NFL analyst claims Jameis Winston’s $8,000,000 contract doesn't make him Giants’ future

Jameis Winston spent the 2024 season with the Cleveland Browns. He took over as the starting quarterback after Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending injury. Wiston led the Browns to an underwhelming 3-14 campaign while recording a total of 2,121 yards and 13 TDs passing.

One team that needs to address their quarterback room are the New York Giants. They only had Tommy DeVito on the depth chart after they parted ways with Daniel Jones and Drew Lock. On Friday, the team decided to bring in Jameis Winston on a two-year contract worth $8 million.

Despite his acquisition, NFL analyst Tyler Sullivan believes that Winston will not be a part of the Giants' long-term plans. On Saturday's episode of "CBS Sports HQ," he downplayed Winston's future with the franchise.

Sullivan said that despite bringing in a veteran like Jameis Winston, the Giants will still be looking for a solid starting quarterback. He felt that Winston is a part of their contingency plan until they figure out their quarterback situation amidst the uncertainty surrounding the acquisition of Aaron Rodgers.

"You bring in Jameis Winston, he has started in the NFL before," Sullivan said. "He has experience as a starter, but his presence doesn't preclude you from making other moves. It still gives you flexibility. If you want to sign Aaron Rodgers, you could still bring him in.

"You can also go the NFL draft route and select someone like Shedeur Sanders with the No. 3 overall pick, but Winston at least gives the Giants an option."

He added:

"The Giants only have Tommy DeVito on the roster at quarterback. If Rodgers went elsewhere, their choices seemed limited. Now, at least they have someone who provides a stable floor. The ceiling isn't a Super Bowl, we're not talking about that with Winston and the Giants, but he's a proven starter ...

"This move at least gives the Giants flexibility to avoid feeling pressured to sign Rodgers." (TS-1:40 onwards)

Jameis Winston might be past his prime, but he can still deliver on offense for the Giants. He was the leader in the league in 2019 for passing yards (5,109).

---

What is next for the Giants after signing Jameis Winston?

The New York Giants have the third overall pick in this year's draft. The top three teams, including Tennessee and the Browns, have a need for a young rookie quarterback to develop into a future superstar.

At the moment, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are considered the top two QB prospects in April. If Ward goes to the Titans with the No.1 overall pick, then the Giants will have to pray that Coach Prime's son falls to the No. 3 spot on the board in April.

If things don't go as planned, then the Giants can decide to pick up Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart.

Dart has seen his draft stocks rise since his NFL Scouting Combine performance. It will be interesting to see how they tackle their quarterback dilemma in the coming weeks.