The New York Giants will be making a quarterback change next season, best indicated by the benching and subsequent release of Daniel Jones. If they maintain their current pace and have the No. 1 pick in the draft, they will likely draft their franchise quarterback.
However, they will still need to add another veteran quarterback in free agency that can serve as a bridge in the event that their rookie quarterback is not ready, similar to Sam Darnold taking over for an injured JJ McCarthy and leading the Minnesota Vikings to a successful season.
Three quarterbacks the Giants could target in free agency in the upcoming offseason:
Jameis Winston
Veteran quarterback Jameis Winston has stepped up for the Cleveland Browns following Deshaun Watson’s injury and has delivered strong offensive results.
In Monday’s loss against the Denver Broncos, Winston set a franchise record for most passing yards in a game with 497, and also threw four touchdowns and three interceptions. On the season, he has 1,763 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
The 30-year-old 10-year veteran is not shy when it comes to trying to make a big play, which can sometimes come back to haunt him. He infamously had a 33-touchdown, 30-interception season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019, and he led the league in passing yards that season with 5,109, which sums up the highs and lows of Winston perfectly.
While taking him on comes with a massive risk in terms of his talent, the Giants could benefit from his top-notch leadership and locker-room presence. Right now, everything is gloomy in the Giants’ circle, and Winston could help uplift a broken group and provide stronger results on the field.
Justin Fields
The Giants nearly drafted Justin Fields back in 2021, but they traded their pick for additional picks later in the draft and took Kadarius Toney in the first round while the Chicago Bears wound up with Fields.
After a tumultuous three seasons in Chicago, Fields landed in Pittsburgh this season and has found some success backing up Russell Wilson. Fields also started the team’s first six games while Wilson was out with an injury, to which he led Pittsburgh to a 4-2 start.
Fields is currently having one of his more efficient seasons, as he is throwing for a career-best 65.8% completion rate, has 1,106 passing yards, five touchdown passes, and just one interception. Since Wilson has returned, Fields has been used as an option quarterback for short gains on the ground, making him continue to be impactful.
Fields could be a solid bridge option given his youth (26 years old next season) and versatile skillset. He can still provide an impact even if a rookie quarterback were to start over him thanks to his ability to run, and he serves as a good insurance policy should that rookie get injured.
Marcus Mariota
A Marcus Mariota NFL comeback would closely mirror Darnold’s newfound success after some rough beginning years. Since 2019, Mariota has played in just 36 total games as he has dealt with injuries and also has been primarily used as a backup.
His last season as a starter came in 2022 with the Atlanta Falcons, where he made 13 starts and threw for 2,219 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He was benched late in that season for Desmond Ridder after the Falcons went 5-8 in his starts.
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Since then, Mariota has appeared in just five games, including two with the Washington Commanders as Jayden Daniels’ backup this season. An opportunity with the Giants would give the former No. 2 overall pick to find his lost talent, and his veteran presence can be good mentorship for a rookie quarterback that comes in.
Overview of the Giants’ top quarterback options in 2025 free agency
All three of the aforementioned quarterbacks have the ability to be good bridge options for a team that has had a disastrous quarterback situation this year. While they would most likely serve as temporary options until a rookie to build around becomes ready, they also have the potential to show out and be a starter for the Giants.
All in all, the Giants will certainly be making the most changes in the quarterback room, and those changes could feature some familiar faces in the NFL landscape.
