Russell Wilson has chosen his next squad even before free agency officially began. The former quarterback for the Denver Broncos declared on Sunday night that he will be signing a contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Wilson has agreed to a one-year contract worth about the league minimum of $1.21 million, according to ESPN.com. Wilson knew he would get $39 million in 2024 no matter what, so he was prepared to sign a cheap contract. The Steelers will be responsible for the remaining amount, with the Broncos providing him with approximately $38 million.
Wilson signed a contract with the Steelers even though he isn’t officially a free agent yet because the Broncos granted him permission to negotiate with other teams after notifying him on March 4 that he would be released on March 13, the first day of the new league year. Wilson can accept an offer from the Steelers right now, but he can’t sign it until Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET.
Over the past two days, Wilson has visited with both the Giants and the Steelers, but it’s obvious that he liked what he saw in Pittsburgh more.
It is not shocking in the slightest that the Steelers are adding a seasoned veteran to oppose Kenny Pickett. At the close of the season, Mike Tomlin made it very apparent that Pickett will have some competition for his position.
“This thing is constantly competitive. No one is anointed by us,” Tomlin declared. “I’m appreciative of his efforts and where he is and excited about continuing to work with him, but certainly, he will be challenged from a competition perspective moving forward.”
If Wilson defeats Pickett to start, the Steelers’ victory total will go from 8 to 8.6, and their chances of making the playoffs would rise from 30.3% to 42%, according to predictions made by SportsLine statistics guru Stephen Oh.
General manager Omar Khan stated at the NFL Combine that he had “full faith” in Pickett, but he also stated that the team will look into every avenue to find a quarterback.
We have several options, including the trade market, free agency, and the draft. Every one of those paths, in my opinion, is open to us,” Khan stated, as reported by The Athletic. “Everything is being examined. I owe it to this organization, the players, the front office, and every Steelers fan in the country to explore every avenue and try every strategy to make this team better. And we intend to carry it out.”
Although Pickett has displayed promise, his development has been mainly stunted by injuries and a change in offensive coordinator.
Regarding Wilson, CBS Sports HQ NFL Insider Josina Anderson revealed on Friday that Wilson had “hours” of conversation with new Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith during his weekend visit to Pittsburgh.
After a disappointing two-year stint with the Denver Broncos, the nine-time Pro Bowler is undoubtedly eager to prove he still has it. He performed noticeably better in 2023 than he did in 2022, however he was benched towards the end of the season.
Wilson recently stated on the “I Am Athlete” podcast, “I’ve got more fire than ever, honestly, especially over the past two years and what I’ve gone through.” It’s all about winning for me. I would like to win two within the next five years. I want to experience that trophy’s chill once more. I adore the city and everything it has to offer, but you want to be in a location where others love you too. The only thing that matters to me is winning.”
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