Rather than Kenny Pickett or even Mason Rudolph, the quarterbacks who get the most press when the Pittsburgh Steelers come up this offseason seem to be Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. There is no evidence Pittsburgh is interested in either one, but it’s a topic on every national sports show.
Sometimes I do find something interesting within the mix, though, I cannot lie. I thought Bucky Brooks offered a reasonable opinion about Wilson on NFL Total Access yesterday, for example. In discussing Wilson’s future, he pointed to the Steelers as a team with which he has the best chance.
“He can be a championship-caliber quarterback on the right team. But it’s not going to be because of him”, he said. “It will be because he is driving the bus. He’s playing a managerial role. Russell Wilson has value. He’s started in this league for a long time, he’s played at a high level. And even though the last two years haven’t been what we thought, last year wasn’t a complete failure for him”.
“I think it’s about going to the right team with the right structure in place and the right coach that will protect Russell Wilson against himself”, he added. “So for instance, going to the Pittsburgh Steelers where Mike Tomlin is obviously the force. He can take some of that heat off of Russell Wilson”.
A nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion, Wilson has largely floundered in Denver. The Seattle Seahawks opted to trade him in 2022 to the Broncos for quite a return package, to his detriment. But as Brooks points out, it hasn’t been all bad.
If you just look at his numbers last season, Wilson ably produced, particularly in contrast to his previous year. He went 297-of-447 passing for 3,070 yards with 26 touchdowns to 8 interceptions. His completion percentage jumped up by six points, touchdown percentage by two and a half, and his interceptions dropped. His adjusted yards per completion ticked up a bit as well. Yet he still finished 7-8, the Broncos benching him at the end of the season.
Opinions are mixed about Wilson, whom Brooks points out has a better understanding of where he is in his career. Patrick Peterson said on his All Things Covered podcast that he believes Wilson never fit in Denver. Other commentators argue he fits well with the Steelers as well.
Others seem to completely disagree. Some question his toughness and thus his ability to thrive in an environment like Pittsburgh. But ultimately, the questions are two as it concerns Wilson and the Steelers, which are hypothetical.
The first is what it takes to get him if they want him in the first place. Denver seems ready to move on, and they may not have to pay him much. That makes it at least theoretically workable. Then you have to decide what he can give you and if he works in your offense. But if you make this decision, are you also deciding to bench Pickett and move on from Rudolph?
