There’s optimism in New York. Or maybe it’s just denial dressed up in Giants gear. Because beneath the headlines and media day smiles, there’s a hard question lurking. Is Russell Wilson the quarterback who saves Brian Daboll’s job, or the one who exposes everything the Giants don’t want to admit? Wilson arrives in East Rutherford fresh off a weirdly efficient year in Pittsburgh. He completed 66.4% of his passes for 2,482 yards, 16 TDs, and just 5 INTs in 2024. On paper, not bad.

He even helped the Steelers to a 10-7 finish and a playoff berth. But zoom in, and things get hazy. He was second in QBR on throws over 20 yards, but 25th on short/intermediate throws (ESPN). That’s not a sustainable formula. Not behind a Giants offensive line that collapsed more often than it protected.

On the July 9 episode of the Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny, former NFL lineman Marshall Newhouse sounded the alarm loud and clear. “They have a horrendous schedule, and it might not matter even if he plays decently,” Newhouse said. “Have you seen their first nine games?” Mina Kimes agreed. “Yeah, it’s a lot, not a lot of wins there. It’s crazy.” The Giants open 2025 with the Vikings, Cowboys, Bengals, Seahawks, Eagles, Browns, Ravens, Bucs, and 49ers. That’s not a schedule. That’s a demolition gauntlet.

Newhouse didn’t stop there. “In a vacuum, the group of receivers, Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, maybe Jalin Hyatt, you could actually see Russell Wilson pairing decently with,” he said. “The problem is, I don’t think he’s going to have time to do it consistently. And I think the sack rate is going to be too high.” That’s the quiet part everyone’s been whispering around the facility.

Wilson had a career-low 1.6% turnover-worthy throw rate in 2024 and a 6.4% big-time throw rate, both top-10 leaguewide per PFF. He still knows how to avoid disaster. But survival doesn’t win playoff games, and it sure doesn’t get you extensions. Here’s the dilemma, this is no longer the Russ who escapes the pocket, resets his feet, and throws a 50-yard rope on the run. This is a Russ who relies on rhythm, play design, and protection that often doesn’t exist.

And the Big Blue brought the DangeRussWilson for stabilization. But what if the very thing they’re trying to stabilize, scheme, structure, and identity, is still broken? That’s the part Daboll and the front office will have to answer for. And the clock is already ticking.

Should Brian Daboll & Co. bench the rookie?

Mina Kimes didn’t sugarcoat it when she asked, “Do you feel comfortable putting Jaxson Dart behind this?” That question lands heavy. Because after watching the Giants’ offensive line fall apart, many now wonder if starting a rookie QB might be the smarter move. Especially when you’re led to believe one veteran is already struggling behind that same line.

Marshall Newhouse chimed in with clarity, saying the Giants stood pat on a unit that “was demonstrably not a good product on the offensive line.” That’s not coach speak, that’s frontline truth from a former NFL lineman. He noted that he’s thrived behind elite lines when things clicked, but when they didn’t, the offense flatlined.

Newhouse dug deeper, pointing out the team’s uncertainty about Evan Neal securing an inside role, especially since they drafted him as a tackle.Meanwhile, the only solidity comes from a single franchise tackle, while the rest of the unit remains shaky. Add to that a veteran QB teetering and a rookie waiting in the wings, not to mention Jameis Winston still lurking, it’s not a recipe for smooth sailing.

Then there’s the bright spot, Malik Nabers, whom Newhouse singled out as someone poised to elevate his game. And Darius Slayton, still capable of delivering big plays. But talent at receiver can’t mask an offensive line that can’t hold its ground. Now, the question, does benching Russell Wilson or giving Jaxson Dart a shot solve any of that? Maybe!