Former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson lost his starting job with the New York Giants, with the team naming QB Jaxson Dart a starter. Wilson could wind up elsewhere though, as NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported on Saturday that Wilson is expected to be a trade target.
“Wilson is expected to emerge as a trade candidate prior to the deadline on Nov. 4, the target of a QB-needy team in need of a veteran, according to sources around the league,” they wrote.
Right now, the Cincinnati Bengals are the only team to lose their starting long-term with Joe Burrow suffering turf toe that will knock him out until at least Week 15. But as is life in the NFL, more quarterback injuries are likely to occur, and if a contending team loses their starter, they could look to trade for Wilson.
That’s good news for the Steelers. With the Steelers losing Wilson last offseason, the team is in line to get a compensatory pick for him. If Wilson hit all his incentives with the Giants, it could’ve been as high as a fourth-round pick, but with him on the bench, the value would likely be a sixth-round pick. For the Steelers to maximize their compensatory pick value, it would be in the team’s best interest if the Giants trade Wilson.
If they do trade Wilson, the team would have a capable backup in Jameis Winston. Currently, Winston is the team’s third-stringer with Wilson the backup behind Dart. The Giants are “likely to consider a move for the right price,” per Rapoport, due to the presence of Winston. While Wilson could serve as a veteran mentor for Dart, Winston could serve the same purpose, and Wilson is likely to draw more interest on the trade market.
It’s not a guarantee, and it would likely take another quarterback injury for talks surrounding Wilson to heat up. But with the trade deadline still over a month away on November 4, there’s a real chance Wilson is dealt. Per Rapoport, a team would only have to take on part of the $2 million base value of Wilson’s contract, which makes him an intriguing option for teams to acquire midseason.
It’s a situation worth watching in the coming weeks, and it’s one that could have some positive ramifications for the Steelers.
