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Hold the phone — the New York Giants are officially in the running for former Super Bowl champion quarterback Russell Wilson ahead of his sit-down with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, “before traveling to Pittsburgh today, Russell Wilson stopped in New Jersey for what one source described as ‘an exploratory meeting’ with the Giants, per league sources.” He’s now meeting with the Steelers on March 8.
Schefter also shared a photo of Wilson at Newark Liberty International Airport as additional proof of his Big Blue detour.
Remember, in releasing him from his $245 million contract, the Denver Broncos are already paying the veteran signal-caller $39 million in 2024. That allows Wilson to potentially sign a one-year deal for a lower cap hit this spring — making him a viable option for a franchise like the Giants or Steelers despite financial commitments to Daniel Jones and Kenny Pickett.
Giants Media Reacts to Russell Wilson Meeting With NYG
This Wilson news appeared to catch everyone by surprise this morning on March 8, including the majority of the NYG beat.
The Athletic’s Dan Duggan called it “an interesting development…” While SNY’s Connor Hughes had no words, only an “👀” emoji.
“Joe Schoen promised to be in the veteran QB market with Daniel Jones tracking to be the Week 1 starter. But signing Wilson would replace Jones, not support him,” New York Daily News reporter Pat Leonard weighed in on X. “A reinforcement here of just how much work the Giants recognize they need to do at QB — including in the short term.”
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan commented too, stating: “The #Giants are going to sign a quarterback in free agency. This would be a cheap option and contingency for Daniel Jones + draft. It kind of makes some sense if Wilson can’t get a guaranteed starting spot.”
And finally, New York Post reporter Ryan Dunleavy voiced that “a QB room of Russell Wilson, Daniel Jones, J.J. McCarthy and Tommy DeVito sure would make #Giants interesting.” Adding: “I think the best QB in 2024 — not necessarily the right choice to start — would be … Wilson. Ultimately, I don’t think he signs in NY but fun to think about today.”
Giants QB Coach Shea Tierney Has Loose Tie to Russell Wilson
On the national side, Pro Football Focus cap analyst Brad Spielberger noted an old coaching connection between Wilson and the Giants.
“Giants passing game coordinator/QB coach Shea Tierney was at NC State as a student when Russell Wilson played there, became a grad assistant the year he transferred,” Spielberger informed.
Tierney is an integral member of Brian Daboll’s staff and was the initial favorite to replace offensive coordinator Mike Kafka amid rumors of his potential departure. With Kafka now locked in for the 2024 campaign, Tierney will focus on the quarterback room once again.
Russell Wilson Had Quiet Bounce Back Season in 2023
Coming off an awful first year in Denver, Wilson was not the problem in 2023.
The 35-year-old threw for a 66.4 completion percentage on the season, which actually bested his career average of 64.7%. He also lowered his interception percentage down from 2.3% to 1.8%, with four game-winning drives and a passer rating of 98.0 according to Pro Football Reference.
Outside of total passing and rushing yardage, just about every statistic was an improvement for Wilson from 2022 to 2023 — but most of all, he was much more efficient. That renaissance effort led a below average Broncos roster to a 7-8 record that nearly snuck into the playoffs.
At his peak, Wilson was a winner and a playmaker in Seattle, with nine straight winning seasons from his rookie year through 2020. He has also been durable throughout his career, rarely missing any starts due to injury.
If the Giants elect to prioritize wide receiver and offensive line in the draft, they could do far worse than a competition between Wilson and Jones at quarterback. At the very least, you have two motivated veterans looking to prove they can still sling it at the NFL level.
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