Should the Giants Field Offers for Jameis Winston?

Recently, Giants free-agent signee Jameis Winston’s name has surfaced in trade discussions, with some of his former teammates advocating for his return. New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan publicly expressed his desire for the team to trade for the former Saint to lead the current squad. Despite the veteran’s vocal support for a familiar face, the Saints have yet to make a formal inquiry—at least publicly. That said, is this a trade the Giants should consider? And if so, what could a deal realistically look like?

First off, despite signing a two-year deal just this offseason with New York, Winston is expendable. The Giants currently have four quarterbacks on the roster: Russell Wilson, rookie Jaxson Dart, Tommy DeVito, and Winston. Of these four, it's hard to argue that Winston brings the most value at this point. Wilson is clearly the day-one starter, and Dart will almost certainly sit for at least the first half of the season. That leaves fan favorite Tommy DeVito, who—despite not being the flashiest of the group—carries unique weight in this locker room. And it's not just because of his ever-growing fan base.

Many might forget that DeVito is the only quarterback in this room with multiple years under Brian Daboll’s system. His value lies not just in his on-field ability but in his knowledge of the playbook and his potential to support the development of Wilson and, more importantly, Dart throughout the season.

So, what could a deal for Winston look like? Surely it has to return some value, right—especially if New Orleans sees him as a potential starter? Unfortunately for Giants Nation, I can’t see the return for Winston being anything substantial. If I had to find comparisons, I’d look at the Joe Milton III trade earlier this year or Taylor Heinicke’s trade in August of 2024. Dallas gave up a fifth-round pick for Milton and a seventh-rounder, while the Chargers surrendered just a seventh-round pick for Heinicke.

A late-round pick swap, with Winston included, seems like the most realistic outcome if both teams come to terms. At any rate, things remain purely speculative for now. Still, crazier things have happened in the NFL—and if the league teaches us anything, it’s to always expect the unexpected.