Russell Wilson bet on himself before the 2024 season, and the results were mixed. He helped lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to the playoffs, but after getting off to a hot start, Wilson’s play took a nosedive. He was less careful the football, and he produced several boneheaded plays. Now, he’s a pending free agent, and it’s unclear if he’ll return to the Steelers.
“I could see Pittsburgh moving on,” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini said Friday on her Scoop City podcast. “I could see Pittsburgh going, ‘You know what? This was a great experiment.'”
Calling Wilson’s time in Pittsburgh a great experiment is perfect. It was worth the try. The Steelers wanted a more veteran presence at quarterback to give them some leadership, and they signed Wilson for basically nothing. His play was up and down in 2024, but overall, it could’ve gone much worse.
If Wilson wants a big payday, the Steelers should be willing to let him leave. Wilson wasn’t awful, but he wasn’t good enough to warrant a big deal. At 36, there’s no telling if he’ll take another step back next year, either.
The Steelers are likely better off bringing back Justin Fields if they want some continuity at quarterback. Not only is Fields younger, but he’s probably a better fit for Arthur Smith’s offense. Russini sounded more confident that the Steelers would bring back Fields.
“I’m going to guess they’re gonna do that,” she said.
Fields just feels like a better fit for where the Steelers are right now. He didn’t look outstanding last year, but it’s clear the team can win games with him. Maybe with a full year of Smith’s system under his belt, Fields will look better. Bringing him back shouldn’t cost too much either, and it would give the Steelers an intriguing bridge option at quarterback.
There’s also a chance that Wilson doesn’t want to return to the Steelers. He seems happy in Pittsburgh, and everything he’s said has indicated that he would return, but there might be more enticing opportunities for him. One of those could be with the Las Vegas Raiders and new head coach Pete Carroll.
Carroll was Wilson’s head coach for his first 10 years in the NFL, and while their relationship became strained, it could be repaired now. Carroll’s presence is one of the biggest reasons many people believe Wilson could leave the Steelers. Russini does not sound convinced a reunion between Wilson and Carroll will happen, though.
“I would be surprised if this winds up being something that really comes to fruition,” she said.
It seems like Wilson’s future in the NFL is totally up in the air. If the Steelers and Raiders don’t want him, he could struggle to find an open starting job. Wilson’s best days are behind him, and Father Time gets everyone eventually. He gave the Steelers a fun year, but they might be better off moving on from him. It doesn’t sound like anything is set in stone, but don’t count on Wilson returning to Pittsburgh.
