Steelers Projected To Spend $90 Million On
Getty The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to offer Russell Wilson a massive contract.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could spend big on Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson next season.
The Steelers QB situation has become one of the NFL’s most interesting stories in recent weeks. After several months of underwhelming play at the position, Mason Rudolph earned his first start since the middle of 2021. He took full advantage of the opportunity. He led the Steelers to back-to-back wins, kept their playoff hopes alive and allowed them to continue to be the starter despite the return of Kenny Pickett.
Rudolph could start in Week 18 for the team and make the playoffs if they are successful, but that position still remains a big question mark for the 2024 season. There has been a lot of speculation recently about the Steelers moving positions to bring offensive stability this offseason.
CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin not only thinks the Steelers will make a QB move, but he also thinks they’ll spend a lot of money to do so. In a Jan. 4 article, he suggested the Steelers would give Wilson a three-year, $90 million contract if they released him from Denver.
disappointment in Denver
When the Broncos traded for Russell Wilson, they did so with the hope that he would make them a contender after years of brutal play, and they were rewarded accordingly. The Broncos gave up a first-rounder, two second-rounders, a fifth-rounder and more to acquire Wilson from the Seahawks and then gave him a $245 million contract extension dollars for five years.
The results were not monitored. The Broncos were terrible last year, winning just five games. However, Wilson was able to avoid much of the blame when the team fired Nathaniel Hackett midway through his first season as the team’s head coach. Performance this season has improved. The Broncos are on an eight-game winning streak and even made the playoffs a few weeks ago. His numbers improved as well, but not enough to justify the massive investment Denver made in him.
Now that he has settled into the organization, he is expected to be released in the offseason. Russell Wilson might be worth the risk for the Steelers, though.
Even if the results in Denver aren’t what the Broncos were hoping for, he could be a good fit for the Steelers.
When Wilson was still in Seattle, everyone wanted the Seahawks to “let Russ cook.” That didn’t really happen in Seattle, but he was very successful when he wasn’t allowed to cook.
The Steelers don’t need a QB to cook. The team was able to put together a winning season with a QB who hasn’t been toast the past two years.
They need someone to be positive and control the game. Wilson might still be that guy at this point in his career.
This season, he has thrown for 3,070 yards and 26 touchdowns in 15 games while completing 66.4% of his passes. Those numbers would be a significant improvement over Pickett, and Wilson did it with a weak cast.
Deontay Johnson, George Pickens and Pat Fryermuth are more reliable options than Wilson’s Broncos targets. The Steelers have allowed 14 fewer sacks than the Broncos this season. The Steelers rely more on the running game than the Broncos. The Steelers were also better defensively.
In Pittsburgh, Wilson could take on a role similar to the one he had during his prime with the Seahawks. Some Steelers fans might not like signing Wilson because of what’s going on in Denver and the risks involved.
Still, signing Wilson could be a move worth making for Pittsburgh, especially if he can shorten his contract to two years.
