With the Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly set to sign QB Russell Wilson at the start of the new league year on Wednesday, the media landscape is busy providing instant reactions and analysis on the move. The overwhelming majority has been positive so far. It’s hard not to be when a Super Bowl-winning QB with all of the accolades that Wilson has at this point in his career is brought in on a veteran benefit contract. Low financial risk, high upside. Fox Sports 1’s Skip Bayless joins those firmly optimistic about the signing, giving it a 10 on a scale from one to 10.
“This is an all-time steal of a deal,” Bayless said on Undisputed Monday morning. “It only costs Pittsburgh $1.2 million. The veteran minimum to get a quarterback who’s been to nine Pro Bowls and two Super Bowls.”
The Denver Broncos still owe him roughly $38 million from the guarantees given in his massive extension just two years ago. Any new money offsets against that amount, so Wilson opted to give his new team a break and play for the minimum salary.
In terms of what the Steelers are giving up to get him, there really aren’t other examples of this type of union happening where the signing team has so little invested in such an accomplished veteran. It will give the team the extra ammunition in free agency to make an extra splash or two, to bolster the roster immediately and give the Steelers a real shot at a playoff win or two.
“I’m gonna put in front of his age, 35. I’m gonna put an only 35 because in this age we live in, after what we saw Tom Brady do at 45…Once upon a time, I would’ve said you’re on the downside,” Bayless said. “He could still be in his prime at age 35.”
While Wilson’s two-year stint with the Broncos didn’t exactly go as planned, he had a solid 2023 season. After losing five of the first six games, Wilson and the Broncos rattled off five-straight wins. Those wins were against the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, and Cleveland Browns. Four of those teams went to the playoffs, and of course the Chiefs went on to win the Super Bowl.
The late-season contract drama unraveled the situation in Denver, ending with a 7-8 record for Wilson as the starter before the Broncos benched him for the final two games. But he still had 297 completions on 447 attempts for 3,070 yards, 26 passing touchdowns, eight interceptions, and another three rushing touchdowns. He looked much more similar to the Seattle version of himself than the Year 1 Broncos version.
In the end, people who have criticized Kenny Pickett, who is 14-10 as the starter over the last two years, have been pointing to the wins as a team stat. So keep that same energy when looking at Wilson’s 11-19 record over the same span.
“Russ went through a lot last year and I think he got humiliated by the benching. ‘Cause he is a star, and he’s married to a star, and he’s got star power,” Bayless said. “Because of that, I think he’s gonna come into Pittsburgh with a little chip on his shoulder.”
He will have a very similar team composition to when he was successful in Seattle. A high-level defense, a running game off which to build the play-action passing game, and a couple weapons in the passing game for his signature deep ball. Not that all things are the same, but the build of the team will feel familiar to him from his time under Pete Carroll in Seattle.
Getting a potential Hall of Fame-level quarterback on the cheap with a possible chip on his shoulder? The question should have been why not? all along.
