Russell Wilson plans to be QB1 for the New York Giants, despite the skepticism surrounding the one-time Super Bowl Champion.
While Wilson has been one of the most prominent names in the NFL since he landed with the Seattle Seahawks in 2012, he’s at a different stage in his career. This year, Wilson is heading into year two as a one-year rental with a different franchise.
Inside of the Giants’ organization there is a lot of excitement about what the 36-year-old could bring to the table. While Wilson’s best days might be behind him, he still completed 64 percent of his passes for over 2,400 yards and 16 touchdowns in 11 games last year for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Although the Steelers’ playoff run was short, Wilson started in his 17th postseason game as the Steelers looked to make it out of the Wild Card round. Wilson is still fresh, and the Giants hope he’ll be a key contributor this upcoming season as they look to contend in the NFC.
Outside of the Giants’ organization, expectations are low. In fact, some believe the Giants might be pretty skeptical behind the scenes. For example, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has read the tea leaves in a way that has led the NFL Insider to believe that the Giants will eventually reach a point where Wilson hits the bench, and the rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart takes over.
“You listen to everything Brian Daboll says, you get an understanding of how far along Jaxson Dart is, and where you think he’s going to go,” said the Insider. “It’s clearly a matter of ‘When,’ not ‘If.”
That’s a statement that is sure to raise some eyebrows. When Dart was taken late in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, a lot of the follow-up analysis surrounded the idea that the Ole Miss star would have a redshirt season as an NFL rookie.
While the Giants are currently operating with the idea that Wilson will be the starting quarterback for the year, there has been plenty of buzz brewing about a potential takeover by the 22-year-old.
After four college seasons, which included a six-game run at USC as a freshman, Dart completed 852 passes for nearly 12,000 yards. He tossed 81 touchdowns and 27 interceptions.
Along with his passing, Dart rushed for 1,541 yards and 14 touchdowns on 393 attempts. He left the NCAA with a 28-13 record. Personally, Dart found a lot of success, and he won plenty of games over his final two seasons at Ole Miss. He was a proven winner in college, and Dart will eventually look to become the franchise quarterback for the Giants.
Will he beat out Wilson as early as this season? Only time will tell. There’s a high chance Wilson is the starter for Week 1, but it seems like the veteran might have to carry some level of worry as Dart has gained a lot of support recently.
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