Russell Wilson knows what it means to walk into a room and claim QB1. He did it as a third-round rookie in Seattle, snatching the job from Matt Flynn before becoming a Super Bowl champ. Now, 12 years later, he’s trying to do it all over again—this time with the Giants.

After a rocky exit from Denver and a brief pit stop in Pittsburgh, Wilson signed a one-year, $21 million deal (half guaranteed) with New York. His message on Day 1? “I expect to be the starter.” But the calendar says April, and the Giants’ actions are saying something else.

The front office just lined up three private QB workouts in the span of three days—Shedeur Sanders, Jalen Milroe, and Tyler Shough. All three are mobile, high-upside passers with legit starter traits. Sanders is flashy but polarizing; Milroe is raw but explosive; Shough is older but climbing draft boards fast.

The Giants are mapping escape routes. And it’s a clear sign Wilson’s grip on the starting job is nowhere near secure.

Sanders led the pack in passing yards and completion percentage, while Shough impressed with a clean TD-to-INT ratio that’s caught late buzz—one coach even dubbed him the best QB in the class. Milroe? Different beast. He racked up 726 rushing yards, 20 touchdowns, and averaged 5.8 yards per carry, flashing legit dual-threat upside.

The Giants may not go QB at No. 3 with names like Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter on the board, but don’t sleep—they could slide back, pounce in Round 2, or even trade up again.

And it’s not like New York hasn’t flirted with this before. They passed on Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix in 2024 after failing to trade up for Drake Maye. Two years before that? They passed on Kenny Pickett twice.

For now, Russell Wilson still holds the mic. But the chorus of incoming quarterbacks is getting louder. And if any one of these prospects impresses enough, he can spoil Wilson’s plan to “rock and roll” in New York.

The Giants’ draft plans might actually be in Russell Wilson’s favor

Russell Wilson didn’t come to New York to babysit a rookie. And if you read between the lines, neither did Jameis Winston. Add Tommy DeVito still hanging around, and this QB room is already loud enough. So when Joe Schoen took the mic and said drafting a quarterback isn’t “mandatory,” that wasn’t just GM-speak. That was him saying: we’re not desperate.

“We put ourselves in a position where I don’t think it’s mandatory or something with our feet to the fire, that we have to do,” Schoen said, referencing the recent signings. Basically, they like the crew they’ve got. Wilson and Winston have more NFL miles than most QB rooms in the league. And then there’s DeVito… Well, he’s won games. “They’ve got a lot of skins on the wall,” Schoen added, a clear nod to their experience.

But don’t get it twisted. The Giants are still doing their homework. They’re eyeing Shedeur Sanders, Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe Kyle McCord—names that keep popping up. They’re sniffing around, sure. But the vibe? Cautious. Measured. “You get that one wrong,” Schoen said of drafting a franchise QB, “you’ve just got to get that right.” That’s a guy who’s tired of ‘missing out’ on the good ones. So, he wants his team to think long-term.

And let’s be honest, it would take something wild—an injury, a total collapse—for a rookie to start in 2025 anyway. With potentially $25 million tied into Wilson and Winston, the Giants aren’t handing over the keys just yet. They’ve made that clear.

So, yeah—maybe this draft won’t shake up the QB room. And maybe that’s exactly how Russell Wilson likes it.