Jaxson Dart won't be playing NFL football again until 2027 and New York Giants fans are already getting their mock drafts ready after Week 2. With backup QB Jameis Winston set to inherit the starting role for the foreseeable future — despite a forgettable fill-in appearance for Dart in a 28-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football — pundits and fans alike wonder if the Giants will turn to any number of unwanted backups instead.
It's understandable the conversation would be had. It's feast or famine whenever Winston is under center. Despite his experience (and a two-year extension signed this offseason), his supporting cast appears strong enough to some to warrant calls for bringing in a veteran flier to save what looked like a promising season. The Giants shouldn't make such a hasty decision, especially with these risky misfit passers topping many lists as suitable emergency options.
J.J. McCarthy
Minnesota's QB3 is practically on the verge of either being cut or traded for pennies on the dollar. There was slight hope for his career's survival when Kyler Murray suffered a Week 1 concussion but backup Carson Wentz did just enough to help the Vikings defense carry two season-opening victories. The Giants could appear like a desperate enough franchise to swap for a former first-round pick and hope a change of scenery sparks a fruitful campaign.
Some suggest the Harbaugh connection could spur a trade, considering John's brother Jim was McCarthy's college coach at Michigan. Even though John liked the 2024 national champion during the draft process, he's got to realize there hasn't been enough promise displayed in the last two seasons to give up capital for McCarthy. He doesn't put you back on the path to a potential playoff berth and he's certainly no better than Winston.
Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel
Even if the Cleveland Browns are calling general manager Joe Schoen, he shouldn't pick up the phone. There is no quarterback on the shores of Lake Erie worth taking a flier on. Shedeur Sanders couldn't earn his way into the starting role via training camp and even with Deshaun Watson earning a feel-good win over former Browns QB Baker Mayfield on Sunday, there's still a significant possibility he gets benched down the road. That leaves Dillon Gabriel as the only "disposable" asset.
Winston may be a turnover machine but at least he can manage the Giants offense down the field with the run game. Neither Sanders nor Gabriel have shown enough promise Harbaugh knows his former offensive coordinator Todd Monken well and if he's starting Watson over Sanders and Gabriel, with no shot at the playoffs, there's zero reason to consider a trade for either one of them.
Tua Tagovailoa
The Atlanta Falcons have a worse situation than the Giants. Former first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. will be the team's third QB to see action in as many games when he returns from injury to start on Sunday. Cooper Rush and Jack Strand were disastrous the last two weeks and Tua Tagovailoa was dealing with an injury of his own.
Let's get something straight. The Miami Dolphins decided to sign Malik Willis to a multi-year contract rather than continue on with the concussion-prone Tagovailoa and the Falcons have practically done everything possible to avoid putting him on the field this year. They'd be happy to ship him off elsewhere with a tank likely to occur this year (or an NFC South title because that division is wacky) but the Giants would have to be suckers to make that trade.
Jimmy Garoppolo
One of the league's most notable backups, Jimmy Garoppolo could be on the short list for a practice squad signing to eventually bring in should Winston go down with injury or just completely blow it. Giants fans better hope the team doesn't get that far down the list. Garoppolo hasn't played meaningful snaps since 2023 and would likely have significant rust on his throwing arm at 34 years old. He was used entirely for kneel-down situations with the Los Angeles Rams last year and couldn't find a home as a backup this season.
The Giants would be better served trading for their old third-stringer, Tommy DeVito, back from the New England Patriots before going to Garoppolo. At least Tommy "Cutlets" has a history of winning with New York and the nostalgia factor would rile up fans out of their depressed stupor. There's a reason Garoppolo was left unsigned this offseason and the Giants shouldn't feel panicked enough to snatch him just because.
Andy Dalton
If the Giants are going to make a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for a passer, they should be haggling with general manager Howie Roseman for Tanner McKee -- not Andy Dalton. The "Red Rifle" is more like the Red Nerf Blaster nowadays at 38 years old but at least he's seen recent snaps. He threw for 293 yards, a touchdown and a pick last year for the Carolina Panthers in four appearances which isn't an encouraging sample size.
Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has a history with Dalton from their days in Cincinnati and Chicago but it's not a great history. The Bears went 6-11 in 2021 with both on that team and that was back when Dalton was still a desired passer. Giving him Malik Nabers and Isaiah Likely isn't going to magically return him to serviceable condition, especially with two contests against Philadelphia still left on the schedule.
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