The New York Giants completely re-tooled their quarterback room this offseason, which was long overdue. They stunned plenty of folks, however, when they signed both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston within a week of each other in late March.
To complicate matters even further, general manager Joe Schoen traded back into the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft and selected Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart. Fans got what they expected from Wilson and Winston, but Dart was a pleasant surprise in the preseason.
His strong performances earned him the No. 2 spot on the depth chart ahead of the season opener against the Washington Commanders. While many think that this move makes Winston expendable, that could not be further from the truth.
Giants' updated QB depth chart does not mean Jameis Winston is a trade candidate
The G-Men recently released Tommy DeVito as part of their roster cutdowns, but kept three quarterbacks on their 53-man team. This will seemingly be the formula for the 2025 season, and there is no reason to think a depth chart reshuffling changes this.
Plus, Winston is one of the most experienced and electric backup quarterbacks in the league. While Dart may be No. 2 on the depth chart, it is possible that New York would rather throw Winston into the fire in a pinch than Dart, at least early on.
If the season goes sideways, Dart is likely to supplant Wilson as the starter at some point in the campaign. However, especially given the Giants' brutal slate to begin the year, Winston may be better suited to take the heat if something happens with Wilson.
RELATED: Giants may have just dropped their first real hint the Jaxson Dart era is near
Winston could garner an early Day 3 pick at this point in the offseason, as several teams are still in need of a viable backup. However, the Giants may be better off holding onto him and dangling Winston before teams if they suffer a quarterback injury or need help for any other reason.
At that point, Winston could be worth a mid-rounder, especially if things are going well under center in New York. If the team wanted to trade Winston, they could have found a partner during roster cutdowns. But they kept him, which displays the kind of faith they have in him in a bind.
Dart is likely to be the future under center for the Giants, but it may be a detriment to throw him into his first NFL game against an elite defense like the Philadelphia Eagles or Denver Broncos. Winston, however, wouldn't bat an eye, and his leadership would be sorely missed in New York.