New Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson surely knew that he has a reputation that precedes him before coming here. Many on the outside view him as a guy who does his own thing and is more about himself. Who knows what’s actually true, but at least for Pat Freiermuth, he sees Wison making steps as a good teammate.
On the Podward State podcast on Wednesday, he talked about working out with Wilson on the west coast. Kenny Pickett reportedly planned to get together with teammates before the Steelers signed Wilson. But now it’s Wilson gathering up his new targets and beginning to make those connections on and off the field.
“It’s just building a relationship like any relationship in life, really”, Freiermuth said about Wilson taking steps to reach his new teammates. “Doing the extra things like going out to dinner, or eating together in the cafeteria, watching extra film together. Football, specifically, just talking things through what the quarterback sees and the timing [Wilson]’s talking about, just different things like that”.
“And then obviously, getting the on-field reps, from that perspective, being able to work out with the guys”, he continued. “I’m in San Diego right now working out with [Russell Wilson] and a couple of the receivers, just building that on-field rapport and off”.
He didn’t say which other wide receivers were out there working, and a quick social media perusal offers no clues. With that in mind, I’m not going to speculate about who is there and not there and why. We do know that just recently Justin Fields has been practicing with former Chicago Bears teammates, among them Chase Claypool.
Last year, during one workout Pickett organized, George Pickens, Diontae Johnson, Calvin Austin III, and Connor Heyward counted among the many who attended, with QB Mitch Trubisky also present. Johnson and Trubisky, of course, are no longer here.
Wilson is looking to resurrect his career after a disappointing two-year run in Denver. The Broncos cut him earlier this offseason, and he chose to sign with the Steelers, believing them to offer the best fit. He is a low-stakes signing due to the money the Broncos still owe him, however, and he has much to prove.
That includes his ability to be a true leader, which is an area of his game many have questioned recently. Is Wilson still capable of rallying men around him, simply lacking the requisite support around him?
At least on first blush, Wilson appears to be taking important steps to address these criticisms. He’s only been here for a short time, but he’s already gathering his teammates and getting to know them. That’s a good sign, but it’s not going to win any games in September, let alone January. He’ll still have to forge that on-field connection even if he connects with people off the field.
