The Giants have made a quarterback addition, but it’s not the one that had anyone dreaming big.
After New York’s rough 13-10 preseason-opening loss, the team moved to bring in former Saints quarterback Jake Haener, according to NFL insider Mike Garafolo on Monday. It’s a clear response to a backup quarterback situation that looked shaky from the jump.
Brandon Allen had the kind of outing that forces a team to act. The 10-year veteran, who joined the Giants earlier this offseason, went 5-of-8 for 45 yards with two interceptions on Saturday.
He also had another throw tipped that could easily have become his third pick. By the end of it, the backup room needed help.
Haener had already been on the Giants’ radar. New York worked him out in late July during one of its 18-player workouts, a session that also led to the team signing tight end Tyler Moore and defensive lineman Marlon Davidson. Davidson is the only one of those two still on the roster.
The Saints took Haener in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Fresno State. He played in eight games for New Orleans in 2024, starting one, and completed 18 of 39 passes for 226 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
He spent all of the 2025 season on the Saints’ practice squad before a short stop with the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this offseason.
There has been no official status change for Allen yet, but the move for Haener makes the Giants’ thinking pretty obvious. After Saturday, they needed another arm.
In Other News...
Giants Depth Battle Suddenly Feels Brutal After Preseason Opener
The Giants preseason opener in Minnesota did not just leave them with a loss, it put a few roster hopefuls on the clock. Brandon Allen had a rough night at quarterback, Zacch Pickens did not help his case up front, and the backfield mix of Damon Bankston and Eric Gray failed to make much of an imprint as the team starts sorting out the bottom of the depth chart.
Allens showing is especially notable because the Giants have already brought in Jake Haener at quarterback, a move that suggests the competition behind the top of the depth chart may not be settled. For Pickens, Bankston and Gray, the problem is simpler but no less serious: in a preseason game where fringe players are supposed to make a push, they did not do enough to make cutting them any harder. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Suddenly Have A Backfield Problem Fans Feared All Summer
The Giants spent the early part of camp hoping their backfield would settle itself behind the top option, but the preseason opener made the issue harder to ignore. Their backup running backs struggled enough to push the team toward outside help, and that led to a Monday visit with veteran Najee Harris as the staff took a closer look at possible depth upgrades.
Harris is a familiar name for a reason, even after a tough injury stretch that sidelined him last season. If the Giants decide he fits, he would give them another experienced body in a room that suddenly looks thinner than expected, and a chance to steady a spot that has become a quiet concern heading deeper into August. [Read more 🡒]