NFL Trade Rumor: New York Giants urgently linked to $33M Arizona Cardinals QB amid suspected Jaxson Dart season ending knee injury | NFL News
Raising Zona’s Reese Kunz suggests Gardner Minshew II for the New York Giants. The Giants showed they could become a threat after defeating the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.But Week 2 brought quarterback Jaxson Dart’s potential season-ending knee injury and surgery. This leaves room for a stopgap solution. They cannot solely depend on Jameis Winston. That’s where Minshew comes in. That’s what he is doing for the Arizona Cardinals right now.They already have 2026 rookie Carson Beck as third-string QB behind Minshew at QB2 and veteran starter Jacoby Brissett.Brissett, who needed a new contract, got one and played backup behind Kyler Murray, so he’d want to redeem himself much as Malik Willis would with the Miami Dolphins after playing backup to Jordan Love with the Green Bay Packers.So, yes, Minshew might not get much gridiron time; he’d have to play backup as he did behind Patrick Mahomes with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025, just for a game or two when the quarterback needs rest or is injured. He could do that in New York, under John Harbaugh’s offense.
Giants linked to Patrick Mahomes’ former backup QB amid terrifying Jaxson Dart injury
Raising Zona’s Reese Kunz notes that Gardner Minshew II is splitting reps with 2026 draft pick Carson Beck behind Jacoby Brissett in Arizona.This suggests the Cardinals probably want their 2026 rookie to step up and become their next Kyler Murray [a much better version, of course].Backups are reportedly always seen as backups; unless it’s Malik Willis, who played so well in Green Bay behind Jordan Love that a franchise in dire need of a quarterback signed him for three years. We’re talking about Miami without Tua Tagovailoa.Anyhow, when the season is here and the quarterback is injured, desperate times may call for desperate measures. So, that’s where Gardner Minshew II comes into play for Jaxson Dart’s New York Giants.Minshew played backup behind Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the three-time Super Bowl champion, in 2025. What better resume than this one?
Andy Reid heaps praise on Gardner Minshew
2025 was the only year that Patrick Mahomes missed most games in his almost decade-long NFL career [3].Though the Kansas City Chiefs did not make the playoffs for the first time since 2014, Minshew stepped up when the franchise needed him.Even head coach Andy Reid spoke highly about him. “Gardner’s a brilliant guy,” Reid said in Sept. 2025. “I know he’s got the mustache and the hair and all that stuff that goes with it. But he’s brilliant.He’s got such a good feel for things as far as the game goes, and I think it’s great for Pat to be able to talk to him.He understands – he’s been a starter and understands when to speak and when not to speak and when to jump in and not jump in. I’ve appreciated having him here. He’s a lot of fun to be with, too. He’s got quite a wit.”
Gardner Minshew teams and career stats
For the past seven seasons, Gardner Minshew II has played for five teams:Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, and now, for his eighth season, he’s with his sixth team – the Arizona Cardinals.The Washington State alum has recorded 1,100 completions on 1,742 passing attempts for 11,987 passing yards, 68 touchdowns, and 35 interceptions over 63 games.He has an 88.0 career passer rating and a 63.1% career completion percentage. He has had a consistent passer rating between 81.0 and 104.8.His career-best came twice. Once in his rookie year with the Jaguars: 285 completions on 470 passing attempts for 3,271 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions, with a 91.2 passer rating in 14 games.And for the second time with the Eagles: 41 completions on 60 attempts for 439 passing yards, four touchdowns, and one interception, with a 104.8 passer rating in just four games.
Gardner Minshew trade rumors
| Category | Details |
| Player Name | Gardner Minshew II |
| Current Franchise | Arizona Cardinals |
| Proposed Landing Spot | New York Giants |
| Contract Status | 2026 is the only year of his 2026 contract |
| Contract Value | He signed a one-year, $5.75 million contract, including a $2.25 million signing bonus and $5.14 million in guaranteed money, with an average annual income of $5.75 million |
| Cap Hit and Dead Cap Value | In 2026, he is scheduled to earn a $2.89 million base salary, $2.25 million signing bonus, and $100,000 workout bonus while carrying a $5.69 million cap hit and a $5.24 million dead cap value |
| Years Left On The Contract | UFA [unrestricted free agent] in 2027, zero years left. |
| Career Earnings | $33 million over eight NFL seasons with six teams [Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, and Arizona Cardinals]. |
