Giants head coach Brian Daboll declined to say whether Jaxson Dart or Jameis Winston is the team’s No. 2 quarterback during a Monday press conference, but the team gave a pretty good hint about which way they’re going on Tuesday.
The team released a depth chart for Sunday’s game against the Commanders and it lists Dart behind Russell Wilson with Winston as the third quarterback.
Depth charts released by teams always carry the caveat that they are unofficial, so it’s not a sure thing that Dart is in that role but it fits with how things were shaping up during training camp and the preseason. Sunday’s inactive list will be the final determination as the Giants will almost certainly have two active quarterbacks with the third-stringer available on an emergency basis only.
Daboll also declined to name a right guard on Monday, but the depth chart shows Greg Van Roten ahead of Evan Neal. That’s how the Giants were lining up all summer, so it seems fair to think the depth chart is an accurate representation of how things will look against Washington as well.
Free agent wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is visiting the Commanders on Tuesday and he’s reportedly doing so with an offer in his pocket.
Bourne visited the 49ers on Monday in his first meeting with a team since he was released by the Patriots last week. Matt Maiocco of NBCSportsBayArea.com reports that the 49ers made a formal offer to Bourne during that meeting, but his trip to Washington means Bourne didn’t accept it.
It’s not clear what the offer was or what else Bourne was looking for, but the Commanders will have their chance to take him off the market with an offer that’s more to his liking.
Bourne had 28 catches for 305 yards and a touchdown for New England last season.
Free agent wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is on to his second meeting with a team this week.
Bourne visited with the 49ers on Monday and he’s moved on to meet with the Commanders on Tuesday. Bourne posted pictures from his travels on his Instagram stories over the last 24 hours or so.
The Patriots released Bourne last week. He spent the first four seasons of his career with the 49ers and that history along with the team’s injury issues at receiver led many to predict a reunion was in the works. The 49ers got Jauan Jennings back at practice on Monday, however, and moving on to the Commanders visit means that Bourne remains in play.
The Commanders have Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel at the top of the receiver depth chart, but Noah Brown was sidelined this summer. Luke McCaffrey and fourth-round pick Jaylin Lane are the other wideouts in Washington.
Jaxson Dart doesn’t seem long for the bench after the way he played in the preseason, but he will begin on the sideline with Jameis Winston to start the season. The question is whether the rookie or the veteran Winston will serve as Wilson’s backup on Sunday.
Coach Brian Daboll wouldn’t answer Monday when asked who it would be.
“Any roster decisions based on who’s going to be the backup, we’ll have that out there on Sunday,” Daboll said on a video call with reporters, via the Associated Press.
The Giants’ website lists Winston as the second-team quarterback.
Dart completed 32 of 47 passes for 372 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in three preseason games, adding six carries for 52 yards and a touchdown.
Daboll also wouldn’t say whether Cor’Dale Flott or Deonte Banks would start at corner or whether Evan Neal or Greg Van Roten won the right guard spot. Van Roten took first-team reps and is expected to start.
“We have a good idea of how we’re going to play, with the players we’re going to play with,” Daboll said. “That’ll all come out on Sunday.”
Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin held out, held in, asked for a trade, and then finally signed a new deal.
It’s a three-year extension, which puts him under contract for the next two seasons.
Here are the full and complete details of the deal, per a source with knowledge of the terms:
1. Signing bonus: $30 million. (The payment schedule goes like this: $8 million within 30 days, $8 million by December 5, 2025; and $14 million by April 1, 2026.)
2. 2025 base salary: $1.75 million, fully guaranteed.
3. 2025 per-game active roster bonus: $850,000 total.
4. 2026 option bonus: $10 million, fully guaranteed.
5. 2026 base salary: $2.9 million, fully guaranteed.
6. 2026 per-game active roster bonus: $850,000 total.
7. 2027 base salary: $23.3 million, $5.35 million of which is guaranteed for injury at signing and becomes fully guaranteed in 2027.
8. 2027 per-game active roster bonus: $850,000 total.
9. 2028 base salary: $25.65 million.
10. 2028 per-game active roster bonus: $850,000 total.
The deal also includes $2.05 million in available incentives in each of the four seasons, along with a $500,000 escalator in 2026, $1 million in 2027, and $1.5 million in 2027.
The incentives go like this, with a maximum of $2.05 million each year: (1) $300,000 for 83 catches or $$600,000 for 83 catches plus a playoff berth; (2) $300,000 for 1,097 receiving yards or $600,000 for 1,079 receiving yards plus a playoff berth; (3) $300,000 for 10 touchdown receptions or $600,000 for 10 touchdown receptions plus a playoff berth; and (4) $250,000 for a selection to the Pro Bowl on the initial ballot.
The salary escalates by $500,000 from 2026 through 2028 for each prior season in which McLaurin is a first- or second-team All-Pro.
The deal pays out $44.65 million fully guaranteed at signing. It has a new-money average of $29 million per year, and an average from signing of $25.837 million per year.
