Will Russell Wilson be the next starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers?
Multiple reporters yesterday cited sources stating the Pittsburgh Steelers plan to meet with QB Russell Wilson before free agency begins. Released by the Denver Broncos, his market is at a low point right now. The money Denver owes him also allows him to accept a cheaper contract, making him palatable to teams like Pittsburgh.
Still, it’s hard to know how seriously to take the Steelers’ interest in Wilson. Just days ago, national reporters told us the opposite. They are committed to Kenny Pickett and want to bring back Mason Rudolph. Not all of these things can remain true if you sign Wilson.
At the very least, Rudolph doesn’t figure to return to Pittsburgh if Wilson signs with the Steelers. Pickett has a guaranteed contract, so he’s not going anywhere. But no matter what he’s been through, Wilson isn’t coming here to be QB3.
Is he open to battling Pickett for the starting job and potentially serving as his backup, though? That’s the question, at least from the outside. Maybe the Steelers really are interested in him as a short-term starter more than just a challenger.
There is some logic to that, accepting the premise that the team believes Wilson is still a championship-caliber quarterback. Let’s face it, the defense’s championship window is closing. Cameron Heyward is in all likelihood nearing the end of his career. T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick are in or at least very near their primes right now.
Or perhaps this is simply a due-diligence move to explore a cheap quarterback option with high upside. Wilson has a Super Bowl championship on his resume and might land in Canton one day. He’s beyond his prime now, but that doesn’t mean the Steelers don’t believe they can win with him.
Remember, this isn’t a matter of what we think. This is about what the Steelers think—or what we think the Steelers think. And would anybody really be surprised if the Steelers think they could win a Super Bowl with Russell Wilson? They don’t have to be right in order to act on it.
So call your shot now: is Russell Wilson the Steelers’ starting quarterback in 2024?
The Steelers’ 2023 season has been put out of its misery, ending as so many have before in recent years: a disappointing, blowout playoff loss. The only change-up lately is when they miss the playoffs altogether. But with the Buffalo Bills stamping them out in the Wildcard Round, they have another long offseason ahead.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Is Kenny Pickett the guy? Will he get another season’s reprieve without a serious challenge? How will the team address the depth chart? Do they re-sign Mason Rudolph, one of few significant unrestricted free agents?
The Steelers are swirling with more questions this offseason than usual, frankly, though the major free agent list is less substantial than usual. It’s just a matter of…what happens next? Where do they go from here? How do they find the way forward?
