The Giants signed Russell Wilson last offseason to give them a proven veteran, and a Super Bowl winner, in their quarterback room. Even with Jameis Winston already under contract and a plan in place to draft a quarterback (which turned out to be Jaxson Dart), Wilson was brought in to be the starter.

But his first season in New York was a perplexing one. After struggling in Week 1 against Washington, Wilson lit it up against Dallas in Week 2, throwing for 450 yards and three touchdowns in an overtime loss. But he struggled again the following week against Kansas City, and that was all for him as a starter, as Dart took over in Week 4.

Wilson didn't complain publicly about losing the job, and by all accounts he continued to take on a leadership role within the quarterback room.

Assuming the 37-year-old still wants to play, should the Giants give him a new contract to bring him back as a backup in 2026?

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WHY WILSON SHOULD STAY

Every team needs a good backup quarterback, as they are always just one play away from needing to lead the huddle. This is especially true for the Giants, given the way that Dart plays. And this isn't a knock on Dart, it's just the fact of the matter: running with the football and extending plays is a huge part of what he does well, so he's going to be susceptible to big hits. The Giants need a reliable backup QB if they want to establish the winning culture John Harbaugh talked about in his introductory news conference.

Which brings us to Winston, who is under contract and in theory is the exact type of veteran the Giants should want as a backup. But Winston is just 32 and it's fair to believe that he'd still like to be a starting quarterback in this league. So if another team calls Joe Schoen and wants to acquire Winston, whose base salary for next season is just $4 million, as a potential starter, the Giants would be wise to gain some more trade assets. In the scenario where Winston gets traded, bringing Wilson back on a modest one-year deal could be in order.

And while Wilson's overall numbers with the Giants weren't great (831 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions, 0-3 record), that Dallas game was glimpse into what he can give a team. Wilson still throws one of the better deep balls in the NFL, and he can air it out with the best of them when he needs to.

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