Add The New York Post on Google The Giants secured another two years of Jameis Winston as their backup quarterback — and likely saved some money in the present.
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Winston, whose deal was set to expire after the 2026 season, inked a two-year, $13 million extension with the Giants, The Post’s Ryan Dunleavy confirmed.
He’ll remain under contract through the end of 2028, and after being set to make $3.95 million in base salary this season, the deal could help the Giants get under the salary cap before the start of the year.
Big Blue sat at around $1.18 million over the salary cap Sunday before the extension, according to Over the Cap.
It gives the Giants some certainty behind Dart in case the worst-case scenario happens with an injury, too. During Dart’s lone preseason appearance, he briefly exited after taking a crushing hit when Tyrone Tracy Jr. missed his block, and Winston needed to enter while Dart was evaluated in the blue medical tent.
New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston speaks to the media after practice on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at the New York Giants training facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post The No. 1 overall pick in 2015, Winston arrived last year as one of three new Giants quarterbacks — alongside Dart and Russell Wilson — and ended up appearing in three games. He made a pair of starts in November when Dart was injured and logged another two snaps in the Giants’ Dec. 14 game, too.
Winston completed 37 of 66 passes for 567 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, directly benefiting from then-interim head coach Mike Kafka shaking up the depth chart after Brian Daboll’s firing.
This is a different role for Winston, who debuted with the Buccaneers over a decade ago, made the Pro Bowl as a rookie and then threw for over 5,000 yards in 2019.
New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19) throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, August 15, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J. Noah K. Murray for NY Post He has settled into a mentorship role for Dart, helping the second-year quarterback adjust to a new system, logging critical reps with the No. 2 offense in training camp and ensuring the Giants’ offense can function when the season opens next Sunday against the Cowboys.
“It’s fun seeing him just — again, just master what they’re throwing at him,” Winston said of Dart last month. “Because it’s a lot because of the complexities of the different systems and him having to learn all those systems in one and ultimately creating a system that benefits him as a player.
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“… So, it’s exciting to see the dynamic that he is the guy, and we’re going to do our best to build an offense that best supports his skill set and kind of capitalizes [on] the things that he does well. He does a lot well, so it’s a lot that we are capable of doing.”
