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New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll ahead of the preseason outing against the New York Jets.
The New York Giants looked great in all areas on August 16, defeating the New York Jets in the preseason by a score of 31-12, and the four-quarter performance appeared to fuel trade rumors at quarterback.
Overshadowed by the performances of Jaxson Dart and Russell Wilson were a few highlight-reel plays from third-stringer Jameis Winston late in the game. According to NFL news site uSTADIUM, teams have been monitoring the availability of Winston via trade, and the combined efforts of Dart and Winston could result in the Giants shipping the latter out of town before the roster cutdown.
“SOURCE: Teams have made calls to the Giants to check on QB Jameis Winston’s availability,” uSTADIUM reported on August 16. Adding: “If rookie Jaxson Dart locks down the backup job, Winston could be elsewhere by Week 1.”
Jameis Winston Turns Heads During Giants’ Preseason Game vs. Jets With ‘Ridiculous’ Throw
GettyNew York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston was turning heads late against the New York Jets.
Winston was slinging the football around, per usual, on Saturday night. His best throw nearly went viral on social media, too, as NFL aggregator Dov Kleiman drummed up over 700,000 views by sharing the deep bomb to undrafted wide receiver Dalen Cambre on X.
“Jameis Winston is a QB1,” Kleiman wrote. Adding: “What [a] ridiculous throw.”
By the end of the preseason outing, Winston finished with 110 passing yards, 1 sack, and 1 rushing touchdown versus the Jets. ESPN credited him with a passer rating of 89.2.
While Winston may not get a starting gig out of his efforts, he is definitely good enough to join a team as a high-quality backup and potential mentor/fill-in. In other words, what the Giants signed him to be before they were able to secure Dart.
Teams like the New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers, and even the Jets all have uncertain situations at backup quarterback due to injuries and/or lack of talent.
Winston could offer each of those teams a talented backup who has a lot of experience coming in off the bench to win games when called upon. Quarterbacks like that have value around the NFL at the tail end of every preseason period.
Jaxson Dart’s Current Form Makes Giants QB Jameis Winston Much More Expendable via Trade
Dart’s rapid development is the key to Giants trade rumors involving Winston.
Initially, many saw Dart as a project quarterback who might take some time to adjust to the NFL level. It even looked that way throughout OTAs, as the rookie had his fair share of ups and downs.
That’s changed during the Giants preseason, as Dart has seemingly flipped a switch on gamedays.
Against the Jets, Dart was a crisp 14-for-16 with 137 passing yards and 1 touchdown. He was also sacked once, with an ESPN passer rating of 123.2 and a rushing touchdown.
Paired with a very solid debut against the Buffalo Bills, the Giants may feel satisfied with Wilson and Dart as their only two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, allowing them to keep a player at another position instead of Winston.
To a much lesser extent, fourth-stringer Tommy DeVito also profiles as a trade candidate at the deadline, although teams will most likely just wait for him to be cut if they’re interested in pursuing the former undrafted success story.
Michael Obermuller covers the NFL for Heavy Sports, where he began writing in 2021. His areas of focus include the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers, with expert knowledge on each based on years of coverage. Michael is an NYC area native and Quinnipiac graduate. More about Michael Obermuller
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