Following an offseason in which the Pittsburgh Steelers completely overhauled their quarterback room, they are again faced with a similar decision. For how stable the organization typically is, it seems unlikely that they would move on from both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to start completely new, but which quarterback will return? Both seem even less likely than neither.
The decision could come down to a numbers game. Will there be a market in unrestricted free agency to drive up either of their prices? If not, will they capitulate to Omar Khan’s shrewd contract negotiations? The Steelers appear to have some leverage, but that can quickly change if either quarterback starts getting offers from other teams.
There have been several people throughout the 2024 season to suggest Wilson could command a Baker Mayfield-sized contract at roughly $33 million per season. Ben Roethlisberger weighed in on that possibility.
“What’s Russ going to ask for? Is he gonna ask for $30 to $35 [million], which some of these quarterbacks are making?” Roethlisberger said via his Footbahlin’ Podcast on YouTube. “I personally wouldn’t. It is cheap, but I personally wouldn’t do that. I think there’s a number. I don’t know what that number is, but I think there’s a number depending on what your cap and stuff looks like.”
Adam Schefter and several others who threw around the Baker Mayfield figure were doing so when Wilson was 6-1 as the Steelers’ starter. He was playing some of the best football of his career and briefly elevating the Steelers to look like legitimate playoff contenders. Five weeks later, his record with the Steelers was 6-6, with another first-round exit in the playoffs.
Surely, his market value dropped as a result of the poor play. The presence of Fields and the decade of youth he offers over Wilson should also factor in. Wilson has continually said that he wishes to remain in Pittsburgh. He has also continually stated that he wants to play five to seven more years in the NFL. Taking an inexpensive contract offer from the Steelers might be his best (and only) chance to do that. The market will ultimately dictate if that is true or not.
How much lower would he reasonably go? The going rate for a starting quarterback in the NFL is $25 million at a minimum. Geno Smith took a three-year, $75 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks. The next lowest is Gardner Minshew at $12.5 million and Sam Darnold at $10 million per season. It would be pretty surprising if Wilson went any lower than Smith at $25, and I am not so sure he would go that low.
It will also depend on how much interest there is in the open market and how badly he wants to remain a starter in Pittsburgh.
