Before the Seattle Seahawks dealt star quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos in a blockbuster trade this past March, the New York Giants were one of the teams that had inquired about Wilson’s services.
Brady Henderson of ESPN reports that the Giants, New Orleans Saints and Washington Commanders were among the group of teams interested in Wilson.
The Seahawks received calls from the Broncos and several other teams, including the Saints, New York Giants and Washington Commanders.
Since Wilson preferred Denver, those teams never had a real shot at getting him.
Henderson wrote that Seahawks general manager John Schneider “kept New Orleans involved in the bidding so the Broncos would have to compete against another offer.”
Schneider later apologized to the Saints and other teams who had called, having told them they weren’t trading Wilson. Denver was Wilson’s only option and Schneider’s preferred choice, because Drew Lock was the quarterback Schneider wanted in return. Schneider met with Broncos GM George Paton at the Senior Bowl in early February and again at the scouting combine in Indianapolis a month later. At the combine, Carroll told reporters in carefully chosen wording that the team had “no intention” of trading Wilson.
But the deal was soon done.
Wilson ended up going to Denver in exchange for a massive package of players and draft capital — two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris, and tight end Noah Fant.
There is no evidence the Giants made an offer for Wilson during their inquiry.
