Giants' Depth Shines as Two Players Land on ESPN's All-Backup Team

Stars make headlines in the NFL, but they aren't enough to win championships. Backup and role players are just as important, and when it comes to these “super subs,” the New York Giants are pretty fortunate to have guys they feel they can count on.

Two such Giants players who received special recognition from ESPN’s Bill Barnwell in his All-Backup team were quarterback Jameis Winston and edge defender Kayvon Thibodeaux.

While plenty of franchises had two players included, the Giants landing players at two premium positions on the list is telling of the depth that general manager Joe Schoen has built over the last few years.

Jameis Winston’s Hidden Value

The role of a backup quarterback is unique. Some go an entire season without stepping on the field, but they must be ready to lead the offense at all times.

Winston will enter the 2026 season as Jaxson Dart's backup. He started two games in Dart's stead last season, throwing for 567 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in that stretch.

The former No. 1 pick isn't a typical backup quarterback. Unlike many of the league's game managers, Winston is eager to push the ball down the field whenever he gets the chance.

Among quarterbacks with at least 70 dropbacks last season, Winston finished second in the NFL with an average depth of target of 10.1 yards.

Besides being able to step in at quarterback if needed, Winston brings a veteran leadership to the locker room that is highly respected.

His teammates revere him, and he’s also been a tremendous resource to Dart, who last year named Winston as his “dream teammate.”

Dart will get the benefit of having Winston in the same room for another season, one that is critical as the coaching staff looks to expand Dart’s abilities outside his comfort zone. Having Winston there to help with the transition will be invaluable.

Kayvon Thibodeaux Has Risen to a New Level

Unlike Winston, it’s almost a misnomer to call Kayvon Thibodeaux a backup, as it is anticipated that he will play a significant role this season. Along with Brian Burns and Abdul Carter, Thibodeaux helps form one of the NFL's most dangerous groups of edge rushers.

The former top-five pick has yet to live up to his pre-draft billing, but he's a strong rotational piece for New York. He offers a balance of run defense and pass-rush ability and makes a larger impact than his raw stats show.

Despite logging only 3 sacks last season, his pass-rush win rate of 11.1% was higher than that of Burns (7.3%). His career-best PFF run defense grade of 80.7 in 2025 shows that he can hold up on early downs.

Thibodeaux hasn’t had much luck with avoiding IR the last two seasons, but in an era where some athletes are prima donnas when they don’t have long-term financial commitment from their team, Thibodeaux is taking the high road.

He is betting on himself to have a monster year in defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson’s more aggressive system–a year that he hopes will lead to the type of payday he feels himself to be worthy of.

Thibodeaux has managed to block out the noise about his future and whether he’ll be traded and hone in on taking care of business.

“I think I've been putting in work and people are seeing it. I appreciate it,” he said last month when asked how he’s been able to block out the noise regarding his future.

“It's hard to compliment people in this league. This is a ‘what have you done for me lately’ league. For me, I try to keep getting better every day, and I'm happy that they can see that.”

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