Former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson has joined the New York Giants on a 1-year deal worth up to $21 million, with $10.5 million guaranteed. This is coming after an off-season where names such as Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco, and multiple rookies were predicted to be wearing blue in 2025-26.
What Impact Will Russell Wilson Have on the New York Giants?
Mr. Unlimited. Finally, the wait is over. The Giants have found their quarterback, and life looks a lot less blue for Giants fans today.
Wilson, entering his 14th season, will be 37 years old in November. It feels like this may be his final stop and where he will end his career, but the 10-time Pro Bowler still has a lot left in the tank. Last season for the Pittsburgh Steelers, he had a career resurgence of sorts. Coming off an injury, he threw for 2,500 yards, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions while starting 11 games. Helping take the Steelers to the playoffs, he got his career back on track after an abysmal two seasons with the Denver Broncos
Two QB1’s?
Now that Wilson is a Giant, what does this mean for Jameis Winston?
Giants current QB room: pic.twitter.com/6o1gNqjr1L
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 26, 2025
Unless Wilson was guaranteed the starting job at the moment of signing, a competition may be in order this off-season to see who gets it come Week 1. Both players are talented and will certainly be ready to fight for the starting role.
Regardless of who gets the job, this is the best the Giants’ quarterback room has looked in a long time. Prior to the last two weeks, they haven’t had a truly competent player at the quarterback position in years. Now, all of a sudden, they don’t have just one but two players capable of truly being relied on.
The only question now is, what do they do with the third overall pick?
Choices at the Draft
Now that the Giants have their quarterback room shored up for at least this season, the options become wide open for them on April 24.
What before seemed like a sure-fire pick at quarterback, and even a possible trade up to get the guy they want, can now but a very different conversation. Can the Giants still go quarterback? Sure, but now that Wilson is a Giant, they can go with the best player available.
This draft does not have the generational blue-chip prospect at quarterback like others do. Sure, players like Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are talented, but the truth is they would not be mocked at the top of the draft if not for the position they play. They have now given themselves a chance to go after the true blue-chip prospects.
Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter are names to watch. Hunter is the definition of a Swiss army knife who can play both sides of the field. At corner and receiver he’s shown throughout his college career that he can make plays all over the field. There’s never been anyone like him, and that is enough reason to take a chance on such a unique prospect.
Carter is a game-wrecker at the edge. The former Nittany Lion took the jump last season, posting his best year yet with 12 sacks and 24 tackles for loss. He’s going to be a terror for offensive lines for the next decades in the NFL, and it would be hard for the Giants to pass up an opportunity to draft him.
Can the Giants Compete?
Now that the Giants have brought in Wilson, the pressure is going to be on to compete for the playoffs.
Although it’s going to be quite the uphill battle, anything is possible in the NFL. The Giants are a talented team with superstar players all over the field. They are not a three-win team with a competent quarterback under center. Now that Wilson is a Giant, that’s exactly what they’re going to get.
Will they be competitive? Yes.
But will they make the playoffs? That is to be determined. Luckily, we have 17 weeks of football to find out!
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images