When your current quarterback room is absolutely empty and a veteran player admits he wants to play for the team, that generally perks up a team’s ears with interest. That’s exactly what happened during Super Bowl media week—specifically with the New York Giants.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston, a pending free agent, said he would absolutely play for the New York Giants in 2025 after former Giant-turned-Philadelphia Eagle Saquon Barkley pointed out that his old team desperately needs a quarterback.
Browns pending free agent QB Jameis Winston when asked about the idea of signing with the Giants in free agency, as he told @ryannovoNFL:
— Doug Rush (@TheDougRush) February 4, 2025
“Would I really sign with the Giants? Absolutely! I want to keep playing and do what I do best.”
When asked about the Giants situation and… pic.twitter.com/Ngq3PZDKTX
This isn’t the first time Winston has been tied to the Giants in free agency. A year ago, the Giants were interested in the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft as a potential backup for Daniel Jones. But Winston opted to sign with the Browns and back up Deshaun Watson, which eventually turned into a starting role.
Fast forward a year, and Winston is once again a free agent, while the Giants have plenty of openings and opportunities on their depth chart. Last offseason, Winston signed a one-year, $4 million deal with Cleveland, and with the Giants searching for their next quarterback—at least for 2025—he would be an instant fit.
Since Winston is essentially going year-to-year with his contracts, he wouldn’t be a long-term commitment—something that works in the Giants’ favor. They could still draft a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft and allow that rookie to sit and learn from a 10-year veteran who’s been around the league and seen it all. Winston also might come at a much lower price than other bridge quarterbacks like Justin Fields, Sam Darnold, Kirk Cousins, or Matthew Stafford. He may ask for a slight raise from the $4 million he made in 2024, but he shouldn’t break the bank. With the Giants currently projected to have $43.3 million in salary cap space, finding an inexpensive quarterback could allow them to spend their free-agent money elsewhere.
Bringing in Winston would also benefit any rookie quarterback the Giants might draft. The 31-year-old veteran is widely respected around the league and is known as a great teammate—exactly the type of mentor a young QB could benefit from. Not every rookie gets the chance to have a veteran guiding them on the sidelines, but Winston would be a perfect mentor while also being a serviceable starter in the meantime.
Of course, not everyone is on board with the idea of Winston joining the Giants, mainly because of his history of turnovers.
The interceptions alone will cause losses.
— Spartan Mike (NYG) (@SpartanMike96) February 4, 2025
Back in 2019, Winston led the league with 30 interceptions, alongside 33 touchdowns and 5,109 passing yards as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ starter. Even in his seven-game stint as the Browns' starter in 2024, he threw 12 interceptions to go along with 13 touchdowns and 2,121 passing yards. For comparison, Jones had just 2,070 passing yards and only eight touchdowns across 10 games as the Giants’ starter in 2024.
While Winston has a high interception rate, he also produces far more yards and touchdowns—something the Giants lacked throughout Jones' six years as their starter.
On the flip side, even if Winston’s turnovers cost the Giants some games, the silver lining could be another shot at a top draft pick in 2026. If they can’t land or don’t like any of the quarterbacks in this year’s draft, another bad season could position them to take a franchise QB next year.
Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll are evaluating all their options for the Giants’ 2025 quarterback room. They have just over a month to decide whether to sign a veteran in free agency to pair with a rookie from the draft. Winston was a fit for the Giants last season, and he still makes sense this time around. But this time, the Giants might not be able to afford to let him sign somewhere else.