The New York Giants had a surprise retirement this past weekend, when veteran cornerback Sam Webb abruptly retired just one day after the preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings.
To replace Webb’s spot on the 90-man roster, the Giants are signing veteran quarterback Jake Haener, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, who was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 2023 and was most recently on the Kansas City Chiefs‘ practice squad.
Webb signed with the Giants last Thursday and even played 14 snaps on Saturday against the Vikings. He recorded two tackles in the 13-10 loss.
Clearly, Webb’s heart just isn’t in the game after a four-year NFL career, and he feels comfortable hanging up the cleats.
Sam Webb’s Unforeseen Retirement Decision
Despite only spending a handful of days as a member of the New York Giants, Webb decided enough was enough for his short career.
An undrafted free agent out of Missouri Western in 2022, Webb spent time with six different NFL teams’ practice squads from 2022 to 2025 and appeared in 36 games over his career, starting five.
He recorded 45 tackles, forced one fumble, and had four pass breakups in various roles throughout his NFL tenure.
Webb was expected to add another level of competition to the Giants cornerback room, who are still trying to figure out their starters with weeks to go before the start of the regular season.
New York could look to add another veteran in the coming days to add more competition to the position.
Jake Haener Adds Competition to Giants QB Room
With the addition of Haener, the New York Giants now have four different quarterbacks on their roster, including starter Jaxson Dart, backup Jameis Winston, and third-string quarterback Brandon Allen.
Garafolo included in his report that the New York had worked out Haener in late July, but didn’t feel inclined to sign him until now.
After seeing Allen’s outing on Saturday, where he completed five of eight pass attempts for 45 yards and two interceptions, it’s possible the Giants felt they needed to make things a little more interesting at QB3.
While not as experienced as Allen, Haener is younger and may have a little more upside than his veteran competition, and he should have a chance in the coming weeks to supplant him on the depth chart.
Haener hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2024, when he appeared in eight games for the New Orleans Saints. He received one start late in the year.
In those eight games, the former Fresno State standout completed 46.2% of his passes for 226 yards, along with one touchdown and one interception.
It will be interesting to see Haener in his likely Giants debut against the Miami Dolphins this coming Saturday.
Could the Giants Make Another Move at Cornerback?
In the wake of Webb’s retirement, there are several free agent cornerbacks the New York Giants could look to bring in to add some more competition to the room.
Ex-Dallas Cowboys star Trevon Diggs remains unsigned and recently worked out for the Detroit Lions.
Veteran Marshon Lattimore, most recently with the Washington Commanders, is also currently available.
If the Giants are looking for a little bit of star power to add to their secondary, there are plenty of options still out there who could make sense, at least as competition to push the younger guys.
Giants Sign Ex-Saints Quarterback After Surprise Retirement