It was originally assumed that, if Wilson were to need to be replaced early this season, Winston would step in as his replacement.
However, that assumption may have expired. Dart completed 32 of 47 passes for 372 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions, while adding six carries for 52 yards and another score this preseason.
Dart looked like the real deal and could become the Giants’ starter sooner, rather than later.
Could Jameis Winston be traded?
If Dart is elevated into the starting lineup, Winston would be the third-string quarterback behind Russell Wilson.
In that case, Wilson is more than qualified to be Dart’s backup and would be the player the Giants turn to if the rookie were to be sidelined.
That leaves Winston as the forgotten man.
The Giants could hold onto Winston, planning to make him their QB2 in 2026. However, they could also look to extract value from him sooner, rather than later, by trading him to a quarterback-needy team mid-season.
New Orleans Saints EDGE Cam Jordan was campaigning earlier this offseason for his team to trade for Winston.
Winston is a high-end backup who could start for a handful of bad teams if needed. As QB3 on the Giants, but a potential QB1 on a team like the Saints, Winston could become a valuable trade piece.