When the New York Giants signed quarterback Russell Wilson to be their starter, the Pittsburgh Steelers were in line to receive a fourth-round compensatory draft pick.
However, the Steelers' chances of getting that high of a pick for Wilson leaving in free agency has taken a major hit after it was reported that the Giants are benching the veteran signal-caller in favor of rookie Jaxson Dart.
Now, with Wilson set to play less than 40% of the Giants' snaps in 2025, Nick Korte of Over the Cap revealed that pick could fall to the sixth round.
Currently, the Steelers are projected to get four compensatory picks in 2026 thanks to the departures of Wilson, left tackle Dan Moore, quarterback Justin Fields and cornerback Donte Jackson.
Here's the full breakdown of what comp picks the Steelers could receive for each player.
Projected Steelers compensatory picks
- Dan Moore: 3rd
- Justin Fields: 4th
- Russell Wilson: 5th
- Donte Jackson: 6th
Of course, there remains a chance that Wilson does ultimately garner a fourth-round comp pick for Pittsburgh, but Dart would have to get injured for that to happen.
Even if Dart does get hurt, there's no guarantee the Giants will go back to Wilson, as the team might want to give Jameis Winston a shot instead.
The expectation was that Wilson would get at least half of a season, but that was dependent upon how well the Giants were playing and how ready Dart is to play.
Wilson has been mostly terrible through three games and was particularly awful in Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Adding to that, the Giants are 0-3 and are going nowhere fast.
Meanwhile, Dart impressed enough in training camp and the preseason that he jumped Winston on the depth chart, which showed he was seemingly ahead of schedule in his development.
The decision to go to Dart is understandable, especially from the perspectives of head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen, both of whom are fighting for their jobs. Dart is the last-ditch effort for both to keep their jobs.
If Dart succeeds and the Giants improve, Daboll and Schoen might be able to make a case to stick around. If not, both will be looking for new jobs in 2026.
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