They were right to pursue him. The Giants need a bridge to their quarterback-to-be-drafted later. Aaron Rodgers, on paper, is perfect for the role. He’s a four-time MVP and Super Bowl champion who can still play. That wealth of information is invaluable to whomever the Giants select next month. He could have saved some jobs with his own play in the meantime.
It’s become clear that, right now, the Giants are not what Rodgers wants, though. That’s why, weeks after he could have signed, he hasn’t. That’s why he seems hellbent on finding any other opportunity. That’s why he visited the Steelers on Friday, not the Giants, despite New York having such overwhelming interest.
So, Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll pivoted themselves.
Jameis Winston is officially a Giant, sources confirmed to SNY.
If Rodgers dialed up the 201 area code on Saturday and told Schoen and Daboll he wanted to accept their offer … that deal would be there to take. The Giants did not yank their contract to him after Winston accepted his. Their quarterback room, before this signing, had just Tommy DeVito in it. Now, there’s someone who’s been there and done that. They’ll be in on Rodgers until he signs with someone else.
But, in all likelihood, that call from Rodgers won’t come. New York has seriously improved their defense this offseason thanks to the additions of Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland. They have their picks to add to their offense. They should be a better team next year than last. But there was nothing Schoen could have done this offseason to make New York a contender. That’s with Rodgers or without.
Rodgers is 41. He just spent two years getting beat up with the cross-town Jets. Does he really want to do that again?
That’s why a signing always seemed logically one-sided. The Giants were right to want him. Rodgers was justified in desiring a team closer to contention. If he changes his mind, as he sometimes does, the Giants will wait. In the meantime, they now have a quarterback who they know can quarterback.
Winston has not lived up to the hype he once had when the Bucs selected him first overall in 2015. His best record as a starter: 9-7. His career record as a starter: 36-51. But he’s a career 61.2 percent passer with 154 touchdowns and 111 interceptions. He’s thrown for 24,225 yards. He’s a tremendous locker room presence, one former teammate told SNY. He won’t take the Giants to the postseason. But he can start if need be. He can lead if need be. He can mentor if need be.
There is immense pressure on Schoen and Daboll to turn this around now. They deserve credit for not reacting as such this offseason. Their signings have been calculated. Their moves are understandable. Winston falls in line with that. They didn’t throw dumb money at a stop-gap fix. They pursued all opportunities – Matt Stafford, Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Joe Flacco. They believed Winston to be the best.
So, they added him. They are not done addressing the position. There is still an outside chance of Rodgers, yes, but this reinforces the Giants’ desire to land a quarterback in the draft.
Most around the NFL believed, after the combine, that the Giants were preparing to move up to No. 1 in the draft for Cam Ward. The Giants internally might have felt that way, too. Only now, that seems unlikely. Not because of anything the Giants did or didn’t do, but of the Titans’ desire to stay put and draft Ward for themselves. That leaves the Giants with either Shedeur Sanders or Jaxson Dart. They’ll likely need to move up to No. 2 to secure Sanders. They have the ammo to do so.
Aside from the No. 3 pick, the Giants also own their second-rounder and two thirds. They have their full complement of picks in 2026. Move up. Get your guy. Satisfy owner John Mara’s postseason request to find your quarterback of the future.
If that player is ready from the jump: Start him. If he’s not: Start Winston.
You now have an option in the quarterback room that was barebones before.
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