The Pittsburgh Steelers are one step closer to officially signing QB Russell Wilson. After agreeing to terms Sunday night, the Denver Broncos have made Wilson a free agent, releasing him Wednesday night. Now free to sign with any team, he should ink his one-year deal with the Steelers in short order.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted Wilson’s official release, noting the Broncos are designating Wilson as a post-June 1 cut to help spread out the cap hit associated with his release.
It sets Wilson up to sign his one-year deal with Pittsburgh. Given the offset language in Wilson’s contract with Denver, the Broncos are on the hook for nearly all of his 2024 salary. The Steelers will pay him the minimum at just a hair over $1.2 million this season. Pittsburgh will likely officially sign him within the next 24 hours and hold a press conference later this week or perhaps by Monday at the latest.
Wilson was traded to Denver ahead of the 2022 season. Though he improved in 2023, it was under a new regime in head coach Sean Payton and under new ownership in the Walton family. Wilson put up solid-looking numbers this past year, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions, but played too outside-of-structure for Payton, who often shouted at Wilson along the sideline. By year’s end, he was benched as Denver protected themselves from Wilson getting severely hurt. Denver’s next steps at quarterback are unknown.
Pittsburgh has not publicly commented on Wilson but reports indicate he wasn’t promised a starting role. Instead, he’ll battle Kenny Pickett this summer for the starting job, a competition the Steelers promised to create.
For his career, Wilson has started 188 games. He’s appeared in two Super Bowls, winning one. At 35 years old, he’ll try to win the job and prove his value in 2024, setting up another payday one year from now.
