Steelers are now the favorite to land Russell Wilson

Highlights

• Russell Wilson has been cut by the Broncos and the Steelers are now favorites to land him.
• The fit with the Steelers is questionable as they lack the offensive firepower and blocking Wilson requires to succeed at this point in his career.
• There are conflicting rumors about what the Steelers want to do at QB, but Wilson could offer an immediate, short-term upgrade.

Russell Wilson was traded by the Seattle Seahawks to the Denver Broncos two years ago, for a massive package that included two first-round picks and two second-round picks, among other assets. “Danger Russ” promised Broncos Country a ride, but after getting benched at the end of the season, the writing was on the wall, and Wilson was informed that he would be cut by the team on March 4.

Now, coming off a few down seasons in Denver, Wilson is entering the final stages of his legendary career. Already a Super Bowl champion with Seattle, he’ll surely be looking for a new home that provides him a chance to add another ring or two to his trophy case.

Yet, rumors persist that the Pittsburgh Steelers will pursue Wilson with fervor this offseason. Does the mediocrity treadmill Mike Tomlin’s team has been running on for years really intrigue the 35-year-old signal caller?

Steelers are now favorites for Wilson

Their odds for the veteran QB have seen a massive spike since December

In 2022, the Steelers selected Kenny Pickett with the 20th overall pick in the NFL Draft, effectively signaling their intention to make him the heir to Ben Roethlisberger’s throne.

That decision hasn’t entirely worked out for the Steelers, as he’s thrown the same number of interceptions and touchdowns over his first two seasons. His 14-10 record is promising, but that’s more attributable to Pittsburgh’s star-studded defense and Mike Tomlin’s voodoo-magic that prevents him from ever finishing a season below .500.

As such, rumors have swirled that the Steelers will look to add a veteran at the position, as they try to bring in competition that they hope will make Pickett better. It is with that context in mind that the team has emerged as the leading favorite for Russell Wilson, with -200 odds, according to DraftKings.

It’s a strange development, to be sure. Wilson has been on the downswing of his career since being traded to Denver; he has not posted a 4,000-yard or 30-touchdown season since 2020 after accomplishing both feats five times earlier in his career.

Once a revered escape artist capable of playing behind the most makeshift offensive lines, Wilson is now more confined to the pocket than ever before. He can still run, to be sure—he had 275+ rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in each of his seasons in Denver—but he’s taken 100 sacks in the last two years, including a league-leading 55 in 2022.

All of those considerations have led some pundits to suggest that Wilson will be short on suitors this offseason, perhaps indicating that the veteran will have to settle for a less-than-optimal situation.

The fit in Pittsburgh is questionable, since the Steelers don’t necessarily have the offensive firepower nor the blocking brigade that Wilson requires to thrive at this point.

Receivers George Pickens and Diontae Johnson are excellent at fulfilling the roles they’ve been given, but neither has proven game-breaking on a consistent basis (though, perhaps with a new offensive coordinator in town, that can change).

Running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren led the 13th-ranked rushing offense in football (118.2 yards per game), though Harris averaged just 4.1 yards per carry and Warren has yet to prove capable of handling a full three-down workload.

The offensive line has talent, including guards James Daniels and Isaac Seumalo, and first-round right tackle Broderick Jones held his own after wrestling the starting spot away from Chukwuma Okorafor. However, there are still questions at center and right tackle, and it’s hard to see this group holding up long enough for Russ to pull off the pocket magic that made him such a force with the Seahawks.

It’s not hard to imagine Wilson wanting to play for a coach as consistent and beloved as Mike Tomlin, but the veteran heading to the Steel City feels like a lateral move for both sides.

Pittsburgh seeking QB competition for Pickett, Rudolph

Steelers’ incumbent quarterbacks haven’t impressed in their opportunities

For what it’s worth, there have been conflicting rumors about what the Steelers want to do at the quarterback position this offseason. While they may be favorites for Wilson and in the hunt for Justin Fields, other reports say that they want Pickett to enter training camp as “the guy”.

All the juxtaposition from reliable sources can be interpreted in different ways, but it mostly just feels like Pittsburgh is trying to straddle multiple timelines. Of course, they want Pickett to develop into the long-term starter, but they also want to end their playoff win drought as soon as next year. Everything Pickett has shown up to this point suggests those two goals will conflict with each other, at least for another season.

At the end of the day, this is the Steelers we’re talking about. This team prides itself on winning and doing things the “Steeler Way”, even if it means never having a top pick in the draft nor being a serious threat in the postseason.

In fact, the Steelers are so willing to scrape the margins for a competitive advantage that they benched a healthy Pickett in the playoffs for career-backup Mason Rudolph after he played okay down the stretch while leading the team to the final Wild Card spot in the AFC.

Wilson, without doubt, would be an upgrade next year over what the Steelers currently have (assuming they even re-sign Rudolph, who is due to hit free agency this offseason). But, such an upgrade that the team will go from also-rans to Super Bowl contenders overnight? Not at all.

Wilson will give Tomlin and the Steelers their best chance to go over .500 for the NFL-record 21st straight year. Regardless of the awkwardness of the fit between team and player, that’s reason enough alone for Pittsburgh to talk itself into signing “Danger Russ”.

And, should they bring him aboard, the Steelers will be better in 2024 than they were in 2023. Perhaps, even, just good enough to keep a playoff game within ten points for the first time since 2017.

All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.