The New York Giants quarterback room is currently a packed garage. Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, Tommy DeVito, and 2025 first-round selection Jaxson Dart. While head coach Brian Daboll said after the draft that Wilson was set to be the starter to open the 2025 season, one NFL analyst thinks Wilson’s time as a starter will not be unlimited.
Will Russell Wilson Get the 2024 Justin Fields Treatment in New York?
In 2024, Justin Fields started the season for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first six games, compiling a 4-2 record. Despite the solid start, Fields was merely a placeholder until Russell Wilson recovered from his calf injury and sat behind Wilson for the rest of the season.
NFL analyst Rich Eisen thinks Wilson might get the same treatment as a New York Giant, except Wilson will be benched after six games in favor of rookie Jaxson Dart instead of Jameis Winston.
Speaking on “The Rich Eisen Show,” Eisen says, “Daniel Jeremiah saying he thinks Jaxson Dart has a shot to play sooner rather than later… Maybe Russ will be in the position of Justin Fields this year. You get the first six, and then as soon as Dart’s ready, he’s ready”.
What this looks like could entirely depend on how Wilson plays during his early tenure with the Giants. Last year, Wilson kept the starting spot for the 11 games he played for the Steelers, but finished only with a 6-5 record. Putting up 2,482 yards and 16 touchdowns with only five interceptions, which are solid numbers when looking at them.
Yet, Wilson has struggled to control games the way he had in Seattle.
Now, playing for his fourth NFL franchise, Wilson will look to lead the Giants out of the shadows and put up a fight in a tough NFC East. There is little room for error, as the Commanders have shown they are back in business, the Cowboys have a returning Dak Prescott, and the Eagles are out to defend their title.
How Short Is Wilson’s Leash As the Starter?
Following the call for the end of Daniel Jones in New York last season by fans who have started to grow impatient, it will not be a surprise to see the fans quickly turn on Wilson if he does not produce early.
The symphony of booing from the fans for the “placeholder” in the way of a first-round rookie starting quarterback has become an unwritten tradition in the NFL, but New York is known to be extra brutal in this regard.
If Wilson cannot blitz through defenses and set the Giants up for early success, a change may be imminent.
While Jameis Winston could take over first if things go south early on, expect the change of the guard to shift to the franchise’s future in Dart if he can prove he is ready.