Should the Giants try to close the deal with Russell Wilson?

The Denver Broncos announced on Monday that they are moving on from quarterback Russell Wilson, parting ways with the quarterback that they traded a cornucopia of draft picks and players for just two years ago.

Wilson’s two seasons in Denver were an unmitigated disaster, but his resumé still speaks for itself: Nine Pro Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl title (and one goal-line interception away from a second ring).

With a quarterback like that on the open market and available at a very, very low cost (we’ll get to that later),  and the Giants already having met with him, should Big Blue try to close the deal?

There’s no doubting that the Giants seem ready to move on from Daniel Jones. Rich Eisen of the NFL Network recently said there was talk at the Combine that the Giants are “absolutely done” with Jones while experiencing “buyers remorse” over the four-year, $160 million extension Jones inked last offseason. 

It’s not that Jones has been horrible. In fact, he proved in 2022 that he’s capable of leading a team to the playoffs and, even more importantly, winning games in the playoffs -- as he did in Minnesota. But it just seems that any chance of Jones being a true face-of-the-franchise-type of quarterback has gone by the wayside, and the Giants need to chart a new course at the QB position.

In a perfect world, the Giants are able to draft one of the top QBs in this year’s draft, whether that means trading up for Caleb Williams, or grabbing Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, or J.J. McCarthy, who seems to be rapidly ascending up draft boards everywhere.

If they are able to land one of the top young QBs, there’s a chance they’d then want that QB to sit for a year to learn the ropes. The recent NFL trend has been allowing rookie QBs to play right away, but players like Aaron Rodgers and even Jordan Love more recently proved that sometimes the best course of action can be waiting a year or two before throwing a young signal-caller into the fire.

So, if the Giants can get a proven veteran like Wilson on a minimum contract, might that be the best course of action?

The Broncos owe Wilson $39 million for the 2024 season, and the offset language in his contract means that a team can sign him for the veteran minimum, which is $915,000 this season, and the Broncos would have to pay the remainder of that $39 million. Wilson’s recent history doesn’t make him a very attractive option, but his projected minuscule salary does.

Here’s something else to consider with Wilson: Yes, his time in Denver featured a disappointing 11-19 record, a head coaching change from Nathaniel Hackett to Sean Payton, and reports of preferential treatment around the facility. But his pure numbers weren’t that bad. In fact, they were pretty good (90.9 passer rating, 6,594 yards, 42 touchdowns and 19 interceptions in 30 games). At 35 years old, there’s no doubt that Wilson’s best days are behind him, but he still seems to have something left in the tank.

Verdict

The Giants seem determined to have a new starting quarterback in 2024. There are so many attractive quarterback options at the top of the draft, and the Giants seem to be in good position to either have one fall to them or trade up for the player they desire. 

And if the Giants do draft a quarterback in the first round, I’m of the opinion that the team is better off playing a rookie quarterback right away. Maybe he’ll be the next C.J. Stroud and can step right in and lead a team to the playoffs. Even if that QB struggles and the team flops, at least you have a good idea of what you have for future seasons.

Some NFL team in desperate need of a quarterback -- perhaps the Las Vegas Raiders or Atlanta Falcons -- will take a shot on Wilson because of his low price tag. Maybe that will pay off and Wilson can round back into Pro Bowl form while ditching the diva persona he’s developed, at least from a fan perspective, over the last couple of seasons.

But that team shouldn’t be the Giants. Big Blue could hold on to Jones for one more season even if they do draft a first-round QB. If the Giants cut Jones after the 2024 season, his dead cap number shrinks from $69 million to a much more palatable $22.2 million.

Drafting the quarterback of the future and holding on to Jones for one more season, either as a starter or the backup, should be the Giants’ blueprint.