The Giants are going three-deep at quarterback.
Jake Haener was signed Wednesday to the active roster, NFL Network first reported, where he will join starter Jameis Winston and J.J. McCarthy.
It’s a curious choice because Haener was eligible for two more game-day practice-squad elevations.
It is “on the table” that McCarthy, who has been getting a crash course in the playbook since his acquisition last Monday, could replace Haener as the No. 2 option as soon as Sunday against the Commanders, head coach John Harbaugh acknowledged earlier this week.
By carrying three quarterbacks on the active roster, the Giants can deactivate one and declare him as the emergency quarterback. That means the third-stringer only would be available to play if the first two quarterbacks are injured and declared ineligible to return.
In order to do that sort of roster manipulation last week, the Giants had to have all three quarterbacks among their 46 active players because Haener was a practice-squad elevation. So, carrying Haener on the active roster provides the Giants an avenue to get another special teams player eligible while not being short-handed if disaster strikes at quarterback.
