Jameis Winston has been stuck in the backup quarterback role since leaving Tampa Bay in 2020. The veteran signal-caller faced a similar fate when he joined the Giants this season, leaving him to drop a clear hint to the other 31 NFL teams.

“My relationship with being a starting football quarterback is throwing a lot of passing touchdowns, throwing a lot of yards, and being a leader of my role as a starting quarterback in NFL is not over. It’s all about the opportunity in a situation that you’re put in,” Winston told Kay Adams on the Up & Adams show on February 2.

Those words carry extra weight when you remember how big Winston once was. Back in 2015, the Buccaneers selected Jameis Winston as the No. 1 overall pick in the Draft. Now, years later, he’s using that same fire to send a direct message to every team out there. He’s primed to grab the starting reins again if the right door opens.

Winston wasted no time proving his worth with the Bucs. In his rookie season, he started all 16 games, putting up numbers that earned him a Pro Bowl nod. He became the first Tampa Bay rookie quarterback ever to achieve that honor.

Winston stuck with the Bucs for four solid years. His final season in 2019 stands out as a true highlight. He led the entire NFL in pass attempts (626), passing yards (5,109), and first downs (243). However, the downside was brutal: he also topped the league in interceptions (30), which played a big part in Tampa Bay parting ways with him after that year.

Since then, Winston has bounced around as a journeyman quarterback. He first landed with New Orleans, then moved to Cleveland, and signed with the Giants in the 2025 offseason. The Giants brought him in specifically to serve as the backup behind Russell Wilson, their veteran starting quarterback. But the team drafted Jaxson Dart, which ramped up the competition in the quarterback room.

With Dart locked in as the clear future of the organization, Winston’s role on the depth chart is fading fast. Reports now suggest the Giants could cut him loose soon, pushing him toward free agency and a fresh start elsewhere.

Jameis Winston will probably not be with the Giants in the 2026 season, per reports

Jameis Winston signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Giants, setting him up for a base salary of $3.95 million plus a $50,000 workout bonus in 2026. It looked like a smart bridge deal at the time. But now, shockingly, he’s popping up on lists as a prime cut candidate.

According to OverTheCap’s 2026 Top 100 possible cut candidates, Winston ranks fourth overall, with over 50% odds of facing that negative fate. Winston does have a potential out clause if better opportunities arise elsewhere. 

Still, if the Giants release him, they’d take on a hefty $5 million cap hit and a $2.3 million dead cap value. Those financials add pressure, but they also open the door for Winston to shop his services around.

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That said, the Giants’ bigger picture might keep him around longer than expected. They won’t re-sign Wilson after this season. That shift could actually boost Winston’s value internally, positioning him to mentor Dart or step in as the reliable backup next season.

So for the Giants, Winston remains a crucial piece on the roster right now, bringing veteran smarts and experience. However, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he jumped at another team’s offer for a starting role.