New Analysis Pairs This Veteran Quarterback With Giants

Ahead of a potential big wave of quarterback activity this offseason, one of the high-profile free agent names is being newly linked to New York as a good bridge option.

Jan 11, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) looks on in the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens in an AFC wild card game at M&T Bank Stadium. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

It’s been just about a month since the New York Giants’ 2024 season came to an unceremonious close after a 3-14 performance, and they’ve now been entrenched in the work of finding their next answer at the quarterback position ever since. 

With mounting pressure on the front office’s shoulders to find or select the team’s latest franchise arm, the Giants have been inundated with tons of potential suitors to address the spot, everything from high-profile starters to NFL journeymen who could fill a bridge man opportunity. 

And that’s assuming they’ve determined whether they will be able to secure one of the best rookie prospects in the upcoming draft to learn behind them. 

Even with a college piece like Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward joining their ranks, the Giants will need to add a veteran piece to the quarterbacks room who could potentially start for a year while mentoring the novice counterpart to get ready for life in the league. 

The main names for that situation have tended to be Minnesota Vikings’ Sam Darnold, who will likely be the most sought-out free agent gunslinger this spring, and Derek Carr, who the Giants could acquire from New Orleans via a trade with his status with the Saints up in the air after a mediocre campaign.

However, there is a new sheriff in town who hasn’t earned enough mention as a real option of late. That would be Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson, whom CBS Sports’ NFL writer Cody Benjamin proposed as the best quarterback match for the Giants to make this offseason.

“The G-Men reportedly had eyes on Wilson before the former Super Bowl champion signed with Pittsburgh, and now that Daniel Jones is gone, they could use his veteran arm again. We think the Las Vegas Raiders could leapfrog New York via trade for a top rookie quarterback, putting the club in desperation mode,” Benjamin said in his analysis. 

The Giants had a very quick cup of coffee with the former Super Bowl champion last offseason amid the growing uncertainty about then starter Daniel Jones and his ability to recommend the helm after a miserable 2023 season that was marred by neck and ACL injuries that ultimately limited him to six games. 

The brief conversations never amounted to anything serious, especially when the veteran could have been signed for almost nothing on the veteran minimum deal of $1.2 million. 

Instead, the Giants dedicated $5 million on a one-year agreement to Drew Lock, who was actually a part of the trade that sent Wilson to Denver in 2022, and the latter was picked up by Pittsburgh to compete for their starting job. 

Jan 11, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) warms up before an AFC wild card game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

In his first rodeo with the black and yellow, Wilson didn’t have the flashiest stat sheet as he dealt with a calf injury at the beginning of the 2024 season that held him down for the Steelers’ first five games and helped make a case for fellow arm Justin Field to steal the spotlight away. 

Still, that wouldn’t happen once he returned in Week 7 and finished 22nd among the position with a 63.7 percent completion rating for 2,482 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions, averaging a healthy 225.5 passing yards per contest that outpaced the entire quarterback room in New York by almost 20 yards and led the Steelers to a 10-7 record and fourth playoff berth in the last five seasons.

Wilson likely isn’t the most intriguing option set to hit the open market, and his value could come into question given he had to earn his job back from Fields and had some hot and cold statistical spells in that stretch of 11 games, but he holds a few attributes that work well for the Giants’ offensive huddle in 2025. 

Firstly, his numbers don’t jump off the page enough for him to warrant a massive $100+ million type contract that agreeing with players like Darnold would demand. 

Wilson’ numbers were enough to outshine that of the four different gunslingers that the Giants used this fall, but they still marked some of his lowest since he was drafted by the Seahawks back in 2012. 

The Giants and general manager Joe Schoen could reignite their conversations with Wilson and lure him to East Rutherford on a short-term agreement, perhaps a one-year deal that Spotrac predicts would command around $38.7 million in average value that could get worked down further if the market isn’t fighting for his services. 

In terms of his on-field intangibles, Wilson would bring a dual-threat arsenal to the Giant's offense and make it more impactful with the collection of weapons at his disposal. He’s been one of the best ball-protecting quarterbacks in the league, but he knows when he can sling it deep to make an accurate big play.

Despite playing behind a Pittsburgh offensive front that ranked near the Giants at 24th in team pass-blocking grade, Wilson finished a second consecutive season with under six interceptions, ranking third-best among quarterbacks with at least 362 dropbacks this season.

Per PFF, Wilson was one of the better big-time passers in the entire league, placing in the middle of the above pack with 20 big-time throws that translated into 851 yards and seven touchdowns on plays of 20+ yards. 

He very rarely takes gambles with his downfield shots, as he held the lowest turnover-worthy percentage of 1.7 percent, which was also a career-low. 

Even though he would have a healthy offensive line to protect him, Wilson could use his mobility and experienced field vision to extend plays away from pressure and carry out select run option or play action schemes. 

The factor of his legs has given him as much as 3.35 seconds to throw in his career and kept him composed in the pocket until he elects to take off, which he has done for over 400 yards in six of his 13 seasons.

Pairing an experienced quarterback of Wilson’s ilk with a slew of weapons headlined by wide receiving sensation Malik Nabers could be the ingredient the Giants need to win some more games next season, and there is reason to believe that from what he did with a similar arsenal in his stint in Seattle. 

The Giants clearly saw something in the veteran’s skill set for them to invite him to their facilities for a small chat last offseason. It would have set up an interesting scenario had he competed with Jones for the No. 1 spot in training camp. 

They ended up reneging from a partnership, thinking they could give Jones one more shot, but it blew up in their face when Wilson won 10 games and was a leader in a postseason run. 

Now, they are desperate to restock their quarterback room with two pieces for the immediate and long-term future, and they might need to call him back depending on Pittsburgh's decision regarding its own offensive identity in the next couple of months. 

If they go with the younger Fields, it wouldn’t be bad for the Giants to test the waters and give Daboll a gunslinger who could upgrade what he hopes to be a more dynamic unit and be that serviceable stop-gap asset. 

The best scenario would be for the Giants to lean into Wilson from the jump in 2025 and then segue into whatever rookie prospect they secure in the draft. 

The chances of a team jumping the Giants for one of the coveted names seem a bit overblown, as the two franchises ahead of them could have convictions on a generational player of their own. That would leave the door open for New York to have both boxes checked off next year.

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