Russell Wilson landing spots: Where the benched Giants QB could end up before the trade deadline
Here are a few options, including retirement
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2 min read
Russell Wilson's future with the New York Giants is firmly in question, particularly after the veteran quarterback was benched earlier this season in favor of rookie standout Jaxson Dart. With the NFL trade deadline looming on Nov. 4, Wilson is a potential name to monitor for a quarterback-needy team.
Wilson signed a one-year, $10.5 million deal this offseason and was supposed to hold down the fort as Dart, the 25th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, developed in the shadows. Even amid Dart's tremendous preseason, head coach Brian Daboll held firm with Wilson as the team's starter. That faith deteriorated quickly with Wilson, who completed 59.1% of his passes and registered a 78.5 passer rating through three weeks (both on pace to be career lows). That was all Daboll needed to see to push the eject button on Wilson. So what's next?
Let's explore that possibility, shall we? Below, we'll identify a couple of landing spots if he were to be dealt and ponder what's next for the former Super Bowl champion.
New York Jets
At least he'd save on moving fees, right? The New York Jets are in a bad way at the moment, currently 0-6 on the young season. They are coming off a Week 6 matchup against the Denver Broncos in London where Justin Fields was non-existent as a passer. In all, New York had a -10 net passing yard total, which has brought Fields' job security into question. If the coaching staff/front office feel as if they've gotten all they get out of Fields and do not want to turn things over to Tyrod Taylor, Wilson could be an option in an attempt to bring the passing attack to a somewhat respectable level.
New Orleans Saints
New Orleans went through the least-exciting quarterback battle this summer, and it felt like Spencer Rattler bested rookie Tyler Shough by default. Fast forward to Week 7, and the Saints are 1-5 on the year. Rattler has been efficient (at least a 66.7% completion rate in five straight games), but the wins have been few and far between. They've also registered the ninth-fewest yards per game (306.7) in the league and are averaging just 18.5 points per game (fourth lowest). That lackluster production could open the door for a pursuit of Wilson to make sense if they want to be a more competitive outfit.
Retirement
Cards on the table, I tried getting to three possible trade destinations for Wilson and was struggling to find the third. And that brought me to this avenue: Retirement. Maybe there isn't a next stop for Wilson. After all, his play is deteriorating, he is set to turn 37 years old in November and is already on his third team in as many seasons and possibly onto his fourth. If no team comes calling at the deadline, that could be a sign that things are just about wrapped up. Oftentimes, the game tells you when the time has come rather than the other way around, and, after 14 seasons in the league, a Super Bowl title and 10 Pro Bowls to show for it, the clock may be striking midnight on Wilson.
