One eternity later …
Cue the SpongeBob SquarePants meme because the soccer world awaits a decision to the Aaron Rodgers saga. (It’s been lengthy sufficient that we are able to name it that, proper?) The 41-year-old, four-time MVP is biding his time as he waits to see if the Minnesota Vikings wish to pursue a partnership. In the event that they don’t, Rodgers may merely retire and depart the QB-desperate Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants with few inspiring choices left to select from.
However, it appears so long as they’re nonetheless in play for Rodgers, the Giants and Steelers are (considerably) content material to attend. Three groups all tied along with no actual deadline in sight. Enjoyable, proper?
Nevertheless, the Giants, with Tommy DeVito the one QB on the roster, haven’t been ready idly. They’ve been doing their homework on what Plan C — swing-and-a-miss on Matthew Stafford, swing-and-a-miss on Rodgers — would seem like ought to the ex-Jets QB not want a return to New York.
To recap their work to this point: The Giants have hosted veterans Joe Flacco, Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston for visits. Additionally they have been reportedly performed a video name with Mason Rudolph, however the backup QB wound up signing with the Steelers.
The Giants, after all, are clever to discover veteran contingency plans without end to the Rodgers saga and the likelihood that he may merely stroll away from the sport fairly than swimsuit up for any staff in 2025.
So, what precisely do these contingency plans seem like? That’s what we’re right here to search out out as we dive into the professionals and cons of every of the Giants’ less-preferred choices:
Russell Wilson, 36 years previous
Professionals
After Rodgers, Wilson might be the perfect remaining possibility on the free-agent market and the one different QB the Giants may realistically promote as a purposeful full-time starter for 2025.
Wilson is a Tremendous Bowl champion and confirmed winner, having guided the Seattle Seahawks to the playoffs eight instances and the Steelers to the playoffs final season. He threw for two,482 yards and 16 touchdowns in 11 appearances final 12 months. Wilson’s 5 interceptions matched his profession low in Seattle in 2019 (after all, that got here in 16 video games), however his interception fee (1.5 p.c) was among the many lowest charges within the NFL final 12 months. Wilson additionally tallied simply 5 fumbles, so he does an excellent job of defending the soccer.
Wilson additionally nonetheless throws a beautiful deep ball, that means he may assist add an explosive factor to New York’s offense, which desperately wants to supply extra massive performs. With the Steelers, 14.4 p.c of Wilson’s go makes an attempt resulted in explosive performs (16-plus yards), per TruMedia, a mark that ranked 14th within the NFL and was worlds higher than what the Giants bought from Daniel Jones (8.9 p.c, final within the NFL) final season.
Extra massive performs is what the Giants hope to coax out of Malik Nabers in 12 months 2, and it aligns effectively with the just lately re-signed Darius Slayton’s talent set. Maybe even the speedy Jalin Hyatt, who has accomplished little via two years in New York, may gain advantage from enjoying with Wilson.
Earlier than transferring onto Wilson’s cons, I wished to briefly spotlight the pickle the Giants could be in in the event that they don’t signal Rodgers or Wilson.
In the event that they don’t find yourself with a type of two … yikes. The nightmare situation is dropping out on each of these quarterbacks whereas the Tennessee Titans put together to take Miami quarterback Cam Ward at No. 1 within the upcoming NFL Draft — and that appears like what they’re doing, since they haven’t been vital gamers within the veteran QB market this offseason exterior of signing backup Brandon Allen to a one-year deal. The Giants would probably be pressured to draft a QB at No. 3, and if Ward isn’t there, whomever they take might be categorized as a major attain — particularly in the event that they’re passing on Penn State go rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter.
With Wilson (or Rodgers), the Giants ought to nonetheless plan to draft a QB in some unspecified time in the future early on, however there could be much less desperation to make a decide with a veteran able to beginning Week 1.
OK, onto the cons:
Cons
Whereas Wilson took the Steelers to the playoffs, the staff completed on a five-game dropping streak, together with a comparatively non-competitive 28-14 loss to the Ravens within the wild-card spherical. That’s hardly encouraging. Whereas Wilson protects the ball when it comes to limiting turnovers, he additionally holds onto the ball for method too lengthy and takes lots of sacks.
Wilson’s sack proportion over the previous three seasons is a dreadful 9.5 p.c. Amongst quarterbacks with a minimum of 1,000 dropbacks in that span, that’s the third-worst fee behind solely Justin Fields (11.9 p.c) and … Jones (9.6 p.c).
The Steelers additionally haven’t made a robust push to deliver Wilson again as they pursue Rodgers and initially prioritized re-signing Fields earlier than he signed with the Jets. That doesn’t appear to be an awesome signal.
It’s additionally value mentioning that Wilson has been within the Giants constructing twice the previous two offseasons, and no deal has been made. Final 12 months, the Giants advised him Jones could be the starter, so he went to Pittsburgh. This time, the Giants are ready on Rodgers, nevertheless it’s fairly clear they’re not precisely enamored with Wilson.
Jameis Winston, 31 years previous
Professionals
It received’t be boring.
Simply have a look at Winston’s Tremendous Bowl spotlight reel from New Orleans as a Fox Sports activities correspondent. Winston would deliver a enjoyable character to New York, and his play on the sector actually wouldn’t be uninteresting both. He’s a human spotlight reel — you simply by no means know if it’s going to be an offensive or defensive spotlight.
The final time Winston, the No. 1 general decide of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015, began 16 or extra video games, he turned one in every of 9 quarterbacks in NFL historical past to throw for five,000 yards. These yards got here with 33 touchdowns. (OK, I do know we’re within the “execs” part, however I really feel obligated to say these 33 TDs additionally got here with a wide ranging 30 interceptions, because the Bucs went 7-9 and missed the playoffs.)
After leaving Tampa, Winston spent 4 seasons in New Orleans earlier than enjoying 2024 in Cleveland. With the Browns, Winston began seven video games — his most since 2021 — and threw for two,121 yards and 13 touchdowns. (Once more, I need to point out that he additionally threw 12 interceptions and went 2-5 as a starter.)
Winston, like Wilson, will fortunately heave it downfield. His fee of explosive go performs (13.8 p.c) was consistent with Wilson and barely forward of the following man on this record (Flacco, 13.5 p.c). So, once more, the Giants could be injecting some big-play skill into their offense.
Winston can be the youngest of those guests, which has to depend for one thing when fascinated about the longer term. May he take pleasure in a late-career breakout? In all probability not, however you by no means know. The final merchandise in Winston’s favor is the worth tag. He probably received’t value almost as a lot as Rodgers and even Wilson. Winston’s take care of Cleveland final season was value a most of $8.7 million.
Cons
It wouldn’t be boring.
So, yeah, about these interceptions. Earlier than 2019, no QB had thrown 30 interceptions in a single season in additional than 30 years (Vinny Testaverde threw 35 with the Bucs in 1988), and no QB has come shut since.
With 111 profession interceptions in 105 video games, Winston has a profession INT fee of three.5 p.c, together with a 4.1 p.c mark final 12 months, which was second-worst within the league in 2024 behind solely the Colts’ Anthony Richardson. Winston additionally was sacked 24 instances in 12 video games, so his damaging performs fee is off the charts. If Giants coach Brian Daboll was throwing tablets out of frustration with Jones, Winston may simply break Daboll’s mind.
Lastly, if the Giants are attempting to commerce up for a QB — both as much as No. 1 or maybe again into the top of Spherical 1 — rivals groups may have the ability to exploit their desperation, as they’ll know the Giants aren’t dedicated to Winston and are nonetheless looking for a long-term reply at QB.
Joe Flacco, 40 years previous
Professionals
This isn’t going to be an extended record, however what have been you anticipating for a 40-year-old QB about to play for his sixth profession staff?
At least, Daboll may belief Flacco to choose up his offense rapidly and steer the ship as a veteran with 17 seasons of NFL expertise. A former Tremendous Bowl MVP, Flacco can nonetheless chuck it deep and appears to create massive performs the place he can. He additionally accomplished 65.3 p.c of his passes final season, so he’s nonetheless fairly correct.
General, he’s able to transient spurts of high quality play. He helped lead the Browns to the playoffs in 2023 with a strong five-game stretch that resulted in him profitable the 2023 NFL Comeback Participant of the 12 months award. Final season in Indy, he performed effectively for a couple of weeks early on whereas filling in for an injured Richardson.
Lastly, he shouldn’t be too expensive. With the Colts final season, Flacco signed a one-year deal value as much as $8.7 million with simply $4.5 million assured.
Cons
Father Time hasn’t been pleasant to Flacco. He was by no means very cellular, however he doesn’t transfer a lot in any respect now, so if the Giants offensive line isn’t enjoying as much as par — when has that ever occurred, although? — good luck.
He additionally didn’t look nice towards the top of the final season. When the Colts benched Richardson forward of Week 9 and gave the job to Flacco, coach Shane Steichen mentioned Flacco was the starter “going ahead.” That lasted two weeks. He performed so poorly in his two video games as Indy’s starter — two losses that included a prime-time flop towards Minnesota and three interceptions towards Buffalo — that the Colts reversed course and turned again to Richardson.
Giants followers are additionally effectively acquainted with Flacco’s late-season struggles. He returned to the lineup, changing an injured Richardson in Week 17, for a Colts staff enjoying for its playoff life. Flacco and the Colts fell to a Giants staff on a 10-game dropping streak. Flacco turned the ball over thrice in Indy’s 45-33 loss.
It’s fairly clear at this level Flacco is best-suited for a backup position.
And as with Winston, groups may exploit the Giants’ desperation to commerce up throughout the draft figuring out Flacco isn’t a long-term reply. It’s additionally value mentioning that if the Giants do get a younger QB within the constructing, Flacco doesn’t have the repute as the kind of QB to exit of his technique to be a mentor.
Conclusion
None of those are nice choices for the Giants. They understand it, too. That’s why they’re ready on Rodgers, although it isn’t precisely clear how significantly better he’d really be. Alas, the wait goes on.
(Photograph of Russell Wilson: Scott Taetsch / Getty Photographs)