With Jaxson Dart sidelined, the Giants now need to add another quarterback to round out the room behind Jameis Winston and Jake Haener. Jimmy Garoppolo stands out as the most logical veteran option, but Joe Flacco, Brandon Allen and several other names remain in the mix. The bigger question is whether New York stays in free agency or surprises everyone by exploring the trade market.
The New York Giants know they need to add another quarterback following Jaxson Dart’s season-ending knee injury. Jameis Winston takes over as the starter, Jake Haener moves into the backup role, and the Giants now need one more quarterback to complete the room.
John Harbaugh has confirmed that the Giants intend to add another quarterback and that all options remain open. Still, everything about the current setup makes me believe New York should be looking for a veteran addition to the roster rather than making a significant trade.
The Giants just gave Winston a two-year, $13 million extension, which showed confidence in him as more than just a temporary insurance policy. Now that Dart is out, Winston gets his opportunity to run the offense, while the front office can focus on adding depth rather than trying to make another major investment at the position.
I also have a hard time believing the Giants would trade away a player, and especially meaningful future draft capital, to add someone who is essentially entering the room behind Winston and Haener. That is why Jimmy Garoppolo continues to stand out as the most logical option.
Jimmy Garoppolo Makes the Most Sense
If I had to pick the direction the Giants go, Garoppolo would be my choice. More importantly, this is not just a name being thrown around by fans, as there has been legitimate reporting connecting him to New York.
Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reported that the “Jimmy G buzz” was picking up and that the Giants’ interest was real. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo has also said he believes Garoppolo would be interested in the Giants and that New York could be one of the limited situations he would consider.
Garoppolo brings far more experience than the typical third quarterback. He has a 43-21 career record as a starter, helped lead the San Francisco 49ers to Super Bowl LIV and most recently spent two seasons behind Matthew Stafford with the Los Angeles Rams.
That experience is exactly what makes him appealing in this situation. The Giants do not need another developmental project or someone who changes the long-term outlook at quarterback, they need a veteran who can step in if the season takes another unexpected turn.
Just as importantly, signing Garoppolo would cost money rather than draft picks. For a team that should be protecting its future resources and building around Dart for 2027 and beyond, that makes considerably more sense than trading away an asset.
Joe Flacco Has the Harbaugh Connection
Joe Flacco also deserves to be part of the conversation because of his long history with John Harbaugh. Flacco played 11 seasons for Harbaugh in Baltimore, and together they won Super Bowl XLVII, so there is already familiarity and trust between the two.
That relationship makes Flacco an obvious name to connect to the Giants. He has the experience, understands Harbaugh’s expectations and would give New York another veteran who would not be overwhelmed if he were suddenly asked to play.
Flacco has pushed back on speculation that he could be headed to New York and has said he remains focused on Cincinnati. At this point, he feels more like a logical connection than a strongly reported Giants target, but circumstances can change quickly around the league.
The biggest issue is compensation. If Cincinnati wanted anything meaningful in return, I would have a hard time justifying it for a third quarterback, but if the cost were minimal, the Harbaugh connection would make the conversation understandable.
Brandon Allen Would Be the Familiar Move
One of the simplest options would be bringing Brandon Allen back. He spent the offseason and preseason with the Giants, so he already knows the offense, the coaching staff and much of the personnel.
Allen also has extensive experience with Giants quarterbacks coach Brian Callahan, having worked with him for several seasons. That familiarity could allow him to return to the building and get comfortable much faster than an outside addition.
His preseason performance was not particularly strong, which is why this move would not excite anyone. Still, this is a third-quarterback role, and there is value in having someone who understands the terminology and can function in the offense immediately.
If the Giants simply want stability and familiarity, Allen would be one of the easiest paths.
Joe Milton Gives the Giants a Different Type of Option
Joe Milton III is another name worth watching because he would give the Giants something different. Instead of adding an established veteran, New York could take a chance on a younger quarterback with intriguing physical tools.
Milton is currently on the Cowboys’ practice squad, which means the Giants could potentially sign him to their active roster without making a traditional trade. That alone makes him more appealing than several of the quarterbacks being mentioned in trade speculation.
The concern is experience. If Winston were injured and the Giants suddenly needed their next quarterback to play, I would trust Garoppolo much more than Milton at this stage.
Still, if the Giants view the open spot as an opportunity to add someone with developmental upside, Milton would be an interesting option.
J.J. McCarthy Does Not Make Much Sense
J.J. McCarthy’s name has been connected to the Giants since Dart’s injury, largely because of his situation in Minnesota and the obvious Harbaugh connection. Joe Schoen also did extensive work on McCarthy before the 2024 NFL Draft, which makes the speculation easy to understand.
But I do not see the logic in giving Minnesota meaningful draft compensation for another young quarterback. The Giants already have Dart as their long-term plan, Winston is under contract and Haener is in the building.
Unless Minnesota were willing to move McCarthy for very little, I would stay away. Adding him would create more questions than it answers and would represent a much larger move than the Giants actually need to make.
Please, Let’s Not Start a Shedeur Sanders Circus
Shedeur Sanders is another name that will inevitably get thrown into the discussion because almost every recognizable quarterback becomes part of the rumor cycle once a team has an opening. I do not think it is going to happen, and I would not want the Giants to pursue it anyway.
There has already been an enormous amount of hype and attention surrounding Sanders, and I do not see enough upside to justify bringing all of that into New York for a third-quarterback role. The Giants do not need another quarterback storyline, another weekly debate or another distraction surrounding the position.
They need someone who can fill out the room and be ready if called upon. Turning that simple roster move into a circus would be completely unnecessary.
Mac Jones and the Other Trade Names
Mac Jones is another quarterback who has surfaced in discussions about potentially available options. He has starting experience and has shown he can function as a capable backup, but once again the question becomes what the Giants would have to give up.
If San Francisco wants meaningful draft compensation, I would not do it. The same applies to names such as Anthony Richardson, Carson Wentz, Justin Fields, Spencer Rattler, Cooper Rush and Kenny Pickett.
Some of those players are more interesting than others, but they all create the same issue. Once the Giants start giving away draft capital, they are spending future resources to solve a depth problem rather than a starting-quarterback problem.
That is unnecessary when there are veteran options available who would not cost them anything beyond a contract.
Derek Carr Appears to Be Out
Derek Carr’s name briefly surfaced after Dart’s injury because he is retired and had previously left open the possibility of returning under the right circumstances. That speculation did not last very long.
Carr responded to a social-media post showing him in a Giants uniform by joking that he was too busy playing NBA 2K. It certainly did not sound like someone preparing to come out of retirement and report to East Rutherford.
There is also another complication, because New Orleans still controls his rights through the reserve/retired list. That means this would not be a simple free-agent signing, which makes the entire scenario even less attractive.
For now, I would cross Carr off the list.
The Giants Should Keep This Simple
The Giants do not need to turn this into something bigger than it is. Dart remains the long-term quarterback, Winston is now the starter and Haener is the backup, which means the front office simply needs to add one more player to the room.
That does not require a blockbuster trade, and it does not require giving away future draft picks that could eventually help build around Dart. Those resources are more valuable to the Giants long term than whatever marginal upgrade they might find by trading for another quarterback.
For me, Garoppolo remains the best fit. He has the experience, there appears to be legitimate interest, he would not cost draft capital and he could step in if needed without changing the direction of the franchise.
Flacco would be interesting because of his relationship with Harbaugh, Allen would bring familiarity and Milton would give the Giants a younger developmental option. But unless something dramatically changes, I would stay away from a trade.
Give me Jimmy Garoppolo as QB3, let Jameis Winston run the offense and save those assets for building around Jaxson Dart when he returns.
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