The New York Giants lost quarterback Jaxson Dart to a knee injury in their second game of the 2026 NFL season.
While the initial prognosis for Dart's injury seemed positive, the team got bad news about it the day after the game, as ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Dart's injury is "worse than initially thought." As a result, the 23-year-old quarterback may require season-ending surgery.
Giants coach John Harbaugh didn't provide much of an update about Dart's condition on Tuesday, Sept. 22, saying that "evaluations are ongoing." But if Dart is out long-term, the Giants will be thin at quarterback.
New York presently has just two quarterbacks on its 53-man roster, Dart and backup Jameis Winston. The team also has Jake Haener on its practice squad, but
the team will likely need a third quarterback if Dart ends up being out long-term.
Who are some of the options the Giants could consider adding? Here are some of the best free agent and trade options for New York to consider.
Jimmy Garoppolo
If the Giants want to sign an experienced player in free agency to provide depth and competition for Winston, Garoppolo would easily be the best option. The 34-year-old quarterback considered retirement during the offseason but is believed to be open to playing in the right situation.
Would the Giants check that box? It isn't clear, but the presence of Malik Nabers, Isaiah Likely and Malachi Fields could be enough to convince him to give it a go.
Garoppolo has a career record of 43-21 in 64 starts and has completed 67.4% of his career passes for 15,828 yards, 96 touchdowns and 52 interceptions. He's a bit less turnover-prone than Winston, so Harbaugh may value that if he can convince Garoppolo to play.
Josh Johnson
Johnson has played for 14 different NFL teams during his career. Could he add a 15th? The 40-year-old had three separate stints with Harbaugh's Baltimore Ravens, most notable one from 2023-24 where he dressed for six games as a backup quarterback, so his familiarity could make him an ideal fit to join New York's depth chart.
Johnson is currently on the Bengals' practice squad, so the Giants would have to sign him to their 53-man roster to get the veteran.
Joe Milton III
Here's a fun one for the Giants. Milton is currently on the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad. Could New York try to poach the Tennessee product by promising him an opportunity to back up Winston if Dart misses the remainder of the season? It would certainly be in the spirit of the NFC East rivalry.
Milton has elite athleticism and a strong arm. He has never made an NFL start but has performed well across limited action, completing 69.8% of his passes for 424 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while adding 66 yards and a score on 15 carries.
Jake Browning
Harbaugh is familiar with him having seen Browning back up Joe Burrow in the AFC North; and Browning's strong stretch from 2023, during which he completed 70.4% of his passes for 1,936 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions, could inspire hope he could provide solid depth behind Winston.
That said, Browning failed to beat undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels for the Buccaneers' backup job and was benched in favor of Joe Flacco after struggling across three starts with the Bengals last season. So, he may serve more as depth behind Winston than legitimate competition.
J.J. McCarthy
If the Giants want to explore the trade market, there are a few younger options that could be worth a gamble. Chief among them would be McCarthy, a 2024 first-round pick who finds himself behind Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz on Minnesota's depth chart.
McCarthy has struggled to build any momentum during his professional career, but Harbaugh could be willing to take a chance on him. McCarthy played for Harbaugh's older brother, Jim, at Michigan and found success when leaning on a strong running game. The Giants would likely prefer to run such a ground-heavy offense, so McCarthy could be a better fit in New York than Minnesota.
As such, the Giants could try to buy low on McCarthy and see if they can turn him into a solid game manager. Success in doing so would make him quality, cost-controlled insurance option behind Dart.
Anthony Richardson
Richardson is in a similar boat to McCarthy. He was a first-round pick in 2023 but has never been able to establish himself as a starter with the Colts. The Florida product won Indianapolis' backup job to open the 2026 season, but the 0-2 Colts may be happy to move on from the pending free agent and hand the backup job to Riley Leonard.
Richardson has a cannon of an arm and elite mobility. His issue has been accuracy, as he has completed just 50.6% of his career passes. Still, Harbaugh and Matt Nagy might like a crack at tapping into the 24-year-old's potential. He won't cost much as a pending free agent, and his running skills would stylistically make him an intriguing long-term backup behind Dart.
Aidan O'Connell
O'Connell is behind Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza on the Las Vegas Raiders' depth chart, but he has actually posted solid numbers during his career. The 28-year-old has a 7-10 record across 17 starts and has completed 62% of his passes for 3,932 yards, 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, good for an 84.1 passer rating.
O'Connell doesn't have a huge arm or much mobility, but he's a strong pocket passer who should be, at the very least, a solid backup. The Giants could kick the tires on him, and Las Vegas shouldn't be too reluctant to move its third-stringer because he's set to be a free agent after the season.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Giants sign Josh Johnson, Jake Browning after Jaxson Dart injury?
