The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2023 season came to an unceremonious end with the team’s fourth-straight one-and-done playoff appearance when they lost to the Buffalo Bills on Monday. Pittsburgh started Mason Rudolph, the team’s third-string quarterback for most of the season, in its final three regular season games and playoff loss, and with Kenny Pickett struggling in his second season, the Steelers have a big question mark at quarterback.
On the Nightcap podcast hosted by former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe and former NFL wide receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, Johnson said he thinks Pittsburgh needs to signing Russell Wilson.
“If you’re serious, obviously with Mike Tomlin getting an extension, Russell Wilson is out on the market,” Johnson said. “He is the one you need to go get. I think the pairing with Russell Wilson, that offense, Diontae Johnson, Najee Harris, I think they will be on fire. Perfect, playoff coach, playoff quarterback, Super Bowl coach, Super Bowl quarterback. Man, George Pickens is gonna love that. It just makes too much sense to pass up an opportunity like that if you’re serious about contending in the AFC North.”
After a stellar career with the Seattle Seahawks, with whom he won Super Bowl XLVIII, Wilson was traded to Denver ahead of the 2022 season. He struggled over two seasons with the Broncos, going 11-19 as Denver’s starter and throwing 19 interceptions in 30 games though he looked better this year. Wilson dealt with poor offensive line play (100 sacks taken in 30 games with Denver), and he threw for 3,070 yards and 26 touchdowns to eight interceptions in 15 games this year before being benched for Jarrett Stidham. Wilson is going to be released by Denver, which otherwise will owe him over $30 million guaranteed in 2024, meaning whoever signs him can get him cheap.
Wilson has been linked to the Steelers by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who also said Atlanta and New England could be fits for the veteran. His play this year provides some hope that he can get back to being a quarterback you can win with in the playoffs, and that would be the gamble the Steelers would be taking if they signed him. However, going the route of an established starting veteran quarterback route like Wilson or Kirk Cousins just doesn’t feel like something the Steelers will do. And during Mike Tomlin’s end-of-season press conference yesterday he said Pickett will face competition but will enter the offseason as the QB1.
If the Steelers signed Wilson, it would be to start, and there wouldn’t be any competition. Wilson wouldn’t sign knowing he’s not guaranteed to start, so if Pickett is really going to get competition, it won’t be from Wilson. There’s also the question of whether Wilson is really still at the level to take a team to the Super Bowl. With the level of quarterback talent in the AFC, it’d be a legitimate question if Wilson could really be the guy to get Pittsburgh over the hump. It would be a risky signing, and it doesn’t seem like one the Steelers are going to make.
Just based off Tomlin’s yesterday, I wouldn’t bet on Wilson to the Steelers happening. There’s little doubt the Steelers will address the position in some capacity this offseason, even if it’s just re-signing Rudolph, and it’s going to be very interesting to see what they do.
You can watch the full segment on the Steelers from Nightcap below.
