Russell Wilson’s greatest strength is starting to betray him at Giants camp

We all know that Russell Wilson’s majestic moon ball is the most alluring aspect of his game. In his prime, he would spin out of pressure, extend plays, and drop a 40-yard dime on the run like it was effortless. 

It was plays like that that encapsulated the 10-time Pro Bowler’s time in Seattle. But now 36, Wilson’s deep ball has remained, but his athleticism has begun to fade as the signal-caller enters Father Time. Now a New York Giant, the vertical element of the offense he’s provided has seen his connections with Malik Nabers, Wan’Dale Robinson, and Jalin Hyatt blossom.

But the Super Bowl Champion’s biggest asset has also been his biggest detriment in training camp..  Wilson’s penchant for throwing it deep has led to him throwing six interceptions in camp, with New York’s safety room taking advantage to nab five.

Russell Wilson’s deep balls are resulting in turnovers in training camp

Wilson’s affinity to take risks, once his MO, is becoming a concern. This isn’t the Danger-Russ of 10 years ago, or the player who led the NFL in passing touchdowns in 2017. 

For example, take a look at this interception thrown on Monday. Wilson is targeting Robinson over the middle, but forces the throw late, and the pass is jumped by Jevon Holland before being run back for a pick-six. It’s the type of throw he could’ve been able to get away with five years ago, but not anymore.

In 11 starts in 2024, the 2012 third-rounder out of Wisconsin threw just five interceptions all season. In just two weeks of Giants’  training camp Wilson has already surpassed that number.

For now, he’s the clear starter for the Giants, but with every mistake he makes it marks an opportunity for Jaxson Dart to bridge the gap between QB2 and QB1.

Dart, a rocket-armed rookie, has been quietly stacking good days in practice and improving with each passing day. The former Ole Miss standout developed a quick rapport with Montrell Washington and has been quick to display the traits that led Big Blue to trade up to select him in the 2025 NFL Draft.

That’s not to say it’s been all negative for Wilson. 

In the same session where he threw the pick-six, he also delivered a perfectly-placed deep ball to Malik Nabers for a touchdown. And that throw serves as a reminder that even amid some inconsistency, he still possesses one of the most impressive long balls in the business.

 Brian Daboll loves to air out the football, and after the Daniel Jones experiment crashed and burned, he finally has an entire quarterback room capable of fitting his scheme. But aggressiveness without control is chaos, and for Wilson, that may ultimately determine how long he holds onto the starting job.

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