With the Russell Wilson news overnight, at least we finally know the Pittsburgh Steelers’ plans at quarterback. Now we have to learn how it all fits and see how it plays out. There’s a reason the Denver Broncos cut Wilson, make no mistake about that, but does he make sense in Pittsburgh?
Will Brinson believes so.
“From a team standpoint, it makes total sense”, he said on CBS Sports about the Wilson news. “You have Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, two guys who can operate as sort of a combo-Marshawn Lynch style. A pounder and then a receiver out of the backfield”.
Harris and Warren combined for 2,359 yards from scrimmage in 2023. Both topped the 1,000-yard mark, Harris doing so in just rushing alone for the third straight season. The running game took off after the Steelers installed Broderick Jones at right tackle and should now be a strength.
From Week 9 through the end of the regular season, the Steelers rushed for 1,452 yards, the third-most leaguewide. Only the Baltimore Ravens (1,646) and the Detroit Lions (1,482) rushed for more, and the former has Lamar Jackson at quarterback.
They also had the third-most rushing attempts during that span at 323, just three shy of the league lead, which reveals a commitment to running the ball from that point forward. They recorded the fifth-most rushing touchdowns with 13 and averaged 4.5 yards per rush, ranking seventh.
If the Steelers can get that running game over an entire season, they provide a foundation for anybody under center. Wilson obviously benefited a great deal from the play of Lynch, his former Seattle Seahawks teammate. The Broncos only had an average running game at best over the past two years that Wilson led the team.
Of course, the Steelers aren’t bringing Wilson in just to plug the ball in the running backs’ guts. They expect him to boost the passing game, but considering the previous state, the standards are at an all-time low. Pittsburgh as a team recorded 3,163 passing yards with 13 touchdowns in 2023. It kept its interception totals down, primarily thanks to Kenny Pickett, but averaged 5.8 net yards per pass attempt.
In 15 games in 2023, Wilson threw for 3,070 yards with 26 touchdown passes to 8 interceptions. He completed 66.4 percent of his passes while averaging 7.2 adjusted yards per attempt. These figures are All-Pro-caliber in comparison to what the Steelers have grown accustomed to in recent years.
Brinson praised the Steelers’ group of pass-catchers as well, particularly noting TE Pat Freiermuth. “It makes sense that [Russell Wilson] can be this hand-it-off, throw-it-deep-off-play-action guy. So, yes, as long as T.J. Watt is healthy, this is a good fit”, he said.
I will say this: the price is right. You’re not going to find a better quarterback for the veteran minimum. But is this the bargain of the century or do you get what you pay for? If Wilson does just enough to support a strong running game, the Steelers should manage at least a playoff win. They’re anxious about that, you know.
