{"id":356204,"date":"2026-09-25T00:06:43","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T00:06:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/356204\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T00:06:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T00:06:43","slug":"ny-giants-will-ride-with-jameis-winston-at-quarterback-as-they-should","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/356204\/","title":{"rendered":"NY Giants will ride with Jameis Winston at quarterback, as they should"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">In the hours since learning that Jaxson Dart will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, New York Giants fans have named just about every quarterback under the sun as a potential replacement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">From JJ McCarthy to Tom Brady, fans have thrown out the name of just about every quarterback they could think of as a guy the Giants should go get. There are reports that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bigblueview.com\/new-york-giants-rumors\/172703\/njimmy-garoppolo-giants-rumors-jaxson-dart-injury-jameis-winston\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">the Giants could be hoping to sign veteran backup Jimmy Garoppolo<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Regardless of all of that speculation, and whether or not they sign Garoppolo or someone like everybody\u2019s favorite emergency third quarterback \u2014 Josh Johnson \u2014 there is a central truth:<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Jameis Winston is now the Giants\u2019 starting quarterback.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">That is going to be the case on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. Unless he gets injured or unexpectedly proves so ineffective that the Giants have no choice but to trade for someone else to be fair to the rest of the locker room, Winston is probably the quarterback for the next 15 games.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">The Giants have confidence in Winston.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">\u201cThe team loves Jameis. We voted him captain, so I think that says plenty,\u201d safety Jevon Holland told me on Wednesday. \u201cJameis is going to do a phenomenal job when he steps in there. He\u2019s been leading us in multiple ways already, so it\u2019s not uncommon. It\u2019s not like a new voice or anything like that, so I think it will fit swimmingly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Winston had a ragged performance on Monday in relief of Dart, going just 11 of 27 for 111 yards and an interception. He was well off-target on a number of throws.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">\u201cI have to execute better and I am going to execute better,\u201d Winston said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">The Giants\u2019 offense, of course, has been built around Dart\u2019s strengths, not Winston\u2019s. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bigblueview.com\/new-york-giants-analysis\/172585\/life-after-jaxson-dart-how-can-the-ny-giants-adapt-to-losing-their-qb\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">That will change<\/a> beginning this week against the Titans.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">\u201cA big part of it is building a game plan now for Jameis. He\u2019ll be the starter. So, build the game plan for Jameis to suit his skill set,\u201d head coach John Harbaugh said. \u201cThe game plan this last week was built for Jaxson, obviously. So, this will be an opportunity to do that, and that\u2019s exactly what we\u2019ll do. We\u2019ll build around all the things that he does well that are in the offense, which is \u2013 there\u2019s plenty in the offense. And then, of course, how to attack Tennessee and their defense and what they do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Dart and Winston are, of course, vastly different quarterbacks. The designed quarterback run game and scrambling ability are in Dart\u2019s arsenal. They are not in Winston\u2019s. The types of passes the two quarterbacks might prefer could also differ.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Harbaugh said the Giants do not have to build an entirely new offense.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s too big, because all this stuff is in the offense,\u201d Harbaugh said. \u201cAll those plays are plays that we have, that we\u2019ve been practicing and running. It\u2019s just kind of more like a shift maybe over a little bit as opposed to a new \u2013 maybe a lane change as opposed to changing direction or anything like that, more of a lane change.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Of course, the Giants need more than just two quarterbacks \u2014 Winston and Jake Haener \u2014 on the roster.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">There are, though, varying levels of what the Giants could do. I am going to put them in three buckets.<\/p>\n<p>Practice squad QBs\/free agents<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Garoppolo is, of course, a free agent. He is the most accomplished of the players the Giants could bring in, and would be a viable short-term starting option once up to speed if Winston were hurt or playing poorly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Other free agent possibilities:<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Guys who are currently available include:<\/p>\n<p>Bailey ZappeJake BrowningNick Mullens<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Browning played pretty well for the Bengals in 2023, pretty badly for the Bengals in 2025.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Practice squad possibilities:<\/p>\n<p>Will Levis \u2014 New York JetsJoe Milton \u2014 Dallas CowboysJosh Johnson \u2014 BengalsHendon Hooker \u2014 TitansMax Brosmer \u2014 Vikiongs<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Milton is, of course, the candidate du jour in the fan base. The 26-year-old has completed 37 of 53 passes (69.8%) for 424 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions in five games over two seasons for the New England Patriots and Cowboys.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Milton would, of course, be an upside The problem there is that he is a young player who a) hasn\u2019t been tested in critical situations and b) would likely take longer than a more experienced quarterback to assimilate into the Giants\u2019 system. That\u2019s a problem in the middle of the season when there isn\u2019t a lot of time for coaches to spend teaching him the offense.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">J.J. McCarthy (Vikings), Justin Fields (Kansas City Chiefs), Mac Jones (San Francisco 49ers), Mitchell Trubisky (Titans) are among the names you hear bandied about in proposed trades.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">A few points about trades.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Why would anyone deal a quarterback now?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">In two weeks, we have seen Dart, Caleb Williams (and Tyler Bagent), Jayden Daniels, and Kyler Murray get hurt. Michael Penix is making his season-debut Thursday night. Why would any team that believes it has even a small chance to make the playoffs deal quarterback depth now?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">To be honest, until any team knows it is out of the race that is GM malpractice at the rate quarterbacks are getting injured.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Why would the Giants surrender draft capital?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Please don\u2019t tell me you think trading Kayvon Thibodeaux for someone like Fields is a smart move.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">To get a quarterback via trade, the Giants would have to surrender draft capital. Why would they be willing to do that? They are still building for the future, and the plan would still be to have Dart lead that future.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">What sense does it make to trade away draft capital that could help Dart, and the team as a whole, in the future to chase one or two more victories now?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">The best course, in my view, is to ride with Winston. He received a two-year, $13 million extension because the franchise believes in him. So, now they need to prove it by not making a panic move and selling out future help for possible short-term satisfaction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Cull the practice squads and free agency for the best help you can get. If this season goes off the rails because of quarterback play, so be it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">A word about J.J. McCarthy<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">When it comes to trading for a quarterback, the 23-year-old McCarthy is the hot name.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Reality is this: The Giants\u2019 organization passed on McCarthy in the 2024 NFL Draft, likely because it didn\u2019t believe McCarthy would succeed in New York.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">GM Joe Schoen and the front office are not going to be advocating for a McCarthy trade now. The only way it even gets considered is if Harbaugh loves McCarthy and bangs the table for one. The only way Harbaugh does that is if he believes McCarthy has more upside than Dart.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Off what we have seen from both of them, that idea is ludicrous.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">I keep seeing the opinion that if the Giants\u2019 season turns into a train wreck, and they end up with the opportunity to draft Arch Manning, Dante Moore, Trinidad Chambliss or another top 10-worthy quarterback they should do it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">My view is that idea is nonsense. One knee injury and two games missed because of a concussion doesn\u2019t mean it is time to give up on the idea that Dart can and will be a top-tier NFL quarterback. Drafting over Dart, and starting over, is foolishness.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">What I could sign off on is the idea of drafting a young player in the middle rounds and trying to develop him as a viable backup. That doesn\u2019t always work, but investing a fourth- or fifth-round pick is not that big of a gamble.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">I don\u2019t know who the first one to point this out was, but I did see it online and it is correct. Matthew Stafford, who is heading to the Hall of Fame, was limited by injuries to just 13 games over his first two seasons. That was way back in 2009 and 2010, and he\u2019s done OK since then.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">What you do if you have a top 10, or especially a top 5, pick, is maximize it. You help Dart. If you are in position to select the best player in the class, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, you do that. Otherwise, you package picks to move down and collect as much talent as you can over the first three or four rounds of a draft that is said to be dripping with talent.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In the hours since learning that Jaxson Dart will miss the rest of the season with a knee&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":356205,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[9,7692,11,10,12010],"class_list":["post-356204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-giants-analysis","tag-new-york-headlines","tag-new-york-news","tag-valentines-views"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=356204"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356204\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/356205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=356204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=356204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=356204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}