The New York Giants believe they solved their quarterback situation for the 2025 season when they signed 10-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson to a one-year, $10.5 million contract that could pay him up to $21 million in incentives.
The signing of Wilson came just days after the team agreed on a two-year deal with Jameis Winston. With Wilson as the starter and Winston as the backup, the Giants’ quarterback position is solidified for the first time since the Eli Manning era.
With the addition of these two veterans some feel the Giants taking either Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft is off the table, even if one of them is available when the team is on the clock with the third-overall pick. But that’s not necessarily the case, especially since head coach Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen have to find the team’s quarterback of the future.
Here’s why New York may still take one of the top two quarterback prospects in the first round and why they shouldn’t.
Why New York Giants should take Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders
Ownership expects team to find quarterback of future in draft
Syndication: The Record
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Shortly after the end of the 2024 season, Giants co-owner John Mara emphasized that the team needs to find their quarterback of the future. As everyone knows, it’s always best to do what your boss wants for your job security.
Based on the ages of the 36-year-old Wilson and the 31-year-old Winston and the length of their contracts, they’re clearly not the long-term answer. But Ward or Sanders could be, and sitting behind Wilson and Winston for a year would help their development into becoming a franchise quarterback.
With the upgrades the team has made this offseason, the hope is they will not be picking near the top of the draft anytime soon. This could be the last time for a while the team will be in position to draft one of the top quarterback prospects.
There are instances where teams have found their franchise quarterbacks outside of the first round. But when you look at the landscape of the NFL, most of the best at the position were taken in the first round. If the Giants view Ward or Sanders as one, it will be difficult for them to pass them up, even though Wilson will be the starter this year.
Why New York Giants shouldn’t take Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders
They need to take player that can help them win now
NCAA Football: Orange Bowl-Notre Dame at Penn State
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The 2025 season is a must-win season for Schoen and Daboll, or else they’re going to be looking for new jobs. The upcoming schedule doesn’t do them any favors as their opponents had a combined winning percentage of .574 in 2024, which gives New York the toughest strength of schedule.
As bright as the future might be for Ward and Sanders, it’s unlikely either of them will be better than Wilson this year. Over his last two seasons with the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers, Wilson threw for 5,552 yards with 42 touchdowns to just 13 interceptions.
Rather than take Ward or Sanders, who would spend most, if not all, of the time on the bench this season, it would behoove the team to draft a player that can help them win now by selecting Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter or Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter.
The versatile Hunter would give the team a dynamic playmaker at both corner and receiver, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s instantly the team’s best corner and second-best receiver behind Malik Nabers.
The franchise has always been at its best when it’s had a dominant front seven, and the addition of Carter would bolster this unit significantly. In his final season at Penn State, the 6-foot-3, 259-pound edge rusher had 43 tackles to go along with 12 sacks and two forced fumbles. Adding him alongside Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Brian Burns would create a disruptive force that would be difficult for opposing offenses to deal with.
Many mock drafts have both Hunter and Carter still on the board when the Giants are on the clock. If the team wants to enhance their chances of having a winning season in 2025, drafting Hunter or Carter is the way to go.