What could the veteran quarterback bring to the Giants’ offense?
The New York Giants signed Russell Wilson to a one-year, $10.5 million contract that can reach $21 million with incentives. Wilson joins Jameis Winston and Tommy DeVito in Shea Tierney’s quarterback room, and is the presumed — albeit not guaranteed — starting quarterback.
Wilson started the 2024 season hot after relieving a four-and-two Justin Fields of his starting duties. The Super Bowl Champion won his first four starts and six of his first seven games, leading the Steelers to 25-plus points in five of those seven games. However, the offense stagnated and Pittsburgh failed to score more than 20 points in the season’s final five games.
The Steelers finished the season 10-7 and lost 28-14 to the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs. Wilson finished the year with 2,752 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He had a low 1.6% Turnover-Worthy Throw Rate, which was top-two in the NFL, with a healthy Big Time Throw Rate of 6.4%, ranking fourth in the NFL.
Here are some NFL Next Gen statistics on Russell Wilson’s success on quick throws with 10 or more air yards:
Wilson is not getting any younger, but he still offers a much higher floor and ceiling than anything the Giants had at quarterback in 2024. His ability to provide elite accuracy on touch passes over the top — outside the numbers — would work marvelously with Malik Nabers’ skill set.
No quarterback in the NFL had higher Pro Football Focus grades than Wilson on deep passes (20+ yards). He also had the highest completion percentage, the highest yards per attempt, and the second-lowest turnover-worthy play rate on throws that traveled over twenty yards. NFL Next Gen (above) substantiates Pro Football Focus’ grades.
The Giants have lacked quarterbacks with a penchant for targeting deep for quite some time. He may not be the long-term solution, but — at this cost — Wilson makes sense as a bridge quarterback for a potential rookie. I go over some of his tape in the video below. Please like, comment, and subscribe!