Russell Wilson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers last offseason, taking a team-friendly deal to serve as one of the most cost-effective starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Coming off a relatively productive season and a playoff appearance, Wilson is poised to cash in as one of the top options in NFL free agency.
Wilson, age 36, posted a 6-5 record last season as the Steelers starting quarterback. He managed to post a 95-plus QB rating for the second consecutive year, while averaging 225.6 passing yards per game with a 4.8 percent touchdown rate and his highest QBR (51.3) since 2021.
- 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
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Still a few weeks out from free agency, there have been rampant NFL rumors regarding whether the Steelers want to re-sign Wilson or Justin Fields this offseason. While the 10-time Pro Bowl selection would prefer to stay in Pittsburgh, he already appears to be considering alternatives.
According to ESPN‘s senior writer Dan Graziano, Wilson considers the Giants a very real option for him if contract negotiations with the Steelers don’t work out.
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Recent reporting coming out of the NFL Combine suggested Pittsburgh is leaning towards keeping Fields. Part of that might stem from a reported issue between Wilson and the Steelers’ organization. The club also would like to find a long-term solution at quarterback and Wilson is only a one-year bridge starter.
This isn’t the first time the Giants have been linked to Wilson, with previous reports suggesting New York is a sleeper for him. He would provide head coach Brian Daboll with a reliable starter to execute his offense, which is critical heading into a season where Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen are fighting for their jobs.
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Signing Wilson also wouldn’t prevent the Giants from using the third overall pick on a quarterback. New York could take Shedeur Sanders, letting him develop for a year behind Wilson before making him the starter if Wilson struggles. Alternatively, New York could wait to address quarterback until Day 2 by targeting someone like Jaxson Dart or Jalen Milroe.