And so it begins. Russell Wilson to the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is the first time we’ve written about the topic, but regrettably, it won’t be the last. With Wilson’s time as a Denver Bronco clearly coming to an end, benched for the final two games, owed a ton of money, and in a dispute over injury guarantees, he’ll be searching for a new home in 2024. CBS Sports’ Zach Gelb thinks the Steelers are among the top places for him.
“Who are the most intriguing destinations out there?” Gelb began. “That have a good roster, a good team, and they could use an upgrade at the quarterback position…what about the Pittsburgh Steelers? The Steelers have two receivers who are probably on the verge of killing each other with George Pickens and Diontae Johnson, because they have no quarterback play.
“Heck, Mason Rudolph just played well, and now he’s replacing who was a first-round pick two draft classes ago. You have a defense that has a ton of talent if they can stay healthy. And you also have Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris running the football.
And to that idea, I respond to it with this and only this thought.
To be clear, Gelb ranked the Atlanta Falcons as the No. 1 place for Wilson to go, with the Steelers second on that list. A clip that surfaced, by the way, mere minutes after Dave Bryan suggested it was going to be a story the media would run with.
Now 35 years old and without most of his mobility, Wilson, famous for his “Let’s Ride” phrase, has had a bumpy one in Denver. Last year was a disaster under first-year head coach Nathanial Hackett, with Wilson throwing 16 touchdowns to 11 picks and barely completing 60 percent of his passes.
His numbers this year have been far better under Sean Payton, tossing 26 touchdowns, eight interceptions, and completing roughly two-thirds of his throws. But much of that stemmed from a hot start to the year. In recent weeks, he’s fallen apart, throwing four picks over his last four games as the Broncos have dropped three of their last four. On tape, Wilson’s decisions are erratic, and he tries to do too much in the pocket. Off the field, the Broncos reportedly wanted him to eliminate his injury guarantee, something Wilson declined to do, and that is one reason why the team is benching him now. Assuming that report is even half-true, it’ll result in Wilson’s exit from the team this offseason.
Gelb isn’t the only one suggesting Wilson make his next stop in Pittsburgh. Appearing on 93.7 The Fan Wednesday, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio says the Steelers are on his shortlist of matches for Russell Wilson.
“I got together with my writers, and it’s like, all right, let’s come up with a list of where we think Russell Wilson could go,” Florio told The Fan. “And the Steelers are on that list.”
Florio added the Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders, New England Patriots, and Minnesota Vikings (if the team moves on from Kirk Cousins), and like Gelb, the Falcons are on that list.
While Pittsburgh may look like an attractive place for Wilson, the feeling probably isn’t mutual. The Steelers are looking for a long-term option, not a QB who will celebrate his 36th birthday next season and is clearly on the decline. He’s not going to be cheap, either. Even though Mike Tomlin spoke highly of Wilson in 2019, he’s not the same quarterback he is today.
The Steelers are still most likely going to bet on Kenny Pickett next year in one last chance to prove he can be their franchise quarterback. But that won’t stop media speculation. If it’s not Wilson, it’ll be Cousins. If it’s not either of them, it’ll be one of the top college arms. Some of those will make more sense than others. Discussing the Steelers’ future quarterback isn’t off-limits, given Pickett’s struggles, but it’s probably going to be a story that has more bark than bite.
