When the New York Giants signed Russell Wilson to their empty quarterback room in late March, he was expected to be the clear-cut starter. They then signed veteran Jameis Winston to a two-year deal and traded up for Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, raising some questions.
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Nonetheless, head coach Brian Daboll has said publicly that Wilson is his starter going into spring OTAs. The 36-year-old had his ups and downs last year with the Steelers. He went 6-1 with a 12-3 TD-INT ratio and a 103.5 passer rating in his first seven starts before falling apart to finish the year, going 0-4 with a 4-2 TD-INT and an 81.3 rating. Pittsburgh then got shellacked in the Wild Card Game.
But the Giants clearly believe they will get the good Russ in 2025. And his history with star receivers was a plus. He’s had success connecting with the mercurial D.K. Metcalf in Seattle and the polarizing George Pickens in Pittsburgh.
While doing a guest appearance on Carmelo Anthony’s podcast, 7PM in Brooklyn, Wilson talked about managing the “egos” of the position (WR) that arguably produces more diva personalities than any other.
“The guys that are the best in the world, the guys like D.K., guys I’ve played with. Doug Baldwin, George Pickens, Tyler Lockett. Those types of players, you want them to get the ball as a quarterback,” he started.
“The more I get to feed Malik [Nabers], the better we’re gonna be because he’s gonna make plays. That one little hitch route, he may catch that little six-yard route, and all of a sudden the ball’s in the end zone, and just like that, that explosive play changed the game.”
Malik Nabers was unlucky not to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award last year. While the entire Giants organization seemed to be crumbling around him, the former LSU standout shined. He set a rookie WR record with 109 receptions, which also ranked fifth in the NFL overall, and had 170 targets, second in the league. He turned those into 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns while earning a Pro Bowl nod.
All of that was enough to convince Russell Wilson to sign on with the Giants. Despite how messy the last year or two have been for Big Blue. The QB recently said that playing with Nabers was a key reason why he decided to sign the dotted line on that one-year, $10.5 million deal.
“I just turned on the film and watched this guy Malik Nabers. This dude is a superstar. I saw him, watching the film before I tried to make a decision and trying to get a clear understanding of who the players are, this and that. Obviously, you see the highlights and everything else. But when you watch every single catch and every single rep and every play, you get to see the kind of player he is. He’s dynamic. He touches that football, he’s gone.”
New York decided not to add to their receiver room this offseason after selecting Nabers with the No. 6 pick in 2024. Behind the second-year player, they have 2022 second-round pick Wan’Dale Robinson, veteran overachiever Darius Slayton, and 2023 third-round pick Jalin Hyatt.
Slayton, who led the Giants in receiving in four of the five years before Nabers arrived in 2024, signed a new three-year, $36 million deal this offseason. Slayton’s 15.0 yards per reception average since he was drafted in 2019 ranks third in the NFL over that span, proving he is an elite deep threat. Robinson, who quietly had 93 receptions last year, is a great slot option. And then you have the superstar in Nabers.
This Giants WR room might not be as bad as most think in 2025.
