With 9 Pro Bowl selections to date, Russell Wilson has been one of the most decorated quarterbacks in the NFL’s recent history. The future Hall of Famer had a stellar career with the Seahawks by becoming the most successful QB in their history. However, things changed in 2022 when he joined the Broncos. The QB in a new setup under an offensive-minded Sean Payton has been a shadow of himself.
Advertisement
His slew of sloppy performances led him to get benched midway last season. Moreover, reports suggested that Coach Payton had a troubled relationship with Wilson with the former reportedly benching the latter for avoiding the bonus threshold. The situation has only worsened which is why he is all set to be released this season. With the preseason in full swing, rumors around Russell Wilson’s next team are going wild. NFL Analyst Colin Cowherd is the latest to speculate on the QB’s future.
As per Colin, Pittsburgh Steelers and Wilson are a match made in heaven. The analyst believes that Wilson historically has done well under defensive coordinators turned HCs. His two Super Bowl wins came under them. Cowherd further added to his insight by linking this as the reason why Russell struggled with an offensive-minded Sean Payton.
View this post on Instagram
As per Colin, Pittsburgh Steelers and Wilson are a match made in heaven. The analyst believes that Wilson historically has done well under defensive coordinators turned HCs. His two Super Bowl wins came under them. Cowherd further added to his insight by linking this as the reason why Russell struggled with an offensive-minded Sean Payton.
“The Steelers frankly on offense could use his commitment, could use his maturity, could use his experience, and could use his accuracy. Now as an offensive coach, Sean Payton, i can get Russell kind of frustrating. But with a defensive coach, Mike Tomlin, Russell doesn’t turn the ball over that much. He can play within a system and do some ad-libbing also. When Russell went to Denver, he was viewed as a savior. That’s not what he is here.”
Thus Arthur Smith at Pittsburgh will have a blast with Wilson. Moreover, Colin argues that for the Steelers to compete against the likes of Mahomes, Pickett isn’t the man. They need someone with a proven pedigree like Russell Wilson.
“Pittsburgh’s winning with Kenny Pickett. Arthur Smith is the new offensive coordinator. He is not going to ask Russell to throw it 45 times. That’s not what he is gonna do. He had Ryan Tannehill when he was at OC in Tennessee. They were a run team first, play action pass with a QB in Tannehill that could move and was experienced. So this one feel like it works.”
With the Steelers, Russell Wilson gets a team ready to compete from the get-go. However, he has a host of other lucrative options in the NFL if the vision aligns. Here are a few potential landing spots for the QB after Denver.
If Not Pittsburgh, Then Where?
One of the biggest storylines around Wilson’s exit from Denver is the salary conundrum. As per Ian Rapoport, cutting off Wilson will result in a massive $85 million cap hit for the Broncos. Even if they split the hit across two seasons, the Broncos will have to pay the $39 million owed to him regardless. This means that Wilson will earn this amount even if he is playing for any other team.
Thus rumors are now suggesting that Wilson might opt for a starting position in a team by asking for the league minimum salary of $1.21 million for a year. This opens up a plethora of opportunities for Wilson. League rivals LV Raiders for starters are in need of an experienced QB. With the Jimmy Garoppolo experiment failing and a 13th-draft pick, Wilson on paper is the most suitable signing for the Raiders.
Similar to the Raiders are the Atlanta Falcons who seem to not have their starting QB Desmond Ridder in plans anymore. With them also having the 8th pick in the draft and no clue about Justin Field’s availability, Wilson can be a good low-cost bridge. Another lucrative option for Wilson can be the Minnesota Vikings. With Kirk Cousins on the verge of being a free agent, Wilson with his experience can form a lethal combo with the league’s top young receivers in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
Last but not least, the New England Patriots. Since Brady left, the Patriots have been in a rebuild with Mac Jones at the forefront. Unfortunately, the Mac Jones experience failed. Moreover, HC Bill Belichick also got released last season marking the dawn of a new era. This is perhaps the most risky bet for Wilson but if he takes back the Patriots to their former glory, it will do massive dividends to his legacy which has taken a hit in the last 2 seasons.
