Russell Wilson is not going through his best moment in his one-year stint with the New York Giants, as the franchise decided to bench him in favor of Jaxson Dart starting in Week 4. After a string of poor results, rumors of a final decision are growing, and the Pittsburgh Steelers of head coach Mike Tomlin could end up benefiting from the situation.
Wilson started the first three games for the Giants, who sit at 0-3. The veteran quarterback, who signed on a one-year deal, recorded three touchdowns, all of them in the Week 2 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The offensive production in the Big Apple has not lived up to expectations.
The Steelers, who had Wilson last season, are keeping a close eye on the opportunities that could arise from their former quarterback’s current situation. These are decisive days for the future of one of the Giants’ most high-profile players.
What decision could the Giants make about Wilson?
According to NFL insider Jonathan Jones of CBS, the Giants are considering the option of trading Wilson. “His immediate future with Big Blue is uncertain, though he could be a valuable piece for a team in need of a quarterback before the November 4 trade deadline,” Jones reported.
Why could a potential Wilson trade benefit the Steelers?
For the Tomlin‘s Steelers, the possibility of Wilson leaving the Giants carries an indirect but positive impact tied to the NFL compensatory pick system. Since they lost the quarterback after he became a free agent, Pittsburgh could find itself in a favorable scenario.
These additional draft picks are awarded to teams that lose key free agents, and the value of each pick depends both on the contract the player signs and his performance with the new team. In Wilson’s case, the Steelers have been monitoring his situation closely because, depending on how his tenure in New York, or elsewhere, plays out, it could secure them a more valuable compensatory selection in the upcoming draft.