The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to sign QB Russell Wilson to a one-year, $1.21 million contract on Wednesday. The first day of the legal tampering period illustrates just what a bargain that is relative to the other deals.
Kirk Cousins, for example, coming off a major injury, agreed to a four-year, $180 million contract averaging $45 million per season. Cousins is the better player at this point in their respective careers, but his price tag is still huge. He has the eighth-highest average annual salary in the NFL, tied with Patrick Mahomes., and more than Josh Allen.
While Mitch Trubisky returned to the Bills on the cheap, the Minnesota Vikings are reportedly signing Sam Darnold for $10 million. Darnold played 130 snaps last season, throwing two touchdowns and one interception for the San Francisco 49ers. He has a 21-35 record and a 63-56 touchdown-to-interception ratio, yet he hit eight figures.
Jacoby Brissett is reportedly signing a one-year, $8 million contract with the New England Patriots. Tyrod Taylor is signing with the New York Jets on a two-year deal worth up to $18 million. And Gardner Minshew II is getting a two-year, $25 million deal from the Las Vegas Raider, which includes $15 million guaranteed.
These deals put into perspective just how sensible signing Wilson for the veteran minimum truly is for the Steelers. They are taking advantage of a unique set of circumstances to address a need, doing so in a significant way.
The Denver Broncos still owe Wilson nearly $40 million, with anything he earns from another team offsetting that. Because of that language, he was free to pursue the best football opportunity for himself this offseason, money be damned.
While his trade value seems to diminish by the hour, pursuing Justin Fields demanded a much greater commitment. Even Minshew sets you back $15 million guaranteed over the next two years. That’s more than the entire contract the Steelers gave Trubisky in 2022 in guarantees alone.
Wilson isn’t going to magically solve all their problems, but he’s not going to cause any, either. He’s certainly not a salary cap burden. What exactly is the worst-case scenario here? Perhaps he grows disgruntled if the Steelers bench him. Okay, so then you cut him with no losses.
In the discussion of risk versus reward, Russell Wilson arguably presents the strongest balance with virtually no risk. Nobody expects him to play the best football of his career in the Black and Gold, but he can take them to the playoffs and perhaps win a game or two. Perhaps even more under ideal scenarios.
The beauty is they don’t have to stick their neck out to find out. He doesn’t even need to win the starting job this year, and it won’t be the end of the world if that does not happen. Indeed, the Steelers likely celebrate if Pickett beats him out, assuming both play well. But now they have someone to push their quarterback, at the very least, and perhaps a quality bridge starter.
