The New York Giants are well stocked at quarterback for 2025, having made three significant additions throughout the offseason. As things stand, Russell Wilson is expected to be the team’s starter, with Jameis Winston and first-round pick Jaxson Dart backing him up.
If things were to take a turn, though, and Dart beats out his veteran teammates for the starting job, Wilson would likely seek a move elsewhere. But if the 10-time Pro Bowler were to become available, where would he go?
Three Potential Trade Destinations for Russell Wilson, Should He Lose His Starting Job
Wilson is expected to lead the Giants into the 2025 season, even after the team selected Dart in the first round of April’s draft. While expected to be safe in his role as the starter, though, the team’s investment in Dart will mean that Wilson will need to perform to keep his place.
A lot can happen between the draft and the start of the season, and Dart will have plenty of time to impress his new coaches and teammates. While unlikely, it’s not completely out of the question that Dart could give Brian Daboll a difficult decision to make come September. With Wilson unlikely to want to stick around for a backup role, where could the veteran end up if Dart were to take over in New York?
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are widely expected to sign Aaron Rodgers before September, with the team’s interest in the Green Bay Packers legend well known. To this point, though, Rodgers has remained non-committal on his future, with retirement still a possibility. If Rodgers decides to retire or sign elsewhere, the Steelers would be in a tough spot at quarterback in 2025.
If you’d have told Mike Tomlin that the team would miss out on Justin Fields, Sam Darnold, and Aaron Rodgers, he may have pushed to re-sign Wilson back in March. That didn’t happen, though, and the Steelers remain without a solid starting option, having waited until the sixth round to draft Will Howard.
If August comes around and the Steelers are in the same position, Wilson would be an obvious trade target should Dart have taken over in camp.
New Orleans
With Derek Carr recently retiring, the Saints could be on the lookout for an immediate starter.
But with so few starting quarterbacks available, the Saints may first give their recent second-round pick, Tyler Shough, a chance to win the starting job before outsourcing. Personally, I think Winston is one to watch regarding the Saints’ quarterback job because of Carr’s retirement. Winston spent four years in New Orleans to start the decade, and would likely be available if Wilson held on to the starting job.
In the event that Dart takes over, though, Wilson is far less likely to hang around than Winston, with the Saints a potential destination.
Miami Dolphins
But with Wilson far more likely to start the season in New York, any potential trade would be more likely to happen mid-season. Wilson’s one-year contract suggests that the team would like for Dart to take over in 2026, potentially even getting a chance in the back half of his rookie year.
While much of this article has dealt in hypotheticals, Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion concerns are far from make-believe. Many fans now find themselves wincing whenever a defender gets close to the Miami quarterback, urging the player to release the ball before taking a hit. It’s never fun to predict injuries, but Tagovailoa is likely one significant blow away from an early retirement.
The Dolphins crumbled without a reliable starter in 2024, missing the playoffs for the first time since Mike McDaniel took over as head coach. If Wilson is, indeed, faded out during the season, it’s not difficult to imagine there being an opening in Miami. Nobody wants to see Tua get seriously hurt again, but it’s a possibility that’s impossible to ignore at this stage of his career.
