Russell Wilson Trade Rumors: Pittsburgh Steelers Emerge as the Leading Contender to Rope in Wilson Ahead of 2024 Season

After completing his 12th season in the NFL, Russell Wilson’s future in the league remains uncertain. Despite a successful stint with the Seattle Seahawks, where he never experienced a losing season in his first nine years, Wilson’s performance has faltered in recent years.

In 2021, during his final season with the Seahawks, Wilson posted a 6-8 record before being traded to the Denver Broncos. The Broncos being optimistic about Wilson’s potential, signed him to a lucrative 5-year, $242.5 million contract extension in September 2022. However, the expected success did not materialize, and reports suggest that the Broncos are now considering parting ways with the Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

When Broncos’ head coach Sean Payton benched Russell Wilson for the team’s final two games, it became evident that Wilson’s time with the Broncos was coming to an end. His replacement, Jarrett Stidham, managed to secure a win in one of the two games, thus confirming Wilson’s departure was imminent. With a no-trade clause in his contract, Wilson is expected to hit the market again for the 2024 season once he is released by the Broncos, likely by mid-March.

 

However, speculation is already swirling about which team might pick up the 35-year-old quarterback in the offseason, with the Pittsburgh Steelers emerging as a potential destination. DraftKings recently posted odds of -110 for Wilson joining the Steelers, a significant shift from the initial line of +1400. In the 2023 season, the Steelers rotated between quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph, neither of whom established themselves as a long-term solution for the team.

While the Pittsburgh Steelers are undoubtedly in need of a skilled starting quarterback, recent reports suggest that they might not be keen on bringing in a veteran like Russell Wilson for the upcoming season. Inside the organization, there is a debate going on about whether Kenny Pickett or Mason Rudolph should be the starter in 2024.

Russell Wilson‘s debut season with the Broncos in 2022 saw him finish with a 4-11 record, ranking him at the bottom of the league with 16.9 points per game. However, he showed improvement in 2023, winning seven out of 15 games and climbing to the 19th spot in the league with an average of 21.0 points per game. Throughout his two seasons with the Broncos, Wilson started in 30 games, recording 6594 passing yards, 42 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions.

Denver Broncos’ High-Stakes Gamble

In March 2022, the Denver Broncos made a bold move by trading three players and four valuable draft picks to acquire Russell Willson from the Seattle Seahawks. In addition to parting ways with quarterback Drew Lock, defensive tackle Shelby Harris, and tight end Noah Fant, the Broncos also sacrificed their 2022 first, second, and fifth-round picks, as well as their 2023 first and second-round picks.

This massive trade showed Denver’s commitment to securing a top-tier quarterback, as they also awarded Wilson a hefty new contract worth $242.5 million, making him one of the highest-paid players in the league at the time. However, despite the significant investment, Wilson’s tenure with the Broncos did not live up to expectations.

Now, the future holds the question of what will happen to Wilson, who previously led the Seattle Seahawks to victory in Super Bowl XLVIII against the very same Denver Broncos, with a score of 43-8.