Jameis Winston is taking the Giants’ quarterback change in stride.
With New York moving into Week 7, the team has officially shifted Winston back to the bench and handed the starting job to J.J. McCarthy. Winston had been pressed into action earlier in the season after Jaxson Dart went down, but the Giants clearly see McCarthy as the move going forward.
Winston’s production wasn’t empty, either. He finished with 957 passing yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions in his stint as the starter. Still, the organization made its choice, and Winston is now back in a backup role.
For Winston, this is just another chapter in a career that’s taken plenty of turns. At 32, he said he’s keeping his focus on the day-to-day and embracing whatever the team asks of him.
“Just focusing on one day at a time is the biggest thing,” Winston said, per SI.
“I’m extremely grateful that I still get to do what I love, and that’s play football at a high level for the New York Football Giants. And being able to accept roles and understand what your significant role is, and how you can be the best at your role with this team, is one of the things that you have to adjust to in this league.”
That mindset could matter for McCarthy, too. Learning behind a quarterback like Winston gives the rookie a chance to absorb a veteran who has seen plenty in this league.
Winston may not be viewed as an elite quarterback, but he’s still been steady enough to stick around. Now in his 12th season, he doesn’t appear headed for retirement anytime soon unless he decides that’s the road he wants to take.
In Other News...
Giants Are Being Linked To A Major Jonathan Taylor Decision
NFL Networks Ian Rapoport has put Jonathan Taylor back into the center of the leagues trade chatter, noting that multiple teams could take a look if the Indianapolis Colts make him available before the deadline. From the Giants perspective, it is the kind of name that naturally gets attention, especially with running back help remaining a popular talking point around the roster and the offense still searching for more reliable production on the ground.
The list of possible suitors also includes the Seahawks and Vikings, which only adds to the sense that any move for Taylor would come with real competition and a steep price. For now, though, it remains an exercise in fit and speculation rather than a confirmed deal, with the conversation around New York focused on whether a swing that big would even be realistic if the Colts decide to entertain offers. [Read more 🡒]
J.J. McCarthy's First Giants Start May Hinge On One Connection
J.J. McCarthy is set to make his first start for the Giants against the Texans, and the early blueprint around him looks pretty clear. The team wants to play to his strengths as a game manager, building the offense around short and intermediate throws that can keep him on schedule and help him settle into the job without asking too much too soon.
A big part of that approach could come through Isaiah Likely, who has become a central piece of the passing game and gives McCarthy a reliable target in the middle of the field. With Houstons defense looming, the Giants are trying to create answers before the rush and coverage can dictate the script, and how quickly McCarthy and Likely get on the same page may say a lot about how this debut goes. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Secondary Just Took Another Hit At The Worst Time
The Giants secondary keeps getting thinned out just as the schedule asks for more of it, and the latest update only adds to the urgency. Jevon Holland has been downgraded to out for the upcoming game against Houston because he is still in the concussion protocol, leaving New York to keep reshuffling a defensive backfield that already has been stretched by injuries.
Paulson Adebo was activated from injured reserve, which gives the group a needed boost, but there is still plenty of uncertainty around the back end. Greg Newsome II remains out with a concussion, and the Giants also moved Tremaine Edmunds to injured reserve while elevating safety Raheem Layne from the practice squad, another sign that the team is trying to patch together enough reliable bodies for the week ahead. [Read more 🡒]