The quarterback rumors are still circling and it seems that the Pittsburgh Steelers are everybody’s favorite landing spot for almost every available quarterback. It makes sense to a degree as the Steelers got very little out of the quarterback position in 2023 and still finished 10-7 with a spot in the playoffs. But on the other hand, the comments of head coach Mike Tomlin and Team President Art Rooney II have sure made it seem like the starting quarterback for 2024 is already on the roster. The latest name, and one that has already been talked about, is Denver Broncos QB Russell Wilson.
ESPN’s Get UP had a panel this morning to discuss the best landing spot for Wilson and Bart Scott connected the dots to Pittsburgh.
“Pittsburgh was on his list before,” Scott said. “You talk about an organization that had the quarterback that played off schedule often and had explosive plays with young dynamic players. Those moon balls to great receivers. Pittsburgh only needs competent play. With what they had last year, they still was right there for the playoffs.”
Wilson was on a Hall of Fame trajectory with the Seattle Seahawks and made a career out of escaping pressure and throwing a pretty deep ball to receivers downfield after plays had already broken down. His time since being traded to the Broncos has been less than ideal.
The 2022 season, full of hope fresh off the blockbuster trade involving multiple first-round picks and other draft compensation, was a disaster as head coach Nathaniel Hackett was fired in the middle of the season. The Broncos then hired Sean Payton to pair with Wilson and while things were better overall, they still failed to make the playoffs and irreparably damaged their relationship with Wilson in the process.
Wilson completed 297 passes on 447 attempts for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns, and eight interceptions last season in 15 starts. He also had 80 rushing attempts for another 341 yards and three touchdowns. The pace in which he was finding the end zone is a lot better than anything the Steelers had last season. And it wasn’t that long ago in 2020 that Wilson had 40 passing touchdowns and 4,212 passing yards as he was a trendy MVP pick at points throughout the season.
Wilson is still owed a large sum of money from the Broncos as a part of the long-term deal they gave him following the trade. He wouldn’t be a very expensive signing given how much money he will still be receiving from Denver.
At 35 years old, some of the mobility aspects of his game that made him special could be starting to fade.
“They’re a young team,” Scott said. “We talk about Arthur Smith being able to run the ball, devise a great running game…I think that’s the only chance for him.”
If Wilson truly is going to be as cheap of a signing as he is projected to be, he will likely have other suitors. One would think he also doesn’t want to go somewhere where he isn’t the unquestioned starter at this point in his career. The Steelers don’t seem ready to give up on Pickett just yet, for whatever that is worth.
