The Giants currently have a pair of veteran quarterbacks who aren’t playing: Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. Both played for AFC North teams in 2024. With rookie Jaxson Dart leading the Giants to an upset of the Chargers on Sunday, one of them is expendable.
Wilson has $1.55 million in remaining base salary, after four weeks. Winston has $1.51 million. (Wilson’s incentive package includes $176,000 for each win in which he takes at least 50 percent of the snaps.)
Last week, there was stray chatter of Wilson to the Bengals for a fifth-round pick. And while a deal for Wilson or Winston is possible, the current dynamic could be that neither side wants to make the first move.
In a high-tech world, it’s the lowest of low-tech negotiation tactics. Don’t make the first move.
The general thinking is that whoever picks up the phone first surrenders leverage. Whatever the Giants would have wanted a week ago for either player, they’ll be inclined to want more from the Bengals if Cincinnati were to call today, given last night’s outcome. Whatever the Bengals would have offered a week ago, they’ll be inclined to nudge it lower, given that Dart’s performance highlights the fact that the Giants don’t need both veterans.
The trade deadline arrives five weeks from today. If the Bengals wait until the clock approaches midnight, the cause could be lost — especially since they face the Lions, Packers, and Steelers in the next three games.
Both Wilson and Winston have the arm strength to deliver the ball down the field to Chase and Higgins. Given Chase’s obvious frustrations from Monday night, he quite possibly would welcome a potential upgrade, given Burrow’s indefinite absence.