Steelers Just signed Russell Wilson $305Million…Today
Jeff Saturday: Russell Wilson ‘Would Be The Best Fit’ In Arthur Smith’s Offense
The quarterback dilemma is now front and center, as the Pittsburgh Steelers have allegedly hired former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith to serve as their offensive coordinator. Kenny Pickett will start the offseason as the quarterback, according to head coach Mike Tomlin, but there will be competition for the position. It will take time to determine if it is Mason Rudolph, another veteran, or a draft choice.
It should be a seasoned quarterback brought in with the goal of winning the duel with Pickett, according to former Indianapolis Colts C Jeff Saturday. Saturday stated that the Steelers should give priority to Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson on Wednesday’s episode of Get Up on ESPN.
“Russell Wilson would be the best fit for Arthur Smith,” Saturday said. “Due to his desire to play play-action football, his desire to play under center, his experience as a quarterback, and other factors… Whatever the circumstances, Arthur Smith is as skilled as anybody at creating a run game. You have a veteran player in there who has won a lot of games, so that’s something to speak about when discussing Russell Wilson’s exceptional skill set. I am aware of his detractors, but the guy really does win a ton of games.
Wilson is a mystery to Steelers supporters. As Saturday puts it, he’s a huge name who can win “a bunch of freaking games.”
He turned 36 in November, but since signing with the Broncos before the 2022 season, he hasn’t been the same. In the long run, he doesn’t resolve Pittsburgh’s quarterback dilemma, which is why former Steelers executive Doug Whaley believes it would be a disastrous decision.
In the near run, though, Saturday’s idea does make some sense. No matter where he goes, Smith is a strong believer in leveraging play-action to expand on his hit run games. Atlanta ranked ninth in the league when it came to play-action runs. QB Ryan Tannehill of the Titans, who was formerly of Tennessee, attempted 74 play-action throws in 12 games in 2019 before increasing to 158 attempts in 2020.
Play-action has always been a strong suit for Wilson. During his final season with the Seattle Seahawks in 2021, he averaged 10.2 yards per play-action throw attempt. In Denver, that figure fell to 7.3 in 2022 and 7.2 in 2023, but Wilson is still a proficient play-action player.
Alex Kozora of Steeler Depot has examined Smith’s past, and a key element of Smith’s approach is play-action. Play-action quarterback moves are Smith’s favorite play-pass concepts, according to Kozora, who also notes that “quarterback keepers, bootlegs/rollouts/waggles, are among his most popular play pass concepts.” He supports moving the launch point and making it more difficult for defenders to assault the same location on a regular basis.
Whether it’s Wilson, as Saturday says, Pickett, or someone else, expect to see a heavy dose of play-action passes in 2024 from the team that ranked dead last in those attempts last season