Russell Wilson signed with the New York Giants expecting to be the starting quarterback, even with a crowded quarterback room that could get a little tighter in less than a month.
Big Blue signed the veteran Super Bowl winner to a one-year deal on Wednesday, less than one week after agreeing to a two-year, $8 million deal with ex-Buccaneers, Saints, and Browns passer Jameis Winston.
Both currently sit ahead of Tommy DeVito, who was signed to a one-year deal earlier this offseason, on the depth chart.
“I expect to be the starter and come in here and be ready to rock and roll every day,” Wilson said. “This team is really looking for somebody to lead them in every way in terms of process and the offseason, during the season, our habits and our thought process, how we create a great winning culture, and how do we continue to establish that, to really build on things that we do well and things we need to continue to do.”
Even on the back end of his career, the 36-year-old Super Bowl winner and 10-time Pro Bowler is a significant upgrade to what the Giants trudged through the 2024 season with. After cutting ties with Daniel Jones less than two years into his four-year, $160 million deal, New York trotted out DeVito, Tim Boyle, and Drew Lock for the final six games of a 3-14 season — one of the worst in the franchise’s 100 years.
It has put general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll on thin ice, with their No. 1 priority being the quarterback position this offseason.
Both Wilson, who spent the last three years with the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers after a decade with the Seattle Seahawks, and Winston are short-term options. The search for the franchise quarterback is still on and could come during next month’s draft if either Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders falls to them at No. 3 overall.
Not only does Wilson become the bridge, but he also becomes the mentor.
“The great part about professional sports is constant change constant movement,” Wilson said. “If we draft a quarterback, we’ll make sure he does everything he can to be ready to go and be prepared with his mentality… I think the first thing is you always handle yourself first. Get yourself prepared at the highest level and control what you can control. Part of that is doing everything I can to be my best every day.
“Then from there, from leading in that sense, everybody else grows with you from that. They learn from you. They see how you work. See your practice habits and mental habits, how you go about it, and your approach every day.”
