Giants, Russell Wilson will meet on Friday, reports say
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson throws a pass during the team's NFL OTA's football practice in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, May 21, 2024. Credit: AP/Gene J. Puskar
Wednesday marked the start of a new league year as free agent signings and trades can now become official. For the Giants, it was another day on stand by for their version of “The Decision.”
Instead of LeBron James deciding in 2010 to join the Heat in free agency, the Giants are waiting on which quarterback decides to join them next season. For now, they’ve scheduled a meeting with one possible option.
Russell Wilson will visit the Giants on Friday, a league source confirmed to Newsday. That comes on the heels of him visiting the Browns on Thursday.
It’s the second straight offseason Wilson will visit the Giants as they consider all potential options. Of course, that includes Aaron Rodgers, who is expected to be released by the Jets now that the new league year is underway
The Giants also own the No. 3 pick and could take a quarterback that’s more of a longer-term solution. They could also pivot to another top prospect but general manager Joe Schoen made clear the team will look to add two quarterbacks between now and training camp.
“We're going to have to address the position somewhere,” Schoen said at the NFL Combine in February. “Even if you get a young quarterback, you'd like to have a vet in the room with him to show him the ropes and how to be a pro. We're looking at all different avenues.”
Wilson, 36, certainly fits after he started 11 games for the Steelers while helping mentor Justin Fields. But in his 13th season, he threw for a career-low 2,482 yards and his 16 touchdown passes tied a career-low despite just five interceptions and making his 10th Pro Bowl team.
The Steelers won six of their first seven games with Wilson before ending the season on a four-game losing streak. That won’t diminish what teams feel he can bring on the field even if Wilson’s numbers have declined the past two seasons.
The same is true for Rodgers. The 20-year veteran threw for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns with 11 interceptions last season. Yet after two seasons with the Jets, a new coach and general manager made the call that it was time to move on from the future Hall of Famer.
Rodgers, 41, is also reportedly considering the Vikings and Steelers. Since he and Wilson both have leverage for teams needing quarterbacks, they could take their time deciding their next stop.
The Giants have no choice but to be patient.
“I'd say we will pursue anything we think can make us better,” coach Brian Daboll said in January. “The NFL is usually a one-year deal anyway. So, we'll do everything we can do to be much better than we were this year."
For now, they continued to make other free agent moves. They re-signed receiver/kick returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette to a reported one-year deal after he made a strong impression in his first season with the team.
Smith-Marsette had an 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the Giants’ Week 17 win over the Colts. It was the team’s first kickoff TD return since 2015 and part of a season where the New Jersey native had 381 kick return yards and 228 punt return yards.
The Giants re-signed guard Greg Van Roten to a one-year deal, per reports. The 35-year-old Long Island native signed with the team last summer and started every game at right guard while playing every offensive snap.
Guard was one of the Giants' key needs entering free agency and they might still look to find more options. But Van Roten provides some insurance at both guard and center.
The Giants also signed offensive tackle Stone Forsythe, a four-year veteran with the Seahawks. Forsythe played just nine games last season due to a hand injury but before his injury, he made five consecutive starts at right tackle.
Forsythe also had starts at both tackle spots in 2023 when he started a career-high eight games. With 11 career starts at right tackle and three at left, he’ll add more depth along with new signee James Hudson III behind expected starters Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor.
But with a bigger hole to fill under center, the Giants continue to wait-and-see. Wait for Wilson to make his visit on Friday and see what he and Rodgers choose to do.
At least for now, they can plan their pitch to Wilson in-person before lingering to see if this version of “The Decision” lands the Giants a worthy prized quarterback to help them improve.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
