The news was a bit surprising late Sunday night with future Hall of Fame quarterback Russell Wilson agreeing to a one-year, $1.21 million deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of free agency. Surprising in the sense that it was largely unexpected even after a long meeting Friday at the team’s facility. In the end though, the Steelers added an experienced quarterback to a team ready to win now.
Though he’s not the flashiest signing and certainly isn’t making much of a dent in Pittsburgh’s 2024 salary cap, his impact on the Steelers will be immense this season.
Former NFL fullback Lorenzo Neal certainly believes Wilson will have the biggest impact among any quarterback in free agency this season, including Kirk Cousins in Atlanta. During an appearance on the JR SportBrief Show on CBS Sports Radio Tuesday night, Neal spoke glowingly of Wilson and stated that the current version of Pittsburgh reminds him of the Legion of Boom era Seattle Seahawks when Wilson was at his best.
“I’m gonna tell you a team that’s ready to win now. And I think they go deep into the playoffs…I think Russell Wilson, when you think about where he’s going to a Steeler team that plays great defense, he’s going to a team that he’s not going to have to carry it,” Neal said, according to audio via the show’s podcast page. “He’s not gonna necessarily have to go and carry this team. I think this team’s, in some essence, kind of reminds you of that Legion of Boom. I’m not saying they’re better, but you think about the Steelers and think about Seattle and their heyday, they were dependent on that defense.
“The Steelers is that type of team that can play great defense and now you have a quarterback that is a game changer and a quarterback that can get the ball and distribute it to the right guys and also can escape and make plays with his legs. I think the Steelers, I think that Russell Wilson is gonna have the biggest impact out of those two guys.”
Wilson won’t have to carry the Steelers at all, that much is very clear simply based on how they have played in recent seasons and the success they’ve had with average quarterback play from the likes of Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky. Mason Rudolph came in and played well late in the 2023 season, leading the Steelers to three straight wins to get into the playoffs. In the process, he showed just what the Steelers need as currently constructed from their quarterback: one who is willing to hang in there in the pocket, take shots downfield and bring a general sense of leadership and ownership to the offense.
Wilson can — and will — do that.
He still throws a terrific deep ball at 35 years old and should pair nicely with George Pickens in 2024 as Pickens has a similar play style to Denver’s Courtland Sutton, who had a great deal of success with Wilson in Denver.
Though Wilson isn’t what he once was at the peak of his career in the 2010s, he’s still a good quarterback who put up strong numbers in 2023, throwing for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions for the Broncos before being benched in a contract dispute. Pittsburgh is a good spot for Wilson, as Neal said. He won’t have to do too much and can lean on a star-studded defense, especially after the Steelers landed linebacker Patrick Queen in free agency Tuesday.
It’s all setting up nicely for Wilson in 2024. He doesn’t have to do too much. That might be perfect for Wilson at this point in his career.
