NFL News: Giants make a restructure amid QB1 competition between Russell Wilson and Jaxson Dart

Russell Wilson and rookie Jaxson Dart headline the battle to become the starting quarterback for the New York Giants, who continue to rebuild their roster following a disappointing 2024 NFL season. The Big Apple franchise has restructured a contract to create more salary cap space.

A lot has changed within the Giants‘ roster. Along with the arrivals of Wilson, Dart, and Jameis Winston, the team also landed star prospect Abdul Carter, who signed his rookie contract with New York, prompting the team to free up additional cap room.

With increased depth on the roster, head coach Brian Daboll will now face the challenge of deciding who will lead the offense. On one side stands veteran Wilson, determined to lead and earn the starting job. On the other is a young and promising Dart, who, according to local media, is gaining more consideration as a legitimate option. In this context, organizational schemes will also play a crucial role in shaping the outcome.

Restructuring a salary on the Giants

The Giants have restructured the contract of edge rusher Brian Burns to free up cap space, paving the way for the signing of rookie Carter. According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the team converted $16 million of Burns’ base salary into a signing bonus, creating an additional $12 million in cap room.

The move unlocked the ability to sign their first-round draft pick, Carter, for whom they only had $2 million available prior to the restructure. After the adjustment, the 21-year-old defensive end agreed to a fully guaranteed four-year, $45.3 million contract.

The Giants can now focus on what matters

In an NFC East that promises to be highly competitive, the Giants can now shift their focus back to the battle for QB1 ahead of the 2025 NFL season kickoff in September. Although there are still several months to go, head coach Brian Daboll and the rest of the roster are beginning to come together under a new dynamic led by a mix of fresh faces and key returning players.