The New York Giants finally made a move at quarterback, signing Jameis Winston to a two-year deal. It’s not exactly a long-term fix, but it gives Brian Daboll a veteran stopgap while the front office figures out what to do with the No. 3 overall pick.
With Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders both potentially on the board, Big Blue is still in a relatively decent position to draft their future quarterback.
That’s the reality most Giants fans are living in right now, not ideal, but manageable. And then Craig Carton fired off a trade proposal that made everyone collectively spit out their coffee.
“Here’s a trade nobody says no too - The [Giants] trade 3 first round picks (includes a pick swap this year) with the [49ers] for Brock Purdy,” Carton posted. “The Niners then sign (Aaron Rodgers) to be their starting QB for the 2025 season - ur welcome no need to pat me on the back just happy to help.”
Well, after the post from Carton, social media erupted and arguments from both sides ensued.
Brock Purdy to the Giants makes sense... on social media
Let’s start with the obvious: Purdy has been a very solid quarterback. He’s efficient, doesn’t turn the ball over much, and made a Super Bowl run and NFC Championship Game run with the Niners. He'd be the best quarterback in Giants Blue since Eli Manning. But context matters.
He’s playing behind a better offensive line, handing off to Christian McCaffrey, and throwing to George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and Deebo Samuel in Kyle Shanahan’s system. It’s about as dream a setup a young quarterback is going to get.
The Giants don’t have that luxury. They’ve got a rookie wideout in Malik Nabers, a line that’s still figuring things out, and a coaching staff under pressure to win now. Dropping Purdy into this offense and expecting the same results would be wishful thinking at best.
And then there’s the cost. Three first-round picks haul is the kind you give up for a top-five quarterback or someone who completely transforms a franchise. Purdy is a great player—quite possibly even better than great—but he’s not in that tier. Not to mention he’s about to get paid. Spotrac’s projection has him around $60 million per year on his next deal, which is also projected to be around four years. That's $240 million to roll out. Yikes.
Also, why would the 49ers even entertain a trade for Purdy? He hasn't necessarily elevated anyone on the offense and still has led them to the Super Bowl. He wins games without necessarily elevating those around him—and that’s a rare trait, even if it’s hard to define.
Giants general manager Joe Schoen needs to win now. Hence the mock trade suggestion from Carton. The move clearly signals an immediate need to overcorrect and overextend to bring in a still-relatively-unproven quarterback solely to save his job this season. This would be mortgaging the future at its finest. Are the Giants that desperate for their next quarterback?
Purdy has produced. He threw for over 4,200 yards in 2023 and followed it up with nearly 3,900 in 2024. He’s accurate, experienced in big games, and he’s still only 25. In the right system with the right weapons, there’s a version of this where he settles in and becomes that long-term answer the Giants have been chasing for years. But giving up three firsts for a guy who’s succeeded mostly in a perfectly built offense, and who’s about to become very expensive, feels like swinging a bit too hard just to say the position’s figured out.
Luckily, the G-Men have the No. 3 pick in the upcoming draft to solve their future quarterback situation. Here's to hoping they actually do it.
So, who says no to the Purdy-to-Giants trade? Could be both parties.