What began with a Super Bowl victory and a ‘Let Russ Cook’ campaign in Seattle has now devolved into a lukewarm one-year contract in New York. Russell Wilson was shipped out of Denver after an infamous stint with the Broncos. Then he had a short-lived run in Pittsburgh that began with optimism and ended with a five-game losing streak. Also, a postseason face plant against the Ravens. He said all the right things. Spoke about unresolved issues, expressed a desire to return, and complimented the locker room.

But the Steelers were done. They let him walk away with Justin Fields. And while Fields got a new shot with the Jets, Wilson got the Giants. And the Giants? They didn’t even want him at first. Matthew Stafford was supposed to hold that distinction. But once that dream fell through, Wilson became the ‘break glass in case of no Stafford.’

He is currently looking at a depth chart that shouts ‘placeholder.’ A rookie Jaxson Dart is already being discussed as the franchise’s true future. CBS Sports sees where this is heading. Their latest prediction doesn’t sugarcoat it: 13-season veteran Russell Wilson will retire following the 2025 season. “Wilson, who will turn 37 during the 2025 season, will likely be looking for a new team yet again next offseason as Dart ascends to QB1 sooner rather than later. Does Wilson want to do that again? Moreover, will a team want Russell Wilson?….. So, a retirement decision could be made for Wilson as a starting job may not be available to him, and it’s hard to see him accepting a full-time backup role anywhere.”

Whether it’s his call or the league’s indifference that pushes him there doesn’t matter much. In any case, Wilson might not have any suitors when he becomes a free agent again. And the Giants may already be prepping his gold watch.

Sure, Wilson still believes he has gas left in the tank. “I definitely want to play another five to seven years,” he told ESPN’s Hannah Storm back in November. “I feel young, I feel like I can still move around out there and make all the decisions and all the throws.” But feelings don’t win jobs. And the last time Wilson had a full season that resembled elite quarterbacking was before the Broncos started eating $85 million of his contract just to get rid of him.

Now 36 and heading toward 37, he’s not a backup personality. He’s never been the clipboard guy. So when this Giants chapter wraps, the options might not be worth the call. And when that’s the reality, retirement doesn’t feel like a decision. It feels like a deadline. The Giants say they have a plan. Russell Wilson starts. Jameis Winston backs him up. Jaxson Dart learns. Easy enough, right? Well, not so much.

Giants say Russell Wilson’s the starter, but history says otherwise

According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, this scenario rarely ends with the rookie staying on the bench for long. “Every year, it seems there’s at least one team telling us it wants to sit its rookie quarterback as long as possible — all year if necessary,” Graziano said. “The Giants signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston to make double sure they had capable veteran options while Dart developed into an NFL-ready starter. But the reality is, it rarely works out.”

Graziano isn’t just making random predictions. He’s pointing to a pattern. A trend. Patriots, for example. They moved to Drake Maye after announcing that they would start with Jacoby Brissett. The Falcons gave Kirk Cousins $180 million, then handed the ball to Michael Penix Jr. by the season’s end. And the Giants? They have also done this before. Phil Simms in 1979. Eli Manning (2004). Daniel Jones in 2019. All first-rounders. All installed mid-season.

So history and reality are all set to strike as Brian Daboll maintains that Dart is the quarterback of the future. But it doesn’t mean Dart is prepared just yet. He is still adjusting to NFL speed, learning the offense, and learning how to feel pressure without being flattened. But even Daboll couldn’t hide his excitement this spring. “He’s done excellent picking up information. He’s smart, aggressive with the football, which I like,” the coach said. “And then the true test will be once we start with live hitting and preseason games and things like that. He’s progressed since he’s been here.” Translation: He’s not far away. Dart is going in if Winston flames out or if Russell Wilson falters.