The Pittsburgh Steelers’ passing offense was a disaster in 2023, despite them giving three different quarterbacks a starting shot. The team threw for just 13 touchdowns, second least in the league.
When you struggle that much, it can feel hard to go any lower, and that’s a bit of a morbid point in the Steelers’ favor going into 2024. It can’t possibly get any worse right?
They did lose veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson without really replacing him, but generally it feels like 2023 was a bottom-out for the offense. Matt Canada is gone, and the quarterback room, led by Russell Wilson, has been revamped.
Wilson is going into 2024 with a major chip on his shoulder. He’s plummeted from being widely considered an elite quarterback to not being able to get a multi-year contract in free agency.
CBS writer Cody Benjamin thinks this is a big year for Wilson, as he ranked him third on his list of the 10 QBs with the most to prove in 2024.
“A few years back, Wilson was destined for Hall of Fame consideration, still the focal point of a Seattle Seahawks team that had once vied for back-to-back titles.” Benjamin said. “Now? It feels like Pittsburgh will be home to the final say on No. 3’s legacy, as Wilson seeks to reclaim respect following a sluggish and ill-fated two-year run with the Denver Broncos. Settling for a one-year, prove-it deal and fending off fellow outcast Justin Fields in a summer competition, Wilson once boasted dual-threat magic for a contender. At 35 on a perpetually scrappy but often unspectacular Steelers squad, this might be his last crack at a top job.”
As I mentioned, the bar is low in Pittsburgh, but that might be a bad thing for Wilson. Despite his lack of weapons, if this offense doesn’t get better in 2024, it will be hard for even the biggest Wilson defenders to argue he is not washed.
At 35, it wouldn’t be unheard of for Wilson to play himself into one last big contract. If he makes this offense even above average and leads the team to the playoffs, I’m sure plenty of teams will covet his services going forward. There are not many guys just floating around the league who have been as good as Wilson has, even if he is past his apex at this point.
Right now, Russell Wilson isn’t exactly seen as even a top-half starting option in the NFL, but he still demands respect just due to his resume. After this season, it’s likely both those things won’t be true still. He’ll either impress enough to get his name back in the mix as a top 15 guy, or not have a place to start in 2025.
