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Giants' quarterback Russell Wilson is taking a free agent visit with the Jets

The New York Giants have spent much of the offseason retooling their coaching staff and their roster. One spot they haven’t had to worry too much about is the quarterback position, as the team believes it has found its quarterback of the future, Jaxson Dart. While Dart is unquestionably the team’s starter, the depth chart at this spot won’t look the same in 2026.

Jameis Winston and Brandon Allen are set to serve as layers of depth behind Dart for the time being, but one guy who does not appear set to return to the team is Russell Wilson. A free agent, Wilson has been exploring his options across the league, and it looks like he could be set to join a quarterback-needy team in the AFC.

Russell Wilson Takes Free Agent Visit with the Jets

Once one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, Wilson has struggled since the Seattle Seahawks traded him ahead of the 2022 campaign. Before signing with the Giants on a one-year, $10.5 million contract last offseason, Wilson effectively got himself run out of town after two miserable seasons with the Denver Broncos, before spending the 2024 campaign with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

While Wilson put together a bounce-back season of sorts with the Steelers, he didn’t exactly deliver the goods for New York last season. The hope was that Wilson would be the bridge to Dart, but he made just three starts before he was benched in favor of the first-round rookie. All in all, Wilson finished the year with some mediocre numbers (69/119, 831 YDS, 3 TD, 3 INT), and it’s not much of a surprise to see that the Giants aren’t interested in re-signing him.

At this stage of the game, Wilson is probably a backup option at best, and while New York doesn’t need him, other teams could use a veteran backup. In fact, Wilson may not have to move very far to find a new home, as he is reportedly taking a free agent visit with the New York Jets now that the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books.

“The Jets hosted Russell Wilson for a visit and are considering him as an option to be Geno Smith’s No. 2 quarterback, according to a source,” Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reported in a post on X.

Giants Appear Content to Let Russell Wilson Leave in Free Agency

GettyNew York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson reacting in the middle of an NFL game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Jets have an interesting quarterback situation, as they reunited with Geno Smith earlier this offseason in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders. Smith is the starter for the time being, and it doesn’t seem like Wilson’s arrival would change that outlook. However, it is worth noting that he is coming off a rough 2025 campaign himself.

New York is going to have to find its quarterback of the future at some point, and for now, Smith is the bridge to get it to that point. The Giants have found their guy in Dart, and with Winston and Allen in town, there’s simply no need for Wilson anymore. The Jets need a viable backup for Smith, though, and with the two sides moving towards a deal, this is a situation worth keeping tabs on over the next couple of days.