2025 NFL Draft: Browns open to trading down, may have caused Giants to sign Russell Wilson per report

The Cleveland Browns are potentially open to trading down from the No. 2 pick in the draft, according to NFL insider Josina Anderson. The news comes after it was reported Tuesday that the New York Giants, which own the No. 3 pick, signed veteran quarterback Russell Wilson.

Anderson speculated that the signing of Wilson to a one-year, $21 million deal may have been a “panic move” in anticipation of a team trading up to take Shedeur Sanders. New York is expected to pick Sanders according to most mocks.

“On the flip side, with Jameis Winston already on the roster at his cost & the upcoming Draft, it feels like a panic move by the #Giants, especially given what I just heard today regarding one team’s current view that Cleveland sounds potentially open to trading back, per a league source,” Anderson wrote.

The Giants getting Sanders certainly still on the table if the Browns stay at No. 2, where ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has them taking Abdul Carter in his latest mock. But perhaps the Giants wanted to be cautious just in case someone else tried to step in so they have a backup plan. It’s also possible that Wilson could also start this year while they develop a rookie quarterback.

New York is coming off of a 3-14 finish this past season that saw it release former first-round pick Daniel Jones midway through the year. It would still seem to be trending toward finding a quarterback of the future having only signed Wilson to a one-year deal, and could take a player to develop as his backup this year before handing over the reigns the following season.

Wilson, set to enter his 14th NFL season, is coming off of a one-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played in 11 games last year and completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 2,482 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions with a 95.6 rating and 6-5 record. He missed the first six games of the season due to an injured calf.

Wilson spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Seattle Seahawks, winning a Super Bowl in 2014. He is a 10-time Pro Bowler and would bring a veteran presence with a proven track record if the Giants believe they can win now.

It’s also a possibility that the Browns could take a quarterback in the draft even if they don’t trade their pick. But in the case that they do, New York is prepared with its signing on Tuesday.