The Giants’ season faced a major setback before Week 3: rookie Jaxson Dart suffered a knee injury in the first quarter of New York’s 28-6 loss to the Rams and is expected to miss the rest of the year. That hands the offense to Jameis Winston, who recently agreed to a two-year, $13 million extension — a sign the club trusts him — but if Winston struggles, GM Joe Schoen and head coach John Harbaugh could start shopping for another quarterback.
New York may prefer a signal-caller who either adds mobility the offense lacks with Winston or someone already familiar with the coaching staff to speed up the transition. Here are five trade targets that would fit those criteria.
Tyler Huntley (Ravens)
Huntley would be a natural fit. He spent the early part of his career in Baltimore under Harbaugh, returned to the Ravens last season after a brief stop in Miami, and started 12 games in Baltimore, including a wild-card playoff start in January 2023. He offers the kind of scrambling ability Harbaugh values, and offensive coach Greg Roman — who was Baltimore’s OC during Huntley’s first three seasons — is on the Giants’ staff, which could smooth his learning curve. Baltimore might be reluctant to move him given Lamar Jackson’s injury history, but the Ravens did retain rookie Joe Fagano, so a deal isn’t out of the question at the right price.
Justin Fields (Chiefs)
Fields would bring dual-threat play to the Giants and would return to New York after spending time with the Jets earlier in the offseason before being flipped to Kansas City in March. The Chiefs added him as insurance while Patrick Mahomes’ status was uncertain; with Mahomes back and playing well, Kansas City might be open to moving Fields, especially since they have rookie Garrett Nussmeier as another backup option. Matt Nagy, the Giants’ offensive coordinator, also coached during Fields’ rookie year in Chicago, which could help Fields pick up the system quickly.
Mitchell Trubisky (Titans)
Trubisky is another coach-friendly option. Taken No. 2 overall by the Bears in 2017, he and Matt Nagy worked together in Chicago for three seasons and posted a strong collective record during that stretch. Because Trubisky is on the Titans, a trade likely wouldn’t happen until after New York and Tennessee meet this week — which could actually buy the Giants time to evaluate Winston’s play before making a move.
Anthony Richardson (Colts)
Indianapolis might be willing to part with Richardson after he requested a trade earlier in the offseason. The Colts didn’t pick up his fifth-year option, meaning his rookie contract will expire after 2026; trading him now could net assets for Indianapolis instead of losing him for nothing in free agency. For the Giants, Richardson would be a low-commitment gamble: he’d have one year left on his deal, so if he performs well he could earn a big new contract in free agency, and if not, New York wouldn’t be tied to him long-term.
Joe Flacco (Bengals)
Flacco offers veteran stability and instant familiarity with Harbaugh: he and Harbaugh were together in Baltimore for 11 seasons and won a Super Bowl in 2012. Even at 41, Flacco showed he can step in and produce; after joining Cincinnati last October, he had a strong first start and averaged 272.7 passing yards and a 13:4 TD-to-INT ratio over six starts. The Bengals, however, might be hesitant to trade him because of Joe Burrow’s injury risk, though front-office familiarity from recent trades could make discussions feasible.
Other names to monitor
Other quarterbacks who could conceivably be movable include J.J. McCarthy and Mac Jones. If New York wanted to explore free agency instead of a trade, Jimmy Garoppolo is one possibility — though he might not be a clear upgrade over Winston — and Russell Wilson has been linked to media work, which makes him a less likely option.
Why this matters for the Giants’ season
The Giants have winnable games coming up — three matchups against 0-2 teams (Titans, Texans, Commanders) and a game against the Cardinals — so finding a workable quarterback now could salvage the year. Whether the solution is Winston or a new arrival, the team needs to stabilize the position quickly to keep playoff hopes realistic.
Fan Take: This is a compelling storyline because a midseason QB shake-up can change a team’s trajectory overnight and produces high-stakes roster chess across the league. For NFL fans, watching which direction the Giants go will reveal how teams weigh short-term competitiveness against long-term commitments at the most important position in football.
Source: www.cbssports.com
