For a player who has dealt with so much uncertainty over the last few years of his career, the words coming from New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll just one day into training camp must have been music to quarterback Russell Wilson’s ears.
Daboll ended any and all debates about who the Giants starting quarterback was going to be on July 23 by declaring the job as Wilson’s. Not Wilson’s to lose, but his from here moving forward.
Wilson was the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers while playing on a 1-year contract in 2024 and spent 2 seasons before that as the starter for the Denver Broncos.
Wilson’s time in Denver was a disaster for the franchise, by any metric, and involved a 5-year, $242.5 million contract extension that eventually saw the franchise eat $85 million in dead cap space over the 2024 and 2025 seasons after Wilson was released in March 2024.
“These (quarterbacks) will be here competing, but Russell Wilson is our starter,” Daboll said on July 23.
While most assumed Wilson would be the starter, Daboll’s declaration does add some clarity to a rather confusing depth chart that includes former No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston, 2025 first round pick Jaxson Dart and the Giants backup for the last 2 years in Tommy DeVito.
Wilson Might Be Down to Last Chance in NY
The Steelers got an all time savings on Wilson in 2024 on a 1-year, $1.21 million contract because the Broncos were paying the bulk of his salary. He responded by beating out current New York Jets starter Justin Fields for the top job and helped lead Pittsburgh to the playoffs.
Wilson turned his one year in Pittsburgh into a 1-year, $10.5 million contract with the Giants, which could quickly turn into a nightmare. The NFC East features the 2 teams who played in last year’s NFC Championship Game with the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders.
The Eagles have won of the NFL’s scariest defenses. Another NFC East opponent, the Dallas Cowboys, have arguably the game’s top edge rusher in Micah Parsons.
So, it could be a long year if Wilson starts to struggle. Especially with a fan base eager to see what Dart has to offer.
“If (Wilson) is the Week 1 starter (if Jaxson Dart lives up to his first-round draft stock, Wilson shouldn’t be), the clock will be ticking,” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote on July 5. “ … When Dart is ready, Dart will play. Even if Wilson makes it through 2025 without getting benched, he’ll have to do plenty to keep Dart on the sideline for 2026.”
Wilson Trade One of NFL’s All Time Worst Deals
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox called the Broncos trade with the Seattle Seahawks for Wilson the “Worst NFL Trade of the Last 10 Years.”
“The Denver Broncos’ ill-fated 2022 trade for Russell Wilson has largely been overshadowed by the disastrous deal Cleveland made for Deshaun Watson in the same offseason,” Knox wrote. “However, that doesn’t mean that Denver’s deal was a good one. In fact, the Wilson trade might be considered the worst of the last decade if not for the Watson debacle. The Broncos coughed up two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and tight end Noah Fant to acquire Wilson and a fourth-round pick. The Broncos then signed Wilson to an extension worth $242.5 million over five years with $161 million guaranteed.”
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