The Pittsburgh Steelers’ overhaul of their quarterback room began with the team signing Russell Wilson, who was released by the Denver Broncos following two subpar seasons. During an appearance on The Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show, CBS Sports’ Aditi Kinkhabwala explained some of Wilson’s issues under Sean Payton with the Broncos last season, noting that he struggled to manage play calling.
“He was constantly climbing out of the back of the pocket. He struggled with snap counts. He couldn’t manage or handle the play-calling,” Kinkhabwala said. “They went from putting a wristband on [him] to by the end of the season, all the play calls had to be two words and everybody else was required to know what the play calls were.
“There is a very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very valid reason that Sean Payton…is saying I’m going to pay this guy millions upon millions of dollars to be nowhere near my locker room.”
Obviously, if Wilson’s struggles with play calling and dealing with snap counts and actually managing the offense were so extreme, it makes sense why Denver would want to move on. Payton is revered as one of the better offensive coaches in football, but the marriage between him and Wilson just didn’t work out. A lot of it seemingly stems from Wilson struggling to grasp the offense throughout the season.
That’s a little bit concerning to hear about a veteran quarterback, especially one the Steelers could be relying on to help the team make a playoff run. But even if Wilson plays the way he did last season, he’s going to be an upgrade over what the Steelers had in Kenny Pickett last season. Wilson’s physical tools and traits are superior to Pickett’s, and with a better offensive line in front of him and a new scheme, it’s fair to think that Wilson could turn a corner in Pittsburgh.
Kinkhabwala noted that Wilson’s best seasons came with a strong defense and a strong run game to aid him, and those were two things he didn’t necessarily have in Denver. In Pittsburgh, he’ll have one of the best rushing attacks in the league with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. On the other side of the football, the Steelers’ defense should be among the better units in football.
If Wilson continues to struggle with processing play calls and snap counts, then the Steelers will have Justin Fields waiting in the wings. While Wilson is currently in “pole position” to win the starting job, if he continues to struggle with the basic duties of being a quarterback in the National Football League, Pittsburgh’s minimal investment in him means it won’t hesitate to turn to Fields.
A change of scenery should be beneficial to Wilson though, and the Steelers clearly are confident he can be the guy to lead their offense in 2024. We’ll find out quickly if that’ll end up being the case or not.
