Russell Wilson is currently a free agent during the 2026 NFL offseason after spending just one year with the New York Giants.
The Indianapolis Colts were recently floated as a potential landing spot for the veteran with Daniel Jones recovering from an injury and Anthony Richardson Sr. rumored to be on his way out. CBS Sports’ John Breech explained why the move makes sense.
Russell Wilson Could Give the Colts Insurance for Daniel Jones’ Achilles Injury
The Colts made a big move during the offseason to lock Jones into a contract that makes him their starting quarterback. He had a breakout season in Indianapolis last year before an Achilles injury cut his campaign short.
It’s unclear at this point if he will be ready for the start of the 2026 season, so Breech thinks they would be wise to have an insurance plan for the position. With Richardson rumored to be on the trade block, Wilson could theoretically come in as a reliable veteran option.
“Although the team is hoping that he’ll be ready for Week 1, that might not happen, so Indy needs to have a contingency plan. The Colts have Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard, but Richardson is likely on his way out. As for Leonard, Shane Steichen would probably feel much better if he had a tested veteran to back up Jones and that’s where Wilson comes in,” explained Breech.
If Jones were to miss time to open the 2026 season, the Colts would currently be relying upon the unproven Leonard to keep them in contention until their starter returns, especially if they do trade Richardson. Breech speculated that Steichen would probably be much more confident in their overall situation if Wilson was filling in for Jones, considering his lengthy experience as a starting quarterback.
He started just three games for the Giants last year before being replaced by rookie Jaxson Dart, but he did finish as the third-ranked weekly quarterback in PFSN’s Impact Rankings for one of them. He also won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks earlier in his career, before relatively disappointing runs with the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Wilson profiles as one of the best bridge quarterbacks currently available in free agency, considering his proven experience paired with his unlikely outlook as a potential long-term option. This is theoretically the perfect situation for the Colts, who are locked in on Jones but may be without him for a portion of the 2026 season.
