The bulk of the hype surrounding the New York Giants’ offseason will rightfully circle around blue-chip edge rusher Abdul Carter and first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart, potential pillars in the team’s pursuit of a championship contender.
However, New York is positioned to be far more competent than it was in 2024, thanks to upgrades on both sides of the ball. General manager Joe Schoen added corner Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland in the opening days of free agency. Soon after, he signed quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, insulating the passing offense.
Wilson adds a steady hand to the quarterback room, offering competence that last year’s group couldn’t. His game is inherently volatile (although not as much as Winston’s), but his floor is far higher than the depths of the 2024 quarterback room.
After getting his first look at his new passers, Holland revealed his first impression of the Giants' quarterbacks.
"It’s like it almost looks like it’s second nature for those two, and I’m super excited for Jaxson because he has two extremely good vets and two individuals that speak life into everybody around them,” Holland said, via Sirius XM. “You have to raise the youth, and I know those two individuals are going to raise Jaxson into a great quarterback.”
Wilson’s first order of business is making New York competitive enough to play meaningful football for most, if not all, of the season. But his most important work will come between Sundays, when he is practicing and watching film alongside Dart.
Holland spoke about Wilson’s leadership at OTAs.
“I mean, he's comfortable back there,” Holland said. “He's been through the motions. You can tell that this is something that he's done multiple times in multiple systems against multiple defenses. So yeah, he just remains calm, and he's just going through his process. This is just a part of what he does. So it's just a level of poise that you can understand.”
The rookie is in line for a redshirt season, although it’s possible his development or the Giants’ struggles could accelerate that timeline. In the early going, it will be Wilson leading New York into battle. For the rest of Holland’s tenure, it will likely be Dart and the upside that comes with a young quarterback under center. He’ll hope his presence helps the defense keep Dart in advantageous situations when the time comes.
