The New York Giants struck out on their top quarterback target this offseason (Matthew Stafford), forcing them to turn to riskier options in NFL free agency. With Aaron Rodgers now potentially coming off the board, New York will have to pivot to its third choice.
New York believed it was close to acquiring Stafford, having a contract in place with the Pro Bowl quarterback before he ultimately stayed with the Los Angeles Rams. Once he was out of the question, New York focused its attention on Rodgers and emerged as the favorite for him early in NFL free agency.
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However, after acquiring DK Metcalf, the Pittsburgh Steelers entered the mix for Rodgers. Just as Pittsburgh and New York seemed to be battling for the future Hall of Famer, the Minnesota Vikings joined the mix. It’s now seemingly a two-team battle between the Vikings and Steelers, leaving New York to pursue its third option from its offseason target list.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported on Saturday’s SportsCenter that quarterback Russell Wilson is believed to be the Giants’ backup plan to Rodgers. With the four-time NFL MVP headed to Pittsburgh or Minnesota, New York is expected to move forward with its pursuit of Wilson.
- Russell Wilson stats (ESPN): 95.6 QB rating, 16-5 TD-INT ratio 2,482 passing yards, 7.4 yards per attempt, 63.7% completion rate, 155 rushing yards, 2 rushing touchdowns in 11 games
NFL rumors of Wilson signing with New York first surfaced in mid-February with further reporting in early March that he eyed the Giants as a backup team if things didn’t work out with Pittsburgh. Both sides now seem poised to settle for their backup plans after being spurned by their preferred options.
Wilson has met with both the Giants and Cleveland Browns, with New York as his top option. He would likely be the Giants starting quarterback early next season, with a rookie from Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft potentially taking over in late December. With Cam Ward widely expected to be the first overall pick, New York isn’t expected to reach for Shedeur Sanders at No. 3 overall.
