Russell Wilson to the Giants Makes a Ton of Sense
As I wrote earlier today, the New York Giants need to blow it all up and start over. The franchise needs a reboot and that includes finding a new quarterback. Given what's going on with Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks, he should immediately be New York's top choice as a replacement. When you take an in-depth look at the situation, the Giants make the most sense for Wilson moving forward.
The Pete Carroll-Wilson combination that led the Seahawks to two championship appearances and a title at Super Bowl XLVIII, is not working. That pairing is heading for a divorce, and almost broke up over the offseason as tensions boiled over. So far in 2021, it's clear the Seahawks aren't working as they've limped to a 5-8 record and, like the Giants, likely need to reboot things. Wilson is the only real asset they could move to help jumpstart a rebuild.
The Giants have the assets to make a deal for Wilson. They have two first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft -- both of which should be pretty high -- plus an extra third-rounder. The Seahawks won't have a first-rounder in the 2022 draft thanks to the now disastrous Jamal Adams trade. Given the team's absolute lack of high-end, young talent, securing more picks is imperative. If the Giants gave up both 2022 first-rounders and their first in 2023, the Seahawks would have to consider -- and potentially jump on -- that deal.
The Giants should be an attractive destination for Wilson. Given his personality, he'd likely shine in the New York spotlight, while giving the franchise the kind of face it needs. Then there are the roster aspects that will likely appeal to him.
The Seahawks have done a horrible job at protecting Wilson over the past few seasons. The Giants boast a rising star in second-year left tackle Andrew Thomas. He's the blindside protector Russ has been craving. He'll also have a built-in No. 1 target in Kenny Golladay. Golladay looked like a legit top target when he signed a four-year, $72 million deal in the offseason but playing with Daniel Jones has taken the shine off him. With Wilson he'd likely rise to that level again. Rookie speedster Kadarius Toney is another wideout Wilson could find use for, and if Saquon Barkley was ever healthy, he'd be a huge asset.
The Giants also have some talent on defense, led by Leonard Williams. They need to build there, but with the right coach and system things could turn around in a hurry.
The pieces fit for Seattle and New York to work out a deal this offseason. The Giants would need to clear a huge chunk of cap space to accommodate Wilson, but given the cap gymnastics we've seen NFL teams employ over the last few years that shouldn't be a problem.
This is a deal that would seem to work for everyone, as long as the Giants clean house and bring in a competent leadership team. Yes, Wilson would likely need to wait a year before contending, but in the crazy, perennially underachieving NFC East, no team is ever really out of it.