The New York Giants are hoping to land Russell Wilson in free agency if they cannot get Aaron Rodgers. If they do not, however, they have a backup plan, albeit one that will not be too inspiring to their fans.
In an appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show” Thursday, Dianna Russini of The Athletic was asked about the Giants’ quarterback plan. Russini responded that the organization is hoping to land Wilson, or failing that, veteran Joe Flacco.
“Hoping that Russell Wilson or Joe Flacco decide to come to New York. I think that’s going to wind up being one of their backup plans, one or the other,” Russini said.
According to @DMRussini, the Giants are "hoping that Russell Wilson or Joe Flacco decide to come to New York." pic.twitter.com/QBSo5StUpT
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) March 20, 2025
Russini added that the Giants are likely to draft a quarterback at No. 3 in the NFL Draft, potentially Shedeur Sanders. However, they clearly plan to add a veteran to the mix no matter what.
The Giants’ first choice is thought to be Rodgers, but it is unclear how mutual that interest is. Rodgers wanted to go to the Minnesota Vikings, and there have been suggestions he could retire rather than join one of the other teams interested in him. Wilson, meanwhile, could opt to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers, which could leave the Giants scrambling if Rodgers does not join either team.
Flacco certainly would not be the most exciting short-term option. The Giants have already hosted him for a visit, so there is some sort of interest there. He spent last season with the Indianapolis Colts, where he went 2-4 as a starter with 1,761 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in eight games.
Flacco did go 4-1 down the stretch with the Cleveland Browns in 2023, which helped them make the playoffs. If the Giants could get anything similar to that, they would be happy, but leaning on a 40-year-old quarterback who has spent the last five years as a backup probably will not yield great results.
