Since New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart went down for the season with a knee injury on Monday night, it seems almost everyone has an opinion, or advice, on what they should do.
The team has already stated they plan on using backup Jameis Winston under center and possibly elevating Jake Haener from the practice squad. Head coach John Harbaugh also told reporters the Giants will be seeking to bring in another quarterback in the near future.
One pundit, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, suggests the Giants make an offer to the Cleveland Browns for Shedeur Sanders, who is currently backing up Deshaun Watson.
"I would tell the Giants to go and pursue Shedeur Sanders."
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 24, 2026
—@stephenasmith on the Giants' QB situation 👀 pic.twitter.com/C2mIJkAfO2
"Let me tell
you something right now. If there was a possible way they could put it, I would tell the Giants to go and pursue Shedeur Sanders," Smith said on the air on Thursday morning. "I ain't gonna lie to you, that would be what was on my mind personally.
"Let me tell you something about this whole Jameis Winston situation. Yeah, they knew it; they signed him to a $13 million extension. Yes, Louis Riddick, you're absolutely right in terms of, you know what, what you gonna do now? Well, guess what? It ain't about looking for a top 30 quarterback. It's about looking for a better backup than Jameis Winston. Could you find that? That's the real question. Can you, can you pull that off if you're the New York Giants? Because because that's what you're looking for right now. The reality is, is that again, a lot of mistakes happen. We know who he is, unfortunately."
Several things. Winston is no longer the backup; he's the starter. Plus, it isn't likely the Browns will part with Sanders until they know that Dillion Gabriel, who is on short-term injured reserve (IR) with a back injury, is healthy enough to return.
Another consideration would be the compensation that the Giants would be willing to pay. Sanders was a fifth-round pick last year, but ended up in the Pro Bowl. He may not come cheap. The Giants might be better off finding a more seasoned backup for Winston who could perhaps even challenge him for playing time.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Stephen A. Smith: New York Giants should trade for Shedeur Sanders
