Russell Wilson Expects to Be Giants' Starting QB over Jameis Winston After Contract

Russell Wilson is expecting to be the New York Giants' starting quarterback when the 2025 NFL season gets underway.

That comes straight from the source. Wilson said as much Wednesday in his first press conference after signing with the Giants:

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Tuesday that New York signed him to a one-year deal that can pay out as much as $21 million. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, playing time is one of the factors that will help determine his earnings:

Considering who else occupies the team's quarterback room, Wilson's confidence isn't necessarily misplaced.

The Giants could still use the No. 3 pick on a signal-caller. If they don't add a quarterback in the draft, they'll likely be rolling out either Wilson, Jameis Winston or Tommy DeVito under center in Week 1.

Winston is too error-prone to be the starter over a full season. He threw 12 interceptions in his 12 appearances for the Cleveland Browns in 2024. The 2015 Pro Bowler initially played well after replacing an injured Deshaun Watson but regressed to his general level.

DeVito, meanwhile, is far removed from the heights of the "Tommy Cutlets" craze. In his two starts last season, he went 31-of-44 for 257 yards while averaging 5.8 yards per attempt.

Wilson carries his own concerns. The Pittsburgh Steelers went on a four-game losing streak to end the regular season, and the relationship between their starting quarterback and offensive coordinator reportedly frayed a bit.

That's becoming a common theme with the 10-time Pro Bowl quarterback, who eventually wore out his welcome in the Pacific Northwest and then was never on the same page with his Denver Broncos coaches.

It's easy to see a similar story playing out in the Big Apple, especially since the Giants don't project to be very good. But Wilson is the best choice from a generally lackluster group of QBs.