When QB Russell Wilson announced his intent to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the move was largely viewed positively. After all, the report is that he will sign for around the league minimum. That’s because the Denver Broncos are on the hook for his salary, only offset by what he makes with his new team. It’s a low-risk move for the Steelers. If it doesn’t work out, no long-term harm. If it works out, the Steelers will have a great shot at winning at least one playoff game in 2024.
However, Adam Schein doesn’t see it working out. On Wednesday’s episode of Schein On Sports on Mad Dog Sports Radio/SiriusXM Radio, Schein tore the move to shreds.
“How the hell is Russell Wilson gonna take the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road to beat the Baltimore Ravens?” Schein asked. “How is that gonna happen? Spoiler alert, it’s not… There is no chance, no chance, that the Pittsburgh Steelers are better than the Baltimore Ravens next year. Even with Patrick Queen. Even with making a good deal, a wide receiver for a corner. It’s just not going to happen.”
That may surprise some Steelers fans considering the Steelers swept the Ravens in 2023. I’ll give Schein the fact that the Ravens didn’t play QB Lamar Jackson in Week 18. However, it’s not like Jackson has been some sort of Steeler-killer in his career so far. He only has a 2-4 record against Pittsburgh with four passing touchdowns versus seven interceptions.
Now the Ravens did land free-agent RB Derrick Henry to help make an already strong running game even better. However, Schein is more concerned with Wilson just not being good enough in his mind.
“I’m not convinced he’s better than Kenny Pickett,” Schein said. “I’m not convinced he’s better than what Mason Rudolph put on the table over the last few games of last season when he went on the road and beat Seattle. So this, this is where hope goes to die… The Steelers are not in the same league as the Baltimore Ravens. Heck, I don’t think Pittsburgh is anything more than a last-place team.”
It’s hard to look at the 2023 stats and say that Wilson wasn’t better than Pickett. Was Wilson stellar? No, but he did find the end zone repeatedly to the tune of 26 passing touchdowns. That’s more than the Steelers’ quarterbacks combined over the last two seasons (25).
Could the signing fall flat on its face? Absolutely. This is the NFL, anything can happen. However, it’s hard to see how the Steelers did not improve at quarterback from a team that went 10-7 and made the playoffs last year.
Even Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce thinks that Wilson “has a lot of good football left in him.” Schein feels very strongly about this being bad, but he’s one of the few who doesn’t see Wilson as an upgrade over Pickett.
