The Steelers became the first team connected to Russell Wilson following the news of his imminent Broncos release, but one other team was believed to be in on the decorated quarterback. It appears the Giants are that mystery suitor.
Wilson has already met with — or is meeting with — the Giants, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. The two-year Broncos quarterback was recently at an airport in Newark. While Wilson arrived in Pittsburgh for a Steelers meeting Friday, the 35-year-old passer appears squarely on the Giants’ radar. The Broncos are allowing Wilson to negotiate with teams before his actual release.
[RELATED: Giants Looking Into Trade-Up For QB]
Wilson’s Giants meeting can be labeled an “exploratory” session, Schefter adds, confirming the Pittsburgh trip is a go. The Giants fit would seem a bit clunkier, due to Daniel Jones‘ 2024 guaranteed salary, but GM Joe Schoen has frequently mentioned the team will add a QB this offseason. What remains to be seen is how the Giants will go about doing that.
They have been increasingly tied to an effort to trade up for a passer or select one at No. 6. A Wilson addition would stand to be a different route altogether, and the team would then seemingly be signing off on a Wilson-Jones competition despite the $40MM-AAV contract it gave its starter last March. The Giants can reasonably escape that contract in 2025.
Financially, a Wilson move would be a creative effort on the Giants’ part. Due to offset language in his current contract, Wilson can sign with his next team for the league minimum and stick the Broncos with the rest of the bill. Although Wilson made a point to thank several of his former teammates in a farewell post, he unsurprisingly omitted Sean Payton and George Paton when confirming he was done in Denver. Wilson has confirmed the Broncos attempted to convince him to move the vesting date for his 2025 guarantee; he refused, which will led to an official exit March 13 (as a post-June 1 cut).
That drama would benefit the accomplished passer’s next team, which would be able to add a former franchise QB at a significant discount. Wilson is currently tied to a $49MM-per-year Broncos deal; he played on a $35MM-AAV Seahawks pact from 2019-21. While attached to the latter deal, Wilson famously made a list of acceptable trade destinations. The Bears, Saints, Raiders and Cowboys initially made that 2021 list, but the then-Seahawks starter amended it to include the Broncos and Giants. He ended up waiving his no-trade clause for Denver, which proved to be a poor fit.
The Giants have Jones and Tommy DeVito under contract for 2024; they are not expected to re-sign Tyrod Taylor. Jones is on track to be ready for training camp, though four-plus months still remain until that point on his ACL rehab journey. Wilson has expressed obvious interest in becoming a starter again. With Schoen repeatedly indicating Jones will be the starter when he returns, it would seem the Giants would not be the favorite to secure Wilson’s services. Though, it will depend on just how many teams are truly interested.
Schefter also mentions the Raiders as a possibility, but that is not certain yet. Antonio Pierce has made no secret of the team’s interest in adding a long-term option; at this stage, Wilson does not qualify as such. The Raiders have joined the Giants in being regularly linked to a first-round trade-up maneuver.
Beautiful day in Pittsburgh. Sun is shining. Temp is up. Maybe one of our sports teams will be on the way up in the near future. Maybe
Either Wilson or Fields, your team becomes very dangerous.
And yet, despite the sunshine, I expect another year of Pickett and mediocrity, at best
Really think Ciarra is going to move to Pittsburg…..LOLOLOOLOLLOLL
Coming from someone who can’t even spell the city correctly, that’s hilarious. Like Seattle was LA. Or Denver
You must think people travel by wagon train these days
Meanwhile, the Wilsons have a great deal to do with Acrisure, the company whose name is on the stadium here
Blather on
Doubt it would even come to a contract offer anyway
Pittsburgh is beautiful city. Been there multiple times. Always a blast.
I think she would support RW wherever…it’s about finding a fit not money this time. He wants to prove people wrong. He wants to rebuild his stock. I hardly think something simple as location is going to stop him. He doesn’t have as many choices this time around.
Fields fits Pitt best. Not as friendly cap hit
Actually, Russell Wilson might be a good fit with the G Men
If he’s going to sign for league minimum, it’s worth kicking the tires. Jones has an injury clause in his contract that would partially guarantee his year three salary, so if they’re moving on from him, not playing him is the best thing to do. If they’re not going to draft a QB, signing Wilson would be a good idea. Draft either an OL or WR at #6 and see what happens.
I agree Lefty.
I don’t understand the writer’s viewpoint that this would be “a bit clunkier”.
The Giants have buyer’s remorse on Daniel Jones and they will move on from him next year, if he doesn’t play much better this year.
Think RW, and wife, would prefer the bright lights and society of NY over Pittsburgh. Seems adulation was missing in Denver combined with contract salary and trade cost focus there was a negative ‘lean’ on his move from Seattle that couldn’t be overcome.
Payton uses a ‘pocket’ QB that doesn’t stray far from ‘the script’ and RW is more ‘ad hoc’ in style. Not sure which organization, what with many new coaching hires, can utilize his style properly.
Speaking as a Steelers fan – please go to New York! Actually, just go anywhere but Pittsburgh… ARIII and Tomlin seem to be enamored with “bright, shiny things” and they’re only looking at the name, not the product of the last four or so years.
You guys were a competent QB away from being in the playoffs last year and Wilson is going to cost you almost nothing in salary. Crazy that Steelers fans don’t seem to want Wilson.
Steelers went 10-7 despite the 28th ranked offense in the league. Wilson alone would have won you 2-3 more games (Patriots and Browns, possibly the Cardinals). League-minimum QBs who are decent enough are a Godsend for the cap.
Uhhh, Pittsburgh made the playoffs thanx to Jacksonville going all-in for derp football in Week 18.
@ChuckyNJ: lmao, totally forgot about that. Point stands, though. They won 10 games even with a horrible offense and Mitch Trubisky losing them at least two games. They could have had home playoff games with someone as competent as Wilson at QB.
Agree completely, but let’s add that if Tomlin would have started Rudolph instead of Trubisky, that was two more wins, too
A ‘79 Pinto would cost me next to nothing… not going to waste my time on that either.
You would if your alternative was a “brand new” Kia that drips oil, leaks antifreeze and won’t start.
Don’t all Kia’s do that?
No you’re thinking of Subaru.
If it’s “brand new” it’s gonna be under warranty there, Chuckles
I’ll speak for a lot of Steelers fans. We want an option for Pickett. Trubisky gone, next Rudolph. I think Wilson has something left…at least more than Pickett.
Absolutely terrible idea. Giants can’t get out to their own way. The guy is done
I’d like Maye, but seeing as that is a hard task to get him – based on draft slot and cost to move up. I’d be happy(ier) with Wilson over Jones. Though the Giants have so much work to do to be competitive again.
To say that Wilson was given $85 Mil to just go away because he’s “off-script” is also saying that Sean Payton can’t coach off-script QBs.
I doubt that, but it remains to be seen. The Raiders have seen a lot of Wilson and his receivers down field waving their hands in the air while he scrambles and gets owned by Maxx Crosby and Co. Most of Wilson’s tape and numbers are in the 4th quarter and on the sidelines.
When somebody is given that much to leave and is “undeniably cheap” you typically get what you pay for. Best of luck to whoever inherits what was reported by many as inconsistent play with flattering numbers.
Actually, the G-Men would’t be a bad fit right now….Ciara would absolutely want to have him in NY as compared to Pittsburg….sorry Pittsburg she’s just not digging you….Jones may not be able to start the season and could be out 4-5 games….enough time to let Wilson steer the team in the right veteran direction and maybe…just maybe….give the braintrust pause to think about staying with him for the season….yes, know that with his contract the Giants would be trolled mercilessly but his contract was created with a back door out after the season….and maybe that’s the plan…..
Yeah, I think Pittsburg, Kansas, would be a lifestyle downgrade. Pittsburgh, PA? Great city.
Wilson would have to check his ego at the door. But if Daniel’s somehow falls to Giants (slim). Wilson might be worth it, if nothing else when Jones gets hurt again
If he didn’t like the media scrutiny in Seattle or Denver, New York shouldn’t be on his Prospective List lol
… and where is the OL protection needed to throw to NYG’s mythical WRs anyway?
… and what’s the backfield that will keep opposing Defenses “honest”?
Sit at home, collect your paycheck from Denver and play with your kids
I don’t get how the Giants would be “a bit clunkier” fit than Pittsburgh? When Daniel Jones showed competence (2022) his style was pretty similar, lots of movement and sometimes taking off running partly because his line could block nothing. It worked – much of that year. Pittsburgh won 10 games with Pickett as the main guy last year, imagine what a stable organization like that could do with a young guy like Justin Fields escaping the Bears. But the article does get it right saying that Wilson could be a bridge QB away from Jones to whoever they draft. The stuff I read about Wilson’s tenure with the Broncos (getting privileges the rest of the team didn’t have, being aloof) – doesn’t fit in with either Pittsburgh or NYG.
Thing about Wilson in Denver – he was overpriced for a Walmart option and likely having his head so far up ‘in altitude’ could be he was just not gettin enough oxyi gen and brain cells were in chaos
A JOKE, right? Horrible “human”. Easy to see what a toad when he “played” for Yankees in Spring Training games… Wait, maybe it is a favor to the NFL overall, let this toad play behind the O-line that does not exist, I see now!
Horrible human? Nope. Over dramatic & needed humble pie? Yes.
Does Daniel Jones have a no-trade clause? Wouldn’t it make sense to start the season with Russell Wilson and if he’s playing well trade Daniel Jones to whichever team has their star starting QB injured in week five or six?
If Wilson has been a disaster, then cut him and put Daniel Jones back in as QB. Jones 2026 final contract year is very expensive. Unless he’s hitting on all cylinders the Giants certainly don’t want to pay Jones $48 million.
If Jones can’t hold the starter job against Wilson then his market value declines even further and another team would really have to be desperate to take on his contract.
Some playoff team which is 5-2 with an injured starter and a poor backup will be desperate by October.