NFL Quarterback Russell Wilson has had a storied career. The long-time Seattle Seahawk spent years dominating the NFC West and brought them a Lombardi trophy in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Wilson spent the past three years as a journeyman, and he’ll continue as such. The Giants have signed him to a one-year 21-million-dollar contract.
Despite performing very well for his alma mater Wisconsin Badgers, his draft stock was bafflingly low due to his height. At 5’11”, many thought he would struggle at the NFL level. The Seahawks drafted him with the 75th pick.
Wilson was immediately successful at the NFL level, finishing third in the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year voting and being elected to the Pro Bowl in year one.
Wilson went on to play for the Seahawks for 10 seasons and was elected to nine Pro Bowls during that time. He led the team to nine consecutive winning seasons, including eight seasons with 10 or more wins. He also led them to two consecutive Super Bowls, winning one and falling one play short of going back-to-back.
Wilson is one of the best quarterbacks in Seahawks history and holds 19 franchise records. While he doesn’t hold any NFL records, he has been near the top of many categories, such as being second all-time in career passer rating.
In the 2022 offseason, the Seahawks traded Wilson to the Denver Broncos for two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and multiple players.
Wilson’s time with the Broncos was rough. The offensive scheme and coaches failed to utilize him correctly. He underperformed and was eventually benched.
Wilson had been one of the winningest QBs in NFL history, and yet his record in Denver was an awful 13-21. Something was clearly off from an organizational level and the blame shouldn’t rest solely in Wilson’s hands.
Wilson was released by Denver during the 2024 NFL offseason.
Wilson signed a one-year deal with the Steelers worth just 1.21 million dollars.
Wilson missed the first five games with a calf injury but took over the starting QB duties in week 7. He performed very well during his first seven games, but struggled over the final month of the season. He led the Steelers to a 10-7 record and a wild-card playoff berth.
At 36, Wilson’s best years are likely behind him. The Giants are bringing him in to be a stop-gap and help coach up whatever young QB they take in the 2025 NFL Draft. If they take one, that is.
The Giants also signed veteran Jameis Winston to a two-year eight-million-dollar contract. Between the two veteran QBs, the Giants should be in good shape for the 2025 NFL Season.
Wilson’s bounceback performance for the Steelers in 2024 earned him a nice payday, and with half of the 21-million-dollar contract guaranteed, he should be happy with the financials, regardless of how things play out.
The Giants also come out as winners in the deal. Quarterback was their biggest need, and they secured a serviceable veteran who could lead the locker room and mentor young talent.
It was a decent financial investment by the Giants, but they had the space to make the deal work. They don’t have much cap space left over once accounting for Wilson and their draft picks, so they are likely done making significant investments in free agency.
Nabers, the second-year wide receiver out of LSU, had an excellent rookie campaign, putting up over 109 catches, 1204 yards, and seven touchdowns. He did all that with poor and inconsistent QB play from Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito.
Now that Nabers will have a competent QB throwing the ball, he could be even better. In addition, he should learn a lot from working with Wilson, who helped bring along a lot of great WRs over the years.
Wilson has had a great career, and while the past few years haven’t been his best, he now has a chance to turn things around with the Giants. Whether he succeeds as a starter or serves as a mentor, his presence should bring much-needed stability to the team in 2025.
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
