The New York Giants finished their unbeaten preseason with a dominating 42-10 win over the New England Patriots, but their success has left a peculiar dilemma that head coach Brian Daboll did not see coming at the start of the summer. While every team wishes for quarterback depth, the Giants have too much of a good thing coming up on roster cut day. The arrival of rookie Jaxson Dart as an actual NFL-ready quarterback, on top of solid play from Tommy DeVito and the veteran leadership of Jameis Winston, has made what should be a celebratory situation into an intriguing roster management issue, particularly with Russell Wilson.

The quarterback room, originally built to provide veteran depth with Russell Wilson in command, has transformed into something else. Behind closed doors, three of the four quarterbacks have become an unlikely close-knit group, referring to themselves as the “Three Amigos” and partying together on the field after wins. This friendship has both built chemistry and added layers, as the Giants now have to make difficult choices about players who have shown they are NFL-level.

As per the NFL on NBC podcast with Mike Florio and Chris Simms, Russell Wilson has become the outsider in his own quarterback room (as he is quite nowhere to be found), a situation that would radically change the Giants’ 2025 plans. Florio said, “They said not that long ago, they’re not trading Jameis Winston. Does Russell Wilson become a potential trade target for another team, and a guy that the Giants could try to move on from? He’s got. If I recall correctly, and there’s a chance I don’t, $10.5 million base salary. I assume some of that was a signing bonus. So, he’s the most expensive guy on the roster. And if you’re comfortable with Jackson Dart, do you really need to have Russell Wilson around?”

That means, per Florio, Russell Wilson may become a trade candidate if things keep going the way they have during the preseason. The issue isn’t necessarily one of performance on the field, but it seems like Wilson can’t form that connection that the other three quarterbacks have formed between each other. However, according to the analyst, “A lot depends upon whether someone would trade for Russell Wilson given his financial commitment, and he’s got incentives that are all tied to playing time. So if he goes somewhere and he doesn’t play, you don’t have to worry about the extra money. If he does play, you’re going to have to pay him. Oh well, that’s why.”

NFL, American Football Herren, USA New York Giants Minicamp Jun 17, 2025 East Rutherford, NJ, USA New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson 3 warms up during minicamp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. East Rutherford Quest Diagnostics Training Cente NJ USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJohnxJonesx 20250617_szo_ja1_0018Russell Wilson agreed to a one-year, $10.5 million deal with the Giants. Daboll officially named Wilson as the Week 1 starter. But Wilson’s standing in the social structure within the team is looking more and more precarious. Simms described how, although Wilson has “physical ability” and can be used as “a backup quarterback slash maybe a starter who can fill in here and there,” in case of injuries, his arm strength, at being “as strong or at the strongest of any quarterback on the Giants,” may not be sufficient to protect his long-term status with the team.

The monetary setup of Russell Wilson’s deal actually renders him a desirable trade piece, says Florio’s analysis. Since the Giants already bore $8.5 million of his $10.5 million salary, any buying team would only pay $2 million for Wilson’s services. This amounts to what Florio termed a “trade value” opportunity in which “you get Russell Wilson for 2 million bucks,” quite possibly enabling the Giants to receive “more than expected from one of these desperate teams trying to round out their depth chart with mostly a backup they can feel good about.” So, is Daboll going to trade Wilson? It remains to be seen, but if he stays, who will pick up the backup role?

Brian Daboll’s response to Russell Wilson’s backup rumors

The New York Giants quarterback corps is looking like a difficult roster puzzle to solve as the 2025 season approaches. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has made such an impression during the preseason that head coach Brian Daboll may be having second thoughts about making him Russell Wilson’s backup QB.

When asked directly if Dart would be Russell Wilson’s main backup, Daboll gave a cautious “We’ll see.” Dart has completed 32 of 47 passes (68.1%) with three touchdowns and a rushing score this preseason. He is showing poise beyond his years. Giants wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson complimented Dart’s control on the field by saying, “It looked like he was all in command and knowing exactly where he needed to go with the ball. A couple of the older receivers that we were talking, we were like, this is going to be a pretty good quarterback once he knows exactly all the checks and knows everything going on. It’s going to be really, really exciting for him.”

Early on, analysts projected Dart to stay behind Russell Wilson and veteran backup Jameis Winston for the whole season. But his preseason play has accelerated the timeline. Even if he falls to third on the depth chart, the Giants won’t trade him and view Dart as their franchise quarterback of the future.

Daboll’s “We’ll see” reflects the tight competition and the coaching staff’s desire to keep options open before finalizing the roster. It’s a good problem to have, especially with a rookie showing such promise so early. But it also underscores the uncertainty in how the Giants’ quarterback room will look come Week 1.