Sources: Winston joining Giants for 2 years, $8M

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Free agent quarterback Jameis Winston announced Friday that he has agreed to sign with the New York Giants.

The deal is for two years and $8 million, sources told ESPN, confirming a report by Fox Sports.

“Start spreading the neWs,” Winston posted on his X account Friday, confirming his excitement over his new football home with an apple emoji.

Start spreading the neWs 🍎

— Jameis Winston (@Jaboowins) March 21, 2025

The signing comes after weeks of the Giants flirting with Aaron Rodgers and missing out on Matthew Stafford, who remained with the Los Angeles Rams on a new contract. Rodgers visited with the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier Friday, hours before New York pivoted to Winston.

It was starting to seem in recent days as if the Giants were a long shot for Rodgers, the former three-time MVP. Winston gives them a quarterback capable of starting who can also serve as a mentor to a young quarterback from the draft.

New York is still expected to add to its quarterback room this offseason despite the addition of Winston. It still needs a young quarterback, who is most likely to come in the draft. The Giants currently hold the No. 3 pick.

Co-owner John Mara said earlier this year that finding the team’s quarterback of the future was the No. 1 priority this offseason. Winston and Tommy DeVito are the only two quarterbacks currently on the Giants’ roster.

Winston, 31, visited with the Giants earlier in the week. This came on the heels of Joe Flacco and Russell Wilson coming to New Jersey the previous week.

Winston began the 2024 season as the backup to Deshaun Watson but took over as the Cleveland Browns‘ starter after Watson’s season-ending right Achilles tendon tear in Week 7.

He helped spark a Browns offense that failed to reach 20 points in any of Watson’s starts. Winston engineered upset victories over the Baltimore Ravens and Steelers, and he threw for a franchise-record 497 yards in a Week 13 loss to the Denver Broncos.

Winston, though, was benched in Week 16 after throwing eight interceptions in a span of three games. The Browns were 2-5 in games that Winston started. Winston finished the year completing 61.1% of his passes for 2,121 yards, 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, while also running for one score.

While working as a media correspondent at the Super Bowl, Winston asked Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley where he should sign. Barkley told him New York.

Winston later expressed his interest in the Giants.

“Would I really sign with the Giants? Absolutely!” Winston told NJ Advance Media at the time. “I want to keep playing and do what I do best.”

The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Winston entered the NFL as the No. 1 pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015. After five seasons in Tampa Bay, Winston spent four seasons with the New Orleans Saints before signing with Cleveland last offseason.

In his 10-year career, Winston has appeared in 105 games with 87 starts. He has completed 61.2% of his passes for 24,225 yards, 154 touchdowns and 111 interceptions.

ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi contributed to this report.

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