When the New York Giants signed Russell Wilson, they didn't just pay for a starting quarterback looking for redemption in his 14th season. They bought the opportunity not to take a quarterback with the third pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Wilson will join veteran backup Jameis Winston in the quarterback room, giving the passing offense a breath of validity it has lacked in recent years. As general manager Joe Schoen embarks on a win-now campaign to save his job, Wilson will start, and he'll be expected to play like a fringe-average quarterback.
Yet, it remains a real possibility that New York takes a quarterback at No. 3, namely Colorado star Shedeur Sanders.
At his introductory press conference, Wilson revealed his willingness to mentor a Giants rookie quarterback.
"I think the first thing is you always handle yourself first," Wilson said. "Get yourself prepared at the highest level and control what you can control. Part of that is doing everything I can to be my best every day. Then from there, from leading in that sense, everybody else grows with you from that. They learn from you. They see how you work. See your practice habits and mental habits, how you go about it and your approach every day."
Wilson, to some extent, has a choice waiting for him. Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre was famously threatened by the Green Bay Packers' selection of Aaron Rodgers, and took it out on the young passer by making his transition to the NFL unnecessarily difficult. A page out of New York's history, though, offers a more similar scenario.
Another Hall of Fame quarterback, Kurt Warner, appeared in two Super Bowls with the St. Louis Rams and one with the Arizona Cardinals. In between those stints, he was a 33-year-old stopgap for the Giants, holding down the fort until Eli Manning was ready to be unleashed. Famously, he did his part to take Manning under his wing, a development that unequivocally benefited the future Super Bowl champion.
Wilson has made it clear that he expects to start, and he's a safe bet to be a solid mentor, too. He was likely promised a starting job when he put pen to paper, and he is New York's best chance to win games in 2025. Is it possible a rookie quarterback takes his job down the stretch? Sure. But if Wilson meets expectations, he can push that passer's debut further into the future.
Related: Russell Wilson Reveals Expectations for Giants
Both he and Winston know what they signed up for: roles in a quarterback room without a long-term option under center. There's little reason to suggest New York's new addition won't be beneficial to a rookie passer.
"So I'm excited about the opportunity to continue to lead not just the quarterback room, but really the locker room in every way. My approach, what that looks like, I'm excited about the opportunity. Obviously like to lace up the cleats and get after it and be on the field and help our football team win."
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This story was originally published March 29, 2025 at 4:55 PM.