The New York Giants overhauled their quarterback room this past offseason, adding a bridge, depth behind that bridge, and a promising rookie talent to lead them into the future. Those three additions came in the way of Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and Jaxson Dart, respectively.
Despite the Giants’ 2-10 record, their quarterback room happens to be a strength of their roster, unlike many of the rest of the league’s worst teams.
One of those three quarterbacks will be entering free agency this offseason, potentially finding a new opportunity to start elsewhere in the league.
Russell Wilson named among top 2026 NFL free agents
Russell Wilson was recently named among the top-35 free agents in the upcoming 2026 class.
Pro Football Focus’s Mark Chichester, Ben Cooper, John Owning, and Bradley Locker took an early look at the 2026 free agency class, listing the top-graded players set to hit the market. Wilson ranked No. 28 on that list.
“Wilson’s brief run with the Giants showcased the full volatility of his late-career profile, swinging from an 88.2 grade and a career-high 450 yards in Week 2 to sub-55.0 marks in Weeks 1 and 3,” PFF’s writing staff wrote.
“He finished his three-start stretch in New York with a 66.1 passing grade, buoyed by eight big-time throws but undercut by six turnover-worthy plays, a 39.3 grade under pressure and just one completion on 12 deep pass attempts outside of his eruption against Dallas in Week 2.
“With a widening gap between his clean-pocket production and his play under duress, Wilson’s game now hinges on structure more than improvisation, leaving teams to weigh one remaining spike of upside against a growing floor of inconsistency.”
After just three starts this season, Wilson was sent to the bench in favor of rookie 25th-overall pick Jaxson Dart. Wilson threw for 778 yards with a 3-3 TD-INT ratio. All three of his touchdowns and 450 of his yards came in Week 2. His performances in Week 1 and Week 3 accelerated the Giants’ process of turning to Dart.
At 36 years old, Wilson is nothing more than a volatile backup whose best days are far behind him. Although he flashed potential in Week 2, the Giants’ refusal to put him back on the field after Dart exited the lineup with an injury says everything there is about the team’s confidence in Wilson’s abilities.
That’s not to say Wilson lacks all value, though. Looking around the league, there are teams that could use his services. The Minnesota Vikings, for example, likely wish they had Wilson under center right now.
Wilson will find a home in the 2026 offseason, but he won’t be one of the most highly coveted players on the open market.
The Giants have far more valuable FAs to retain
Notably absent from this list were other New York Giants set to hit free agency, such as WR Wan’Dale Robinson, CB Cor’Dale Flott, and RT Jermaine Eluemunor.
Robinson, Flott, and Eluemunor are all starters in the Giants’ regular lineups, whereas Wilson is a third-string, healthy inactive backup. When ranking New York’s top free agents in the upcoming class, it’s hard to justify placing Wilson ahead of the aforementioned three players.
The Giants will likely allow Wilson to walk in free agency. Building their future around Dart is the top priority, and Winston is under contract for the 2026 season to be Dart’s backup.
Instead, they will focus their attention on retaining the likes of Robinson, Eluemunor, and Flott — all key members of the starting lineup who will aim to get paid this offseason.
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