Russell Wilson’s performance as a quarterback at this point in his career has been one of the more hotly debated topics across the NFL media landscape, with some analysts believing that Wilson in Pittsburgh is an ideal fit, while others are more skeptical.
Count ESPN NFL writer and analyst Jordan Raanan among the skeptics, as on ESPN Radio’s Unsportsmanlike, Raanan said that Wilson is “barely a starting quarterback” and the Steelers will make the playoffs, but not because of Wilson.
“I think Russell Wilson is on the downside of his career. I think he’s barely a starting quarterback in the NFL at this point of his career. Like, when he lost his mobility, that was maybe Russell Wilson’s best attribute. And I don’t think he has anymore. Now, I think the Steelers are a very talented team and will make the playoffs, but not because of Russell Wilson. They’re gonna be doing the same and working around him, and at some point, we might even see Justin Fields. I think at some point you will see Justin Fields. He’s not dynamic enough anymore, Russell Wilson.”
There’s no doubt that the 35-year-old Wilson has lost some mobility and isn’t as athletic as he once was, but he’s still a talented passer and is an upgrade over what the Steelers had at quarterback last year. But it’s fair to question just how good Wilson will be after two years in Denver that weren’t all that impressive, even if his counting stats last season were solid. Raanan believes that Wilson’s numbers were good because the Broncos were working around him and trying to not make him do too much, which he believes will be the case again in Pittsburgh.
Frankly, it wouldn’t be the worst thing if the Steelers didn’t make Wilson try to do too much. That shouldn’t really be a knock against him as a quarterback, as the Steelers can also lean on their running game and let Wilson be more of a game manager. If that’s the case and it gets the Steelers to the playoffs, then that’s fine and not something Wilson should be faulted for. As long as the offense looks to play to his strengths, limiting how much Wilson does could be a benefit for the offense as they won’t be overly reliant on quarterback play.
Wilson is going to have to fend off Justin Fields, and if he struggles, the Steelers could very well turn to Fields, who is more mobile and can be dynamic, even if he isn’t as good of a passer as Wilson at this point. It’s going to be interesting to see what the Steelers do, but with the talent they have on defense and the backfield, having whoever plays quarterback as a game manager won’t be the worst thing, and Raanan likely recognizes that and is why he still has the Steelers as a playoff team, despite not being a fan of Wilson.
