Giants QB depth chart: What Russell Wilson signing means for Jameis Winston in QB1 competition

Veteran quarterback Russell Wilson is no longer a free agent. Despite consistently saying that he preferred to return to Pittsburgh for the 2025 season, the quarterback is instead pivoting and signing a one-year deal with the Giants. 

New York is rebuilding and trying to figure out the best moves that lead to the quickest turnaround. With how good the Eagles and Commanders were last season, and how good the Cowboys can be if they stay healthy, the Giants need to stay competitive and not get left behind. New York owns the No. 3 pick in the draft, and there were reports it could look to trade up for the No. 1 overall pick.

The assumption was that the Giants would be at least picking in the top three and selecting a quarterback. Now that the Giants have signed Wilson and fellow quarterback Jameis Winston, they suddenly have a full quarterback room. 

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Here is what the Wilson signing means for Winston and the Giants. 

Russell Wilson contract details with Giants

Wilson signed a one-year deal, per Adam Schefter. The deal is worth up to $21 million and includes $10.5 million guaranteed. Given the payday the veteran QB locked down, he is expected to be the starter. New York went into the offseason with no quarterbacks on its roster. The Giants have now re-signed Tommy DeVito and added newcomers in Wilson and Winston.

Wilson will be playing with his fourth career team. He started with the Seahawks in 2012 and spent 10 years with the organization. Wilson was then traded to the Broncos ahead of the 2022 season but released ahead of the 2024 season. He spent last season with the Steelers, leading them to the playoffs after missing the start of the season with a calf injury. 

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Jameis Winston contract details with Giants

Winston was the first quarterback New York signed this offseason, as the former Browns quarterback signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Giants. He was featured with Cleveland during last year’s in-season HBO ‘Hard Knocks’, which focused on the AFC North. Fans enjoyed his over-the-top pregame speeches and motivational messages. Unfortunately, they usually lead to bad interceptions, and he wasn’t able to lock down a new contract with the Browns. 

Winston’s deal is for two years and has a base salary of $8 million, per Jordan Schultz. It is loaded with incentives that can push it up to a $16 million deal, but those incentives are likely tied to playing time or stats that he would likely need to be a starter to achieve. It is constructed as a deal for a backup, but it allows Winston to be rewarded if he plays well in relief of whoever starts. 

Giants QB depth chart

Wilson is heading to New York and is expected to be the starter, per Tom Pelissero. The Giants can still draft a quarterback, but Wilson on a one-year deal and Winston on a two-year deal means they don’t have to force it. If New York likes one of the top two quarterbacks, it can still draft a passer.

If the Giants don’t love one of the top quarterbacks, they can either take one of the other top prospects in the class or move back and build for the future. The Wilson signing provides New York with more flexibility while also giving them a viable short-term option. 

If the Giants do go with a rookie, Winston or DeVito will likely be the odd man out. Even though he is making more money overall, Winston is on the more team-friendly deal, so if New York adds a quarterback, DeVito likely would be relegated to the practice squad for the season. Teams rarely carry three quarterbacks on the roster, so New York almost surely wouldn’t carry four on the main roster. 

MORE: All the details to know about Russell Wilson’s deal in New York

Russell Wilson stats

Jameis Winston stats