Buzz about the New York Giants signing Jameis Winston just isn’t going to go away during Super Bowl week. Not after the former No. 1 pick in the 2015 NFL draft confirmed he would “absolutely” sign with Big Blue in free agency this year.
Winston, who played for the Cleveland Browns in 2024, made the bold comments to NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky. The latter asked about a potential move to MetLife Stadium, and Winston simply said, Would I really sign with the Giants? Absolutely! I want to keep playing and do what I do best.”
Novozinsky also noted a possible slip of the tongue from Winston, who spoke as if he was already a member of the Giants when quizzed about the state of the current roster: “I have a ton of respect for coach Brian Daboll, the things he does offensively. I think we have a young— woah! They have a young roster. But they have a young roster that’s ready to win. They’re ready to bounce back. I know they’re hungry over there.”
The revealing exchange came on the heels of ex-Giants running back Saquon Barkley appearing to throw shade at his former team by letting Winston know they need a quarterback.
Barkley is viewing the plight of the Giants from a privileged position as he gets ready to represent the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 59 against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, February 9.
He’s right to shine a light on the Giants glaring need for help at football’s most important position. Yet, not everybody is likely to warm to the idea of Winston playing stop-gap for a year.
Jameis Winston Playing Bridge QB Isn’t for Everybody
While Novozinsky believes “Winston could be a decent bridge” QB, not everybody is convinced. Among the doubters, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan called the suggestion Winston fills in for a year “a terrible idea.”
What’s telling is how Raanan also acknowledged the “Giants may not be able to get their desired QB in the draft.” That’s a legitimate possibility, even with general manager Joe Schoen having ownership of the third-overall pick.
The problem is both the Browns and Tennessee Titans pick ahead of the Giants and each franchise has a similar need at quarterback. This uncomfortable reality puts turning to free agency for help very much in play, but there may be better options than Winston.
This is not to say Winston doesn’t have intriguing talent. The 31-year-old still possesses sufficient arm strength to manufacture the big plays through the air the Giants have been missing for too long.
Winston proved his enduring ability with a three-touchdown display to beat the Baltimore Ravens back in Week 8, when he produced his best football while trailing, per PFF.
The negative sides of Winston’s game concern him not being a full-time starter since 2019. He’s also something of an interception machine, having thrown 111 career picks, including 12 in as many games this season.
There’s no way to avoid risk if the Giants shun drafting a QB, but there are less riskier free agents than Winston. They include a dual-threat playmaker who fits head coach Brian Daboll’s system.
There’s also a Super Bowl-winning veteran like Russell Wilson to consider, the way the Giants did last offseason.
Giants Face Looming Draft Dilemma
Schoen and Daboll will be presented with quite the dilemma if headline passers Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are off the board by the time the Giants make their first pick. Solving that problem got tougher after some draft alternatives failed to impress at this year’s Senior Bowl.
Among them, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe “showed some erratic accuracy on his throws,” according to The 33rd Team’s Tyler Brooke. Milroe is a possible alternative to Ward and Sanders, so the Giants needed him to put on a show in Mobile.
Another Plan B is Ole Miss QB1 Jaxson Dart, who has a strong endorsement from Giants great Eli Manning. Unfortunately, Dart also experienced his share or problems at the Senior Bowl, with Brooke noting “Dart may have had the most consistent week, but didn’t exactly set the world on fire down in Mobile.”
If the Giants can’t find a way to move up the draft board, they may have little choice but to settle for a Winston-type veteran as their 2025 starter.
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