The rumored QB carousel for the Pittsburgh Steelers continues to go around and around this offseason.
Previously, that carousel feature names like Aaron Rodgers, Jimmy Garoppolo, Carson Wentz, Derek Carr, and more. Now, after some social media drama involving a star quarterback in the NFC, a new name can be truly added to the list — one that even the talking heads can’t stop pushing for.
That name? Seattle’s Russell Wilson.
Wilson, who went through a dramatic off-season just one year ago with the Seahawks, did what many stars have done recently in sending a message to their employers: removing the team name and any photos of that team from their bio on social media. Wilson did that to the Seahawks earlier in the week, scrubbing his Twitter account clean, causing the fires of speculation to burn brightly.
With Wilson and the Seahawks potentially coming to a parting of ways, one area talking heads like ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum and ESPN’s Robert Griffin III would like to see the star quarterback land is in Pittsburgh.
Tannenbaum, appearing on ESPN’s Get Up Friday morning, said that a pairing of Wilson and the Steelers would make the black and gold instant Super Bowl contenders. Well then.
Asked what a pairing of Wilson and Pittsburgh would mean by host Mike Greenberg, Tannenbaum didn’t hold back.
“Super Bowl contenders. A championship head coach, a championship defense, and now a championship quarterback,” Tannenbaum said. “It’s hard to say this Greeny, but a move for Russell Wilson would allow the Steelers to close the gap with the Cincinnati Bengals.”
How exactly the Steelers would acquire Wilson from the Seahawks, in terms of compensation, is anyone’s guess. Tannenbaum said that the conversation would have to start with “multiple” first-round picks for Seattle.
“This one’s easy; it’s a win-win. Seattle, believe it or not, is the fourth-best team in the NFC West; they have to rebuild. If they can get multiple first round picks for Russell Wilson, now is the time to do so. You rebuild,” Tannenbaum said. “If you’re the Steelers, in my opinion, you can’t overpay greatness. So if it costs an extra one, or two ones and a two, go ahead and pay the bill because the TJ Watts, the Minkah Fitzpatricks, they’re in the prime of their careers. You have young skill players. This is an ideal fit. You can’t overpay a bill that gives you a realistic shot at going to the Super Bowl.”
Wilson is signed through the 2023 season, meaning the Steelers — if they were to make a move for the All-Pro quarterback — would have Wilson for at least two seasons in the black and gold. He would be able to come in and have success right away even with the Steelers rebuilding on offense, considering how dominant he was behind a poor offensive line in Seattle throughout his entire career. He brings the mobility and the big arm, and is unafraid to push the football down the field.
That said, Wilson carries cap charges of $37 million and $40 million in 2022 and 2023, which makes for a tough sell for the Steelers, who are just now coming into some salary cap relief.
Wilson’s certainly a fun name to toss around, but I can’t see the Steelers trading the entire future for Wilson, not with all the holes on the roster at the moment, and especially not with that cap hit.
