When the New York Giants selected Jaxson Dart in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, it put Russell Wilson's time with Big Blue on the clock. Fans were clamoring to see the rookie in action, but were surprised to see him so early after Brian Daboll announced he would be the Week 4 starter.
After signing a one-year deal with Big Blue this offseason, Wilson has already been at the center of trade rumors that could see him be moved before the deadline. The Atlanta Falcons found themselves in a similar predicament last season with Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins, and despite Cousins signing a four-year $180 million contract last offseason, he only started 14 games in Atlanta.
Now that the former Ole Miss standout is the new QB1 for the G-Men, it could spell trouble for Cousins. Despite an influx of quarterback injuries around the NFL, the Falcons have yet to trade the four-time Pro Bowler, so adding another veteran to the trade block will make it harder for Terry Fontenot to facilitate a trade.
Russell Wilson could take Kirk Cousins' place as the NFL's most desirable backup quarterback
In three starts with the Giants, Wilson's 778 passing yards ranked sixth in the NFL, but was completing just 59.1% of his passes. In New York's 22-9 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday night, he threw two costly interceptions and recorded just 160 passing yards—so it's no surprise the former Ole Miss standout is taking over.
Between Wilson and Jameis Winston, one of the Giants' veteran backups is likely to be traded at the trade deadline, but the 10-time Pro Bowler is more likely to be moved. Winston has an extra year of control on his contract, which makes Wilson more desirable across the league.
A team like the Bengals—desperate for stability with Joe Burrow out until December and Jake Browning struggling—could see Wilson or Cousins as an upgrade who can keep the team competitive until Burrow makes his return. But they'd likely prefer the younger, more athletic option.
As for Cousins, he replaced Penix in the fourth quarter against the Panthers, but Raheem Morris has made it clear there is no quarterback controversy in Atlanta. Week 3 marked the Washington product's sixth NFL start, and it's clear there are still growing pains, so the Michigan State product and his $40 million cap hit are just rotting on the bench.
Teams were in Cousins interested this offseason, but the Falcons controversially opted to hold on to the veteran as insurance behind Penix, which has turned out to be a misstep by Fontenot. If the future Hall-of-Famer gets dealt, Cousins' value could suffer.