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The Pittsburgh Steelers will meet with recently released Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson ahead of the start of NFL free agency, which begins Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, a league source confirmed. The Atlético. The meeting was originally reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
It is unknown how much interest the Steelers have in signing the 35-year-old quarterback. At the NFL Scouting Combine last week, general manager Omar Khan said he had “full faith” in Kenny Pickett and made it known that the organization wants to re-sign free agent Mason Rudolph.
It would seem unlikely that Wilson would sign to be the third quarterback. If the two sides reach an agreement, it would surely be the end of Rudolph’s time with the Steelers.
Wilson was traded to the Broncos in 2022 after 10 successful years with the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson struggled in 2022, but rebounded last season to throw for just over 3,000 yards, 26 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. Wilson was benched late in the season and finished with just an 11-19 record in 30 starts with Denver.
The Broncos informed Wilson on Monday that they planned to release him in a salary cap move, and that he could immediately seek employment elsewhere. Denver signed Wilson to a five-year, $242 million contract after he was traded. With the release, the Broncos are on the hook for $85 million in dead money.
The Broncos owe Wilson $39 million guaranteed in 2024, minus the value of a contract he signs with another team, due to compensatory language in his deal. That could be as low as $1.2 million, the league minimum.
The Steelers only have Pickett under contract for the 2024 season. They typically keep three quarterbacks on the roster and bring four to training camp.
Does Wilson make sense in Pittsburgh?
The Steelers would go against everything they’ve said this offseason if they decide to sign Wilson. He would suggest that they don’t have full faith in Pickett and don’t want to sign Rudolph, even though he had a solid final four games of the season last year and led the Steelers to a playoff berth.
So no, Wilson is pointless, but if we’ve learned anything from Khan over the last two years as GM, it’s that he’s not afraid to take risks. Signing Wilson would be a huge leap of faith considering the Steelers are in the market for a long-term plan at quarterback, and Pickett and Rudolph provide more of that than Wilson, who has 12 years in the league and will turn 36. at the end of November. .
If the Steelers believe they can win now, which is debatable, then Wilson might be the best option even though his strengths are not what new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is known to do (especially throwing between the numbers). Wilson has a better pedigree than the Steelers currently employ and was good in the red zone last year.
If they sign Wilson, they’ll be banking on Pickett and Rudolph and then might have to give a decent extension to a guy no one knows how much he has left.
Connecting the dots
The news of Wilson’s reunion with the Steelers came out of nowhere, making you wonder why him and why now? There’s nothing to previously suggest the Steelers sought or even wanted Wilson, and probably for good reason. But when you consider that news of Wilson’s reunion with the Steelers could get Rudolph to the extension table quicker, perhaps lowering his price while also sending a message to Pickett (even if it was a veiled attempt), makes sense.
Steelers minority owner Thomas Tull is a business partner of both Wilson and his wife, Ciara. The three, along with Russell Westbrook, are founding partners of Evolution Advisors LLC, a joint venture with Acrisure, which owns the naming rights to the Steelers’ stadium. Acrisure reportedly signed a 15-year, $150 million deal for the rights to what used to be Heinz Field.
Does this have anything to do with the Steelers’ interest in Wilson? Probably not, but the conspiracy theorist in me can’t help but notice the connections.