Up until December, it looked like a lock that Russell Wilson would be staying in Pittsburgh, and possibly on a lucrative three- or four-year deal. He was 6-1 as the starter, the Pittsburgh Steelers had just won a shootout against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals, and there were legitimate reasons to be optimistic about a deep playoff run. Oh what a difference five weeks can make. It’s quite obvious that the five-game losing streak soured the Steelers on the idea of keeping Wilson.
According to Chase Daniel, who has talked to him a time or two throughout this process, Wilson isn’t thrilled with how the Steelers have handled his free agency.
“I’m telling you right now, based on talks with Russell Wilson, he feels some type of way,” Daniel said Friday via FS1’s The Facility.
It isn’t unreasonable to want to move on from Wilson, but it has been a rough go of things if you look at it from his perspective.
They had him push a weighted sled before training camp, which cost him nearly all of camp and the first six games of the regular season. He then won more games in his first seven starts than Aaron Rodgers did with the New York Jets all of last season.
Yeah, there was the late-season collapse and Wilson shares some of the blame, but it was far from a one-man problem. The running game could get nothing going, and the defense couldn’t get off the field as it allowed franchise-record rushing performances against the Steelers.
Now, the Steelers have brought in DK Metcalf, who is one of Wilson’s favorite targets from their time in Seattle. The receiving weapons are much better than they were last season, which was a major issue that Wilson had to deal with. He’s probably thinking that a full offseason of work, continuity with Arthur Smith, improved weapons, and a healthier offensive line would shape up pretty well for a stronger second season.
Yet the Steelers are still holding out hope that Rodgers, who went 5-12 with a talented roster in New York, signs with them. Wilson has effectively been their third or fourth option. Of course he is going to feel some type of way.
