An interesting wrench was thrown into the Pittsburgh Steelers’ looming quarterback decision this morning with the Las Vegas Raiders hiring Pete Carroll as their next head coach. His history with Russell Wilson points to an obvious connection, and there is already one report from an NFL insider that suggests a reunion is possible.
While this could complicate matters for the Steelers, their future with Wilson is still very much in their control.
“We’ll see what happens with the Steelers and Russell,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo said Friday via 93.7 The Fan’s Pomp And Joe Show. “Obviously the Steelers have the inside track if they want to keep him because they can get that done before free agency starts.”
The legal tampering period doesn’t begin until March 10. That means Wilson and his agent are not allowed to talk to the Raiders to truly gauge interest until then. That gives the Steelers plenty of time to make an offer if they decide he’s in their plans for 2025.
If they make an offer and Wilson opts to see what the open market has for him, then the Steelers could immediately shift their focus to Justin Fields. That at least gives them some bargaining power, and there is no guarantee Wilson would be able to get more elsewhere, even from the Raiders.
The Raiders need a bridge quarterback as they aren’t looking to compete for a Super Bowl right now. The Steelers aren’t likely contenders anytime soon, either, but they were 10-7 and made the playoffs last season compared to the 4-13 Raiders. Wilson’s best chance at performing well and setting himself up for a future starting role around the league remains in Pittsburgh.
It should also be taken into account that Wilson has repeatedly stated his preference to remain in Pittsburgh. He likes the city, and he likes playing for Mike Tomlin.
Fittipaldo notes that the Steelers’ focus isn’t on the quarterback contracts at this point in time. They still haven’t made coaching changes and at least a few should be expected in the next week or two. They also have the Senior Bowl and the Shrine Bowl next week, which is a crucial part of preparation for the 2025 NFL Draft. These contract talks likely won’t get serious until mid-to-late February, a little closer to the start of the new league year.
