If there’s a pattern that’s developed in Russell Wilson’s career over the last few years it’s been one of almost wearing out his welcome before he even gets to play a game.
Last season, with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there was little thought to Wilson sticking around for more than one season from the instant he signed his 1-year, $1.21 million contract.
Before that, with the Denver Broncos, Wilson seemed to rub everyone the wrong way — from his fans to his teammate to his coaches — from almost the moment he signed a 5-year, $242.5 million contract in September 2022 that the Broncos are still paying money on like a bad payday loan despite releasing him in March 2024.
Things might not be much different with Wilson’s new team, the New York Giants, after Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio put Wilson on his list of quarterbacks on the hot seat in 2025 — largely because first round pick Jaxson Dart is waiting in the wings.
Wilson signed a 1-year, $10.5 million contract with the Giants on March 17.
“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,” Florio wrote on July 5. “Immediately. In 2004, the Giants benched Kurt Warner after nine games for Eli Manning, even though the Giants were 5-4 at the time. 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 Likely Stopgap Between Dart, Giants Future
While Dart was one of just 2 quarterbacks selected in the first round, the No. 25 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft isn’t projected to be a plug and play starter like Tennessee Titans quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.
In all reality, there’s a chance Dart might not even be Wilson’s backup in 2025 and could be relegated to the emergency third quarterback role after the Giants signed both Wilson and former No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston in the offseason.
Dart’s the future. How much he plays right now depends on how the Giants view 2025. If they’re really trying to win, it’s hard to imagine him playing over Wilson or Winston. If they Giants are going in the tank again by being terrible, like they normally are, then do they roll Dart out to get mauled by opponents?
Broncos Took $85 Million Dead Cap Hit On Wilson
Wilson lasted 2 seasons in Denver after the Broncos traded away their 2022 and 2023 first round picks along with a 2022 second round pick, 2023 second round pick and 2025 fifth round pick in exchange for Wilson.
While that trade haul might have been enough to crack some teams, the Broncos shoveled a massive contract extension onto the deal and, after he was released, ended up with $85 million in dead cap money spread out over the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Even with that albatross hanging around their necks, the Broncos managed to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2015 season thanks to having one of the NFL’s best defenses and the play of a rookie quarterback in Bo Nix, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
