With Russell Wilson named the opening day starter and rookie Jaxson Dart impressing over the first two weeks of the preseason, speculation abounds about the New York Giants potentially trading Jameis Winston.
Winston, who signed a two-year deal worth $8 million this offseason, is currently penciled in as Wilson’s primary backup, but both veterans know that Dart will ultimately take over.
That has led many to question what it would take to pry Winston away from the Giants — a debate that has raged for months and one that persists to this day.
But Giants assistant general manager Brandon Brown isn’t necessarily interested in entertaining that sort of speculation. While meeting with reports at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Tuesday, he shut down the notion that Winton might be traded.
“I appreciate people that are interested, but Jameis is a New York Giant,” Brown said. “With the way that he’s gone about his business from day one, he’s made it very intentional with the fact that he wants to be here and he wants to be here for the long haul.
“Teammates love him, his preparation process, whether it’s the off-field things that he does in terms of community relations, Bible study, things in the locker room, galvanizing the group together, not just the quarterback room, but the offense as a whole. He’s been comic relief, but he’s also been a really good example of how to be a pro in handling your business in terms of prehab, rehab, postgame care. So, I’m happy he’s here, and he’s going to continue to do those things. He hasn’t wavered and he hasn’t been shaken by any distractions at all.”
Brown added that Winston has given no indication that he doesn’t want to be a Giant, instead suggesting that the veteran “wants to be here for the long haul.’
When Winston last spoke to reporters in late July, he made little of being a backup. He was merely focused on his job and having an impact in the locker room, which Brown said the team values.
“I look at it like, ‘Man, this is my opportunity. Let me go out there and make the most out of my opportunity.’ That’s something that the coaches stress. No matter if you’re a quarterback, no matter if you’re the third-team cornerback,” Winston said at the time. “Every time I’m taking a play out there, I’m making the most of that opportunity.”
Winston understands his role and has embraced it. Not only will he likely remain a Giant in 2025, but he’ll also likely return as a backup and mentor in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants’ Brandon Brown shuts down Jameis Winston trade rumors
Reporting by Dan Benton, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
