The Indianapolis Colts are walking into the 2025 NFL season with a major question mark at quarterback. Head coach Shane Steichen has made it clear that Daniel Jones will be the undisputed starter, but Colts fans have their hesitations based on his history.
If anything happens to Jones at this juncture, the team will be forced to re-insert Anthony Richardson back into the lineup. While he possesses incredible upside and the franchise used the No. 4 overall pick on him, Colts fans also know that this is unlikely to work out well either.
This roster is simply too good to waste, especially in an underwhelming division like the AFC South. If things do go sideways in Indianapolis, they need a better contingency plan, and one may have just become available.
Colts should inquire about Giants QB Jameis Winston's availability
On Tuesday, the New York Giants released their initial depth chart for the 2025 NFL season. While veteran Russell Wilson was listed as the expected starter, first-round rookie Jaxson Dart slithered his way into the backup role.
Now, Jameis Winston is the third-stringer, and he could be expendable to a Giants front office that has no job security and needs solutions right away. Winston would be an ideal backup to Jones, and acquiring him could effectively end the Anthony Richardson experiment in Indianapolis.
Richardson cannot be relied on as a healthy or effective backup at this point in his career, and he clearly needs a change of scenery based on how the last three seasons have gone. If they can find a trade partner for him, the Colts could easily justify sending a Day 3 pick to New York for Winston.
Winston might not be the most steady quarterback, but he is absolutely electric as a backup, and his tendency to gamble is both exciting to watch and often pays off. He was the No. 1 overall pick in 2015 for a reason, and he has six seasons as the primary starter under his belt a the NFL level.
It may be a bit awkward that the Colts have yet another former Giant in the quarterback room in Indianapolis. But clearly, these two offenses have enough in common that Jones was granted a starting role in both.
Between his experience, leadership, standing on the depth chart, and low cost, Winston may be the perfect backup option for Jones in 2025. He may end the Richardson experiment upon his arrival, but that may not be such a bad thing either, as a change is likely needed for both parties.